Welcome to the real world. Asshole.
I work at the courts, dealing directly with defendants and their solicitors, families and friends.

Every week there's a Youth court, where, folk knowledge has it, young thugs are sentenced to a rigorous regime of wrist-slapping.

The place fills up with under-18s and their interested parties, which sadly don't always include parents.

Most juvenile offenders are neglected or led astray and will respond well to the Youth Offending Team's (YOT) attentions, and will mend their ways. Many parents, appalled at their sprogs' offences, will co-operate with the YOT, which gives the kids a better chance of changing their behaviour.

However, some kids will refuse to accept the help on offer and continue to offend. The YOT run round after them, giving lifts, getting them up for court, ringing to remind them of appointments and so on, and the little darlings chuck it all back in their faces.

Sometimes the parents collude in this, telling the kids that 'you're under 18, they can't touch you!' - which incidentally isn't true. They can be 'breached' for disobeying a court order and sent back to court and even into detention. But their over-indulgent parents tell them not to believe that.

When they reach 18, of course, this all stops. I saw it recently for myself.

A lad of just 18 had been arrested for the umpteenth time and banged up for a night or two.
He was released with a condition that he report to Probation early on a certain day.

'Fuck off!' said he to the Probation Officer. 'No way! I'm never up at that time!'
The YOT's response might have been negotiation, the offer of a lift, maybe even a different appointment...

The P.O.'s was 'That's the appointment. If you don't turn up you're in breach and we'll issue a warrant, and you'll be arrested and locked up.'

The little thug stared in shock, mouth gaping.

The words hung, unspoken, in the air -

Welcome to the real world. Asshole.
(Juan Quar is clinging to her front teeth on, Thu 9 Oct 2008, 15:59, 12 replies)

People like that
should be allowed to reach 18. I can't help but think how many more firing squads I'd introduce if I took over.
(FoxyBadger (try saying it backwards), Thu 9 Oct 2008, 16:20, closed)

Shurely shome mishtake?
s/should/Shouldn't/g ?
(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_ =o.o=, Thu 9 Oct 2008, 19:55, closed)

Clap them in irons
Send them to Australia (the northern bit where there aren't any Bruces).
( stopmeandslapme Cometh the hour, cometh your mum, Thu 9 Oct 2008, 16:26, closed)

I've always thought that adulthood should be a licence granted through passing a test, like getting a driving licence. You're allowed to take it any time after you hit puberty. If you don't pass, you stay legally a child, regardless of your age, and if you commit a crime serious enough (drink-driving, theft, etc), then you get your adulthood licence revoked and become legally a child again, denied the rights and freedoms of adulthood until you retake the test and pass.
(Musuko, Thu 9 Oct 2008, 17:02, closed)

Dude.
That is a cocking ace idea. I may steal it.
( Bob Todd whee, Thu 9 Oct 2008, 21:25, closed)

*Clickety Click*
Ha! un-fucking-lucky.
(Oil Slick, Thu 9 Oct 2008, 17:05, closed)

There was this
verminous piece of shit who used to live near by me. It was a great pleasure to see half of the county's constabulary forcibly invade his house, 1 month after his 18th birthday, and drag him screaming and bloodied into the street.

Up til then a couple of officers used to knock on the door and politely ask his mum if he was in.
( Ring Of Fire A petty, drooling belming butthurt retard., Thu 9 Oct 2008, 17:36, closed)

This, and the OP gives me great joy.

( Dixipoos Bye Bye Blackbird, Thu 9 Oct 2008, 18:23, closed)

Ring Of Fire, I bet them bobbies were rubbing their hands in glee
for the last few weeks of that scrote's 'minority'.
(Juan Quar is clinging to her front teeth on, Thu 9 Oct 2008, 19:56, closed)

Huge grins
and merriment, and didn't try and hide it.
( Ring Of Fire A petty, drooling belming butthurt retard., Thu 9 Oct 2008, 21:10, closed)

Woot!
There is a god :)

Eject them into the North Sea, I say.
(SpangoTheWonderBadger is brewing beer, Fri 10 Oct 2008, 17:04, closed)

I read recently
that when the Argentine Junta was in its worst state of murdering, young folk were arrested, tortured, raped, beaten and finally drugged and dropped out of planes to fall a few hundred feet or so in to the Atlantic.

Sadly these were to later become known as the Disappeared.

A lot of good people were murdered and yet every day, foul mouthed, anti social kids in this country carry on with out thought or reason and never realise just how lucky they are to be able to exist in a society that actually tries to rehabilitate offenders, as opposed to murdering them.
( Rev. Jayneflakes Buy my book, I need the cash for drugs and hookers, Sun 12 Oct 2008, 21:12, closed)