Sorry Is Not Enough

[carrot red]

Criminals Could Avoid Court by Saying Sorry

Criminals could avoid being taken to court if they agree to apologize personally to their victims, under plans outlined by the UK government Tuesday.




The details are here. (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=573&ncid=757&e=3&u=/nm/20030722/od_nm/crime_britain_dc)
Now, I’m all for supporting victims and all, but I think it’ll be more traumatic for them to know that their aggressor got away with a simple “sorry”. This restorative justice proposal is no justice.

[Yoshiman]

What if their victim is dead? How are they gonna say sorry? That's just dumb. Some rapist could get away by just saying sorry to the victim. What has the world come to?

[Starkist]

"I know I brutally murdered your wife and three children because I wanted to steal the seven dollars in your bedroom drawer. It was wrong. I'm sorry."

^ Note: In case you didn't notice, that is SATIRE! ^

[Jigglysaint]

I'm sure it is applied mostly to people who foolish er on some charge like shoplifting or vandalism or somthing small. I mean, we all make mistakes, but if we are truly repentant, and show we will never do it again, and if the crime wasn't that serious enough to begin with, I think the best punishment is a person's own guilt.

[TheGeepster]

I could see this for the smallest of offenses, MAYBE. Those acts of minimal damage, or maybe a step above if the act was accidental.

However, it would seem to me that you would want to punish them with more than a mere apology, at least to the amount of damage (measures like a forced return of what was stolen, or compensation in the form of time or other means.)