US court sentences 13-year-old boy to 7 years for killing neo-Nazi father

[Scott]

I was always amazed at how resilient some young people can be. I've seen some absolutely hopeless cases that managed to get their act together and live a reasonably decent life -- at least they managed to keep from hurting themselves, others or getting into trouble with the law. Sadly, I've also seen the opposite.

The kid has ADD with hyperactivity and that can lead to some very impulsive and bizarre behavior. Unfortunately, the teen years will exacerbate a lot of his problems. With the right combination of medications, some of his behavior may be controllable and with a secure and structured environment he may be able to learn proper social skills and how to control his emotions.

It's a long shot for this kid, but only time will tell.

[HeijoshinCool]

I was always amazed at how resilient some young people can be. I've seen some absolutely hopeless cases that managed to get their act together and live a reasonably decent life -- at least they managed to keep from hurting themselves, others or getting into trouble with the law. Sadly, I've also seen the opposite.

The kid has ADD with hyperactivity and that can lead to some very impulsive and bizarre behavior. Unfortunately, the teen years will exacerbate a lot of his problems. With the right combination of medications, some of his behavior may be controllable and with a secure and structured environment he may be able to learn proper social skills and how to control his emotions.

It's a long shot for this kid, but only time will tell.

Maybe I'm misunderstanding the time reference here, but are you stating juvenile hall is a "secure and structured environment" where he may be able to "learn proper social skills?"

As for medicating, yeah, the vast majority of the US is on medication, especially SSRIs. Not a solution.

[Scott]

The OP does not say where he will be placed. He will have to be placed in a secure and structured environment, but whether it is a residential treatment facility or some other type of facility will be up to the agency which will hold custody of him, probably the State Youth Authority.

The vast majority of the US is probably not on medication, but some conditions do require it, they include a lot of conditions, including ADD, if it is severe enough and his sounds like it is rather severe.

[HeijoshinCool]

The OP does not say where he will be placed. He will have to be placed in a secure and structured environment, but whether it is a residential treatment facility or some other type of facility will be up to the agency which will hold custody of him, probably the State Youth Authority.

The vast majority of the US is probably not on medication, but some conditions do require it, they include a lot of conditions, including ADD, if it is severe enough and his sounds like it is rather severe.

From the OP:

The California court, which tried him as a juvenile, convicted him of second-degree murder and sentenced him to seven years in a juvenile correction facility.

From MSN News: (Bold mine)

RIVERSIDE, California — The boy, dressed up for court with his unruly blond hair slicked down, whispered with his lawyer but showed no reaction when a judge decreed that he be confined to a juvenile lockdown facility for murdering his neo-Nazi father when he was 10.

He is 13 now, but the case is still a source of anguish for those involved.

"It's hard not to get attached to him," said Deputy District Attorney Michael Soccio, the veteran prosecutor who argued that a secure facility was preferable to a residential treatment center. "He's so peculiar and yet charming and a lost soul."

http://news.msn.com/crime-justice/boy-who-killed-neo-nazi-father-is-locked-up

As for prescription drug use in the USA:

7 out of every 10 Americans are on prescription drugs, and more than half of the country are on at least two, according to an analysis conducted by Mayo Clinic and Olmsted Medical Center researchers.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/262352.php

The report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics found that 11 percent of Americans over the age of 12 takes an antidepressant, with about 14 percent taking the medication for more than 10 years …The study also found that women are two and a half times more likely to take antidepressant medication as males, while 23 percent of women ages 40 to 59 take antidepressants, more than in any other age or sex group.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/262352.php

By RICK NAUERT PHD Senior News Editor

Reviewed by John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on June 20, 2013

Fueling the perception that America is an overmedicated society, a new Mayo Clinic study finds that nearly 70 percent of Americans are on at least one prescription drug, and more than half take two.

Researchers found antibiotics, antidepressants and painkilling opioids are the most commonly prescribed.

And one of five patients are on five or more prescription medications, according to the findings, published online in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings.

http://psychcentral.com/news/2013/06/20/70-percent-of-americans-take-prescription-drugs/56275.html

Americans love their pills. Depend on them to solve all their problems.

[Scott]

Thanks for the info on the wording of the Court Order. Much of where he ends up depends on how the facility is licensed, but as I said, it would be secure. There are treatment facilities that are locked facilities. I think the court is simply specifying that he cannot be in a non-secure setting.

As far as your report on medication, it doesn't say for how long people are taking the medication. I would hardly think antibiotics would be prescribed long term to very many people.

At any rate, I am not sure what your point is. What exactly do you think should be done with a 13 year old who committed a crime when he was 10 years old?

[slipperylobster]

There kid also committed his crime against what appears to be a rather abusive and potentially dangerous father.

Perhaps if they'd throw the Nazi father in prison early on, or restricted access to his wife and son, things would've turned out better for his son.

Again, let us wait and see what kind of prison set up he goes to. I won't be surprised if it is a minimum security type place where psychologists and educators have group theraphy sessions, and he gets to paint pictures and watch cartoons. I bet he is out in 2 years...

Why is this harsh? It seems more helpful than putting him right back on the street like nothing happened. Cannot this be a positive prison sentence. I think it is the word "Prison" that scare everyone. Not all "Prisons" are alike. The conviction is going to hurt him more in

the long run, not the "Prison".

[Scott]

I am very sure he will not be out in 2 years. He is a minor, he has to remain in somebody's custody and it does not sound like his family is in a position to take care of him, even if somebody decided he could be released.

[wwest5829]

The 500 THB fines in Thailand are a joke, but so is this! Sending a kid to the slammer in the largest "democracy" in the world is just mind-boggling.

I thought the largest "democracy" as well as, the largest English speaking nation was India?!

[snooky]

The story of the young boys who were sentenced to long terms for murdering one of the boys stepfather, was the subject of a documentary I saw on TV here recently. It seems that at least two of the boys, who have been in a juvenile facility for about three years, have done pretty good for themselves and will eventually lead productive lives. Hopefully, there is a chance for some of the other kids rather than a life of crime.

Possibly one of the posters can locate that documentary somewhere.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2316034/Paul-Henry-Gingerich-Justin-Bieber-look-like-tried-adult-helping-kill-friends-stepfather.html

[Patsycat]

I watched that on You Tube, shall have a wee look after Jonathan Woss. It's not like they're going anywhere!!

Edited November 2, 2013 by Patsycat