If Brett Kavanaugh were 17 today
The following are excerpts from a story in the Minnesota Star Tribune.
- Changes in the juvenile and criminal legal systems have made our laws measurably more punitive than they were when he was an adolescent.
- There is a large, well-documented and growing body of scientific research and evidence showing that people can (and often do) change very much after age 17 and that teenagers should not be held culpable for their actions in the same way as adults.
- If Brett Kavanaugh were 17 today and his accuser came forward with these allegations, he would be presumptively tried in adult criminal court, rather than juvenile court. If he were convicted, he would face the possibility of a serious prison sentence. He would be required to register as a sex offender for a minimum of 10 years, and possibly longer. He would be barred for life from pursuing a wide variety of licenses and professions, including most likely the legal profession.
- I don’t know whether Kavanaugh will be confirmed as the next justice of this court. But if his past is redeemable, why not the many other adults who are still paying the consequences of their teenage actions?
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I would vote for Brett Kavanaugh, I believe he would be an awesome judge for Scotus. Our system is broken, we need change… Plus I got a kick out of how he keeped calenders since he was a kid, I believe they where from the 1980’s…. Who does that? He must of been a child prodigy……..
It seems the situation with Dr. Ford and Kavanaugh and Anita Hill and Judge Clarence Thomas have some similarities. My question is how did Thomas vote on issues concerning sex offender laws during his time as Supreme Court Judge. Did the allegations against him make him more understanding of there circumstances or more defiant in order to try and better establish his supposed innocence. Could we maybe learn what the future is if Kavanaugh is confirmed.
Justice Thomas often joined in decisions that favored accused and/or convicted criminals, so it’s really difficult to guess what any particular Justice will do once seated. Sentiment is often that liberals are softer on crime than conservatives, but that doesn’t always translate to members of the Supreme Court. My hope in regards to this sex offender registry mess is that ALL of the Justices will finally take a stand against politically popular propaganda about the danger of sex offenders re-offending, and look at the real statistics that show the registry to be an ineffective tool that merely persecutes us and our families long after we have paid our debt to society.
I feel that what the Senate is determining in this appointment more than anything else is how much hear say does it take without any evidence to convict as guilty someone and to totally determine there future. However they act will be further carried out in courts through the country.
Dr. Ford had a credible testimony but no credible evidence…not one witness…while 63 women backed the judge. Not sure of the location, the date, or time…how can the FBI investigate such a weak testimony? This whole evolution is enough to turn any sane person against sex. Our society is becoming one of “non-sequitur”…invalid argument in which the conclusion does not logically follow from the statements that come before it. For example: John is a male. Therefore, John is a rapist. If this continues men and women are going to no longer want to associate with each other out of fear.
Unfortunately, many, if not most people convicted of a sex offense (including myself) were convicted with no more evidence than that. I wish the media would point that out here when they mention unfairness.
I feel that Brett Kavanaugh has to deal with the anguish and accusation to get a better understanding on how to deal with sex offender issues.
I fully agree.