Petty Theft & Jail Time

[Char Siu King]

I figured that , too.

What got me was that they highlighted their nationality ( Filipino) and age ( 20) as if it should make a difference. Nationality doesn't mean a thing, as anyone can commit a crime regardless of where they come from and at that age, they are legally an adult. OP thinks they are still a child at that age then if they are sentenced, time for some fast growing up.

Sorry to burst your bubble but in this backwater nationality/ethnicity means a lot.

[Kinch]

Original Post Deleted

What bliss it is to see judges actually applying the law rather than playing at being social engineers. I think the sentence is fair and it's probably just as well the young guy got prison as by all accounts the juvenile facilities are much worse run and even better schools of crime than the adult prisons.

[shri]

What bliss it is to see judges actually applying the law rather than playing at being social engineers.

At a meta level ... the law / legal system by itself is a social engineering framework as they both follow very precise (seemingly) rules.

Don't for a second go around thinking that what judges, lawyers, politicians who create laws and their enforcers are not social engineers.

Waste disposal engineers have a choice of a landfill v/s recycling v/s incineration ....

[Kinch]

At a meta level ... the law / legal system by itself is a social engineering framework as they both follow very precise (seemingly) rules.

Don't for a second go around thinking that what judges, lawyers, politicians who create laws and their enforcers are not social engineers.

Waste disposal engineers have a choice of a landfill v/s recycling v/s incineration ....

Of course the law is not some blind robot. What one generally wants to see is judges applying the law as it is written.

Sure, in various constitutional, 'human rights', and certainly in complex commercial cases there is much room for discovery of new principles, etc. Sometimes this is good, sometimes it is bad. Similarly, occasionally there are extenuating circumstances in criminal cases and the quality of mercy shouldn't be too much strained.

However, when the law says X years for trafficking Y drug in Z quantity, I expect the sentencing guidelines to be followed rigorously until such time as the legislature does its job of amending said law - if we the people so will that it be ammended. That is all.

Or perhaps I should say that the general public, being the people who suffer most from crime obviously ought to be directing the broad direction of any 'social engineering' -- not some insulated bubble-dwelling elite.

Hong Kong judges (apart from one recently retiring case who seems to have been encouraged not to linger on the bench any longer) appear by and large to stick to their side of the separation of powers aisle. More power to them so long as they do this.

Excessive judicial activism resulting in far too lenient sentencing of violent and drug trafficking criminals appears to be a problem in both the UK and Australia. Doubtless also in other jurisdictions I'm unaware of. Good that it doesn't happen much in Hong Kong and that we get to live in a safer society as a result..

[Kinch]

Wonder what happened to that Filipino student who robbed the laundry machine...

[RMDNC]

Dont do the crime if you can't do the time. Don't go to bed with a price on your head. - Baretta

[dennis1188]

...seems common shared knowledge at HK police station ...for HK pick pocket gangs to go immediately with the stolen credit cards (daily buying gift cards and other merchandise) to the HK Apple Shops, single buying +20K HKD.....

Apple shops plenty CCTV but Apple Store management and sale staff not interested closer check ID these mega daily buying sprees........too easy for the thieves....go look, i'm sure you can easily, spot them there....'training day'

i ran in to the gang in Elements Mall (the Starbucks Line)...others are also at Festival Walk Mall....TST Harbour City Mall...and MTR.......my bad luck...first time ever 'picked' in HK....pick pocket team (in 3s) 'work' tight spaces and waiting lines....'starbucks' line 'ideal' place for them...

take care....

[flameproof]

So what happened? They snatched your wallet/purse without you noticing?

[RMDNC]

IMO admit guilt and sincerely apologize to society in court. Mention it was due to financial distress and hunger (which I presume to be the case), first time crime but overwhelm that with show of contrition (emphasized highly), that it was a terrible decision not in line with your moral charcter in better times. Show contrition (emphasized highly). Accept the judge's decision and move on.