Whenever criminals are convicted for their crimes, they always plead for leniency with excuses such as these :1. He* has aged parents to care for.
2. He has young children to feed.
3. He has an unemployed or sick wife to care for.
4. He is a single parent.
5. He was so young at the time of offence.
6. It is his first offence.
Yeah, right. If they are so concerned with the welfare of their family, why don't they think of these reasons BEFORE they commit their crime rather than AFTER they have been caught and convicted?
I wonder if judges do take these excuses into account when sentencing them. And why are these excuses being offered time and time again? Is it because more creative ones will be thrown out by the judge? Does anyone know of more creative excuses or mitigating reasons or whatever it is these EXCUSES are called?
In the case of the businessman who was charged in court for attempted rape on his 7 year old daughter, the mitigating factors given were : he was a divorcee, he was running his own business and this was his first offence. Can you beat that? What has got running a business got to do with it? Was it to persuade the judge to give him a lighter sentence so that he can quickly get out and resume his business?
P/S : Yes, yes, criminals aren't confined to those of the male gender. 'He' is being used throughout to avoid the awkward 'he/she' term, so don't sue me.
4 comments:
..and the excuses will also include deprived, loveless childhood, being abused, bullied etc. So, theygrow up and have the right to unleash all their suppressed anger on society.
KT, As if that gives them the right to do wrong!
just my opinion....maybe not related to the criminal cases but somehow relate to the tendency of giving excuses. i've attended one counselling seminar before..from what they told us (the counsellor) if any person who are doing something which is not right whether they have intention or not, don't ask why they are doing that...if a person in that situation they tend to give and find any excuses which make you angry. the best way is to ask them what makes you do that...then they are free to tell what is exactly happen...which i think this apply to most situation....
Anon, "Why did you do that" and "What made you do that" sounds the same to me. Doesn't it?
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