Under the heading of "At this point, putting him down

like a rabid dog is likely the only realistic option."

One of the saddest things I've ever seen came out of Chicago ten or fifteen years ago, video of the immediate aftermath of an arraignment. The criminal career had started at age 9 with stealing from stores. It had steadily escalated to more thefts, burglaries, robberies, and at every arrest some judge had slapped him on the hand and advised him he'd better straighten up or else, etc. And now the little waste had hit the bigtime: while robbing a store he'd committed murder. The judge had just informed him that he was going to file to try the suspect as an adult, so a conviction would mean life in prison.

The suspect was thirteen.

It was taking two deputies to drag him out of the courtroom, because- faced for the first time in his life with real punishment for a crime, he was hysterical; crying, screaming, terrified.

Like the dirtbag that started this post, you have to wonder if, had he been slapped down hard the first time, harder if there was a second, would he be there?

I do have to wonder,
Was there a father anywhere around?
Was there a PARENT who gave a damn anywhere around?
Probably not.