Just some crazy kids.... Hope they don't get into too much trouble.
Once your 'crazy kids' step into felony land, they deserve the full prosecution of the law. Crazy kids may be smoking up behind the factory, or setting fire in the dumpster. Breaking and entering into a live business (the place next door), burglarly (stealing the alcohol), and then breaking and entering into the factory, are all adult crimes. The first two at least are felonies and the third may be as well.
You are right. The law has been broken. But if this simply involves a couple of kids off their face on Blackberrynipp for the first time and prior to this event they have been model kids never in trouble before, I don't feel their lives should be destroyed due to one stupid mistake. They know they did wrong, give them some community service that stuffs up their social lives (weekends) for a couple of months, give them time to think and then let it be.
To do anything else will result in a bunch of kids having to serve time around real bad-ass dudes and then have to pay back expensive lawyer fees after they serve their time. This combination and the added pressure of a convicted felon trying to find work produces a desperate person who will then do society much more harm over their lifespan.
Subject to the crime, first time offenders come to a cross road of right or wrong. The path they take will usually be the one for life. The system needs to allow them to choose the right road, not be forced in desperation to take the wrong road.
Everyone should be entitled to one stupid mistake or one poor judgement once in their lives (within reason). Once the offender repeats, this is when I agree with you - full prosecution of the law. At this stage the wrong road has already clearly and consciously been selected.
