All or Nothing justice system (was Re: Being Good and Evil)

[juli17 at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 154712


Phoenixgod2000 wrote:
that is my big problem with Dumbledore.  His version of giving people 
second chances involves them not paying the debt for their screwed up 
first chance. I get second chances.  I've spent more than a little of 
my teaching career working with some of the most troubled, violent, 
drug addicted kids in America. Draco has nothing on the problems they 
had. They got second chances in the school I taught at. I was good at 
giving second chances to my students and many of them did well in my 
class ('cause I'm a good teacher :). You know what? I also turned a 
bunch in for things like drug use, violating parole, and all sorts of 
other things. I did that even though it was going to affect their 
second chance, because turning a blind eye to their actions--even when 
they are sorry--never helps them. It enables them. I did that because 
they had to learn that there were consequences to their actions and 
they had to pay the piper when they screwed up.  I've also had students 
die because parents and teachers didn't step up when they had the 
chance to enforce the rules.  Nowhere in the dumbledore scene did I 
hear that Dumbledore wanted Draco to be punished for what he had 
already done. What right does he have to give draco that absolution? Or 
Snape for that matter?  Isn't giving freedom to the man who helped get 
harry's parents killed rubbing salt in Harry's wounds? Or Nevilles?  Do 
you think the victims of death eater attacks would like one of the 
black garbbed KKK wannabe's out free instead of in azkaban?

So I ask those who want Draco redeemed, what price should he pay for 
the crimes he has already commited?

Julie:
Work for the good side until his debt to society is paid and he earns
his redemption? Oh, wait, that's what Snape is doing!
 
Seriously, the WW has a pretty much all or nothing justice system.
It's either Azkaban, where you get all your good feelings sucked
out until you're driven insane--or nothing. We don't hear of any
minimum security prisons (where prisoners might actually get some
air in an exercise yard, or make license plates for a pittance!), 
juvenile detention centers, work camps or community service programs, 
parole or probation programs, etc, etc. Maybe they exist in some
form, but all we know of is Azkaban, where the treatment would be
unacceptable in even the most notorious RW prison.
 
So perhaps if a wizard who's done even some of the things Draco
(and Snape) has done shows genuine regret and desire to atone
for his crimes, then Dumbledore's version of "community service"
isn't such a bad idea. If Draco decides to switch sides and 
serve the Good side, at great risk to his life and perhaps the
lives of his parents, then perhaps that is enough. Technically
it isn't "punishment" but punishment doesn't really serve the
good of the victims but rather their desire for retribution 
(which I am not disputing is a reasonable desire!). 
 
I know this isn't enough for some, but it seems to be what
Dumbledore considers sufficient repayment for even serious
crimes when the perpetrator sincerely repents and reforms.
It's no doubt a utopian ideal unachievable in our real world, 
but turning criminals back into productive members of society
is more useful to society than imprisoning them with like minds
and hoping they don't escape or return to their life of crime
once they've done their time (which they almost certainly will).
And while Dumbledore may not be an official "judge", he certainly
holds a position of great authority in the WW, which may be 
enough within the WW's justice system to allow him the right to
give "absolution" under certain circumstances. 
 
Two more notes on this: We don't know whether Draco being 
"hidden" would have precluded later punishment for his crimes.
Dumbledore didn't say it would for certain, did he? Also, 
Draco did commit those crimes as a minor, not an adult, and
so far we don't know anything about juvenile justice in the
WW. I know Harry's been threatened with Azkaban, but really,
can juveniles be put in Azkaban? If so, I can understand 
Dumbledore doing everything in his power to keep Draco out
of there, as even Draco doesn't deserve THAT, IMO. 
 
 
Julie 
 
 
 
 
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