The government were the ones to assign these children to facilities, such as ABR. It was either they go to jail or they go to a facility. The judges were the ones to make that decision. But its not the judge that caused the child to be sent there. Had the teen not committed the crime, there would be no need for such a program.
"There is a little issue there called free choice, and free will. They were not forced to get on the rides and they were not run into the ground with PT."
--These kids HAD freedom. They HAD the right to make their own choices, and HAD the right to do what they wanted to do. But, ya know what, they chose to give up that frredom when they committed these crimes. Thank God we live in a country that gives consequences for the crime. Thanks who people learn. Some of these kids had even taken freedoms away from innocent citizens, and as a punishment, the kids themselves had to have some punishment of their own taken away. You think a pill is a proper punishment for their actions?? You think counseling will make them feel remorse?? I disagree with you on your point that I am filled with hatred and agression towards people. If you know me at all, you would realize that I treat people with just as much respect as they deserve. Contreras deserved little respect in my book. I do not hate these kids--I knew many of them very well. I think they were kids that grew up in the wrong environment and probably had the wrong friends and made some wrong decisions. But that doesn't justify their actions. They still made the choice to commit these unlawful actions. Tell me, if someone murder your child-your mother-your wife, would honestly treat them with the same amount of respect?? I don't think so. You would go to those court hearings and suggest to the judge that this murdrer receive counseling sessions and a pill to take once a day?? I don't think so. Let the punishment fit the crime. While medications and counseling is all great, its not proper punishment. If its coupled with jail time, program assignments, fines, whatever--great, but counseling and medication is absolutely no punishment at all. You claim these facilities brain-wash people (you even claim they have brain-washed me!!!), but the exact same thing can be said about counseling and medication. In fact, you're altering the brain's chemicals to make it easier to do so. Now I'd like to know--if you were one of these kids, do you think you would think before you act and consider the consequences being released from addictive, life-altering medications and counseling as much as if you had spent several months in a behavioral facility? NO!!
Overlord, you have some strange ideas for consequences. Hopefully, you never consider running for President; our nation will be overrun with medicated criminals creating more problems for the INNOCENT!! They'd be free to harm, abuse and prey on more innocent rather than serving time for their actions in an instutional facility.
About PT, Overlord---both my parents were military officers. I have grown up on several bases from California to New York. I have seen PT, and I don't disagree with you, it's definitely not enjoyable. I don't know about other facilities (and frankly I honestly don't care), but ABR PT wasn't conducted identical to military PT. The staff wasn't in their faces screaming. If they showed disrespect or disreguard of the rules, then yes. And PT didn't last hours upon hours on end. However, it all goes back to being punishment. These kids are not at ABR to enjoy themselves, have fun and socialize like it's some tea party!! Although that is something you may deemed appropriate punishment, a tea party to socialize and "discuss" their issues. Then we can all just live in peace and harmony and the world will be a wonderful place, right? So we should have counseled and medicated Sadam Hussein, then too, right?? Granted he was a world-wide terrorist, but he started out behaving just like these boys did.
This boy jumped into the canal because he didn't think before he acted (much like he did his whole life). He had been disrespectful all day to my father and other staff members and was physical at times. After being controlled, he was told he would be transported to Queen Creek (the main branch) to talk with the program director about being sent back to CA. In CA, he would then meet with his judge and ABR would suggest detention of the boy. He didn't want to go to prison and knew he screw up his last opportunity. He didn't want to face the punishment for his actions and thought running away was best. He had stated to my father that he had to urinate while on the way to Queen Creek, and my father pulled over to allow the boy to use the restroom. He had been placed on suicide watch earlier and had his shoelaces removed for his security because whether you agree so or not, these guys did care about these boys (some called them DAD because they never had a positive father figure in their lives before) He wanted to get away with what he did and saw a chance to do so and did. And his selfishness, immaturity and actions are what killed him-not ABR. They weren't their to have fun. But they did have vacations, field trips, carnivals, fairs, football games....they were rewarded for good behaviors.
I do NOT support Nospank.com, as I said. It is biased and blinded, much like you all.
So you're military too, great. My father and the staff members at ABR didn't treat these teens like animals. Most of the events you hear are fabricated exaggerations spread by the same criminals at the facility and the press. You have chosen to hear what you want to believe. It's so much easier to blame the workers than the children. It's easier to have pity and sympathy for these criminals than understanding for the workers. They cared about teaching these kids and they were putting themselves in danger each day just to put food on the table. You have to earn respect though; you give it in order to receive some in return.
I come from a wonderful Christian family. I even work at a non-profit ministry that shares the news of salvation to under-priledged children. No one in my family has been in trouble with the law, or even done such things as these boys. My parents knew how to be good parents. They were strict and gave us consequences for our actions so we didn't end up like these mis-guided souls.
I have never said either death at ABR was well deserved. I defend ABR while the rest of you point your fingers at it, solely blaming them. I look at the reasons these kids were placed there and stand against the lies spread about the events that took place.
I'd like to know what actions make me so disrespectful except defending a program with only good intentions, which has successfully changed the lives of hundreds of thousands of teenagers. I am simply exercising my right, as an American, to freedom of speech (and thank God for it).
By the way, it you knew anything about ABR and their PT, they didn't run PT for hours a day. It usually occurred in the early morning-8AM, before it was hot out. Plenty of water was available throughout the entire ABR campus. Water fountains and bathrooms were everywhere. The kids even had their own water bottles. They didn't do mile long runs or obstacle courses either. Their exercises were minimal.
Excuse me if I defend something I believe in. If that makes me a bigot then oh well, I'm a bigot. But I have to consider the source, and to me, none of you are reliable, credible sources at all.
"DAUGHTER"
