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Should Bullies Be Punished

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Submitted By mrskdugger
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Bullying has become such a major problem within our education system that we have to result to anti bullying laws and criminal punishment just to try and save our children from this horrific and cruel act. Students’ right to learn in a safe and secure environment without fear has been destroy, because of this act. Bullying once thought of as harmless behavior, and seen as kids just being kids has now evolved into explosive tragedy in some cases. This horrendous act is such a widespread problem, that students are ready to go up against the government in order to get harsher punishment enforced in the school system.
In a research article by Morais, C. (2012), two specific questions were asked that helped guide the course of study. First, were the actions of the teen warranted of a felony charge, because in the state of Massachusetts where this article is referenced from. The two crimes that the teens committed if they were tried as an adult would carry a maximum prison sentence of 10 years. So what age limit that an adolescent can no longer be tried in the juvenile court? Second, should the status of the victim weigh-in on the punishment? Case in-point, the victim ultimately committed suicide from the constant badgering and tormenting.
The focus of this article case study was on the torture that 15-year-old Phoebe Prince was subjected to from her high school classmates. This young lady was stalked and harassed by fellow students for an excessive period of time. Feeling of isolation and withdrawal, she committed suicide. The students that were involved with her tormenting were initially arrested, and charged on two felonious counts of stalking and harassment which caused depraved indifference, resulting in the death of another human being. However, due to their age, the case was reassigned to the juvenile court, which subsequently believed that their actions

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