I sometimes wonder about that.
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Arrested? No, although his parents might be on the hook for child abandonment.. If they had managed to catch him, they would have tried to call his parents or guardian. Absent that, they would have called child welfare services to look after him while they tried to locate the parents.
No, they wouldn’t prosecute someone for the price of a toothbrush. He would likely just get banned from the store.
shareActually for first time felons you have to pay a fine for Shoplifting. Repeat offences results in prison time. Though in my state of Illinois you don't get put in the local jail unless you murder or rape someone. Assault, theft, and vandalism don't warrent local jail time. With Kevin being kid though that doesn't apply though.
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In my state, anything less than $2000 is a misdemeanor.
In reality, they rarely attempt prosecution as judges in my state routinely dismiss the charges.
No, he would've just gotten badgered by the cop and then let go, and if his parents were there threatening to lawyer up or with money for bribes, it would've been brushed under the rug - I'm assuming they do that for bully Buzz's crimes, unless he's secretly a nerd.
shareYou Americans arrest kids? In other civilized countries there is a minimum age, nothing would happen except some "Bad boy, don't do that again!" and if they do it again, they would get a stay away order. Not for first time and for a toothbrush.
shareI'm not American, but here they would be caught by a security guard. If they're younger than 15, the social services get involved and the parents get a warning. Repeat offences might lead to the loss of custody and sending the kid away to a foster home or family. Also, the parents might have to pay damages for what was stolen which is usually one fifth of what it cost from what I understand.
shareWe are talking here about a tooth brush (equivalent of an apple) nothing anyone would even get real damage. Of course its not OK, but for such minor stuff losing the custody of your kid would be crazy. That's why as I am aware there is nothing happening here in Europe, except maybe the shop not allowing the family to enter anymore.
But yes, of course damages have to be paid of course too.
Repeat offences, that is. But it also depends on the value of the things they'd be stealing. In actuality, I've learned it's rarely if ever enforced and only looks so on paper.
Anyway, the kid might get called to a police interrogation, not to get a punishment, but to be told that what they did was wrong.
You Americans arrest kids?
So, if a kid murders someone, they just get told not to do it again? What if they decide to do it again? And again?
Civilized countries have laws and intelligent people know there are consequences to breaking laws.
Bleeding heart liberals just cry and worry themselves sick about criminals.
Of course, they will get psychiatrists sessions for a long time, but they will be not arrested. Their will be very likely not even a note about their crime in their police file.
shareSo they can just keep harming others because they are kids. And nobody will know they are dangerous. Yeah, that's a good way to do it.
shareI forgot to add, don't worry. In some states, even adults don't have any consequences for stealing. And even if arrested, all they have to do is promise to show up for trial and they are right back out committing more crimes.
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