So in the case of someone like my brothers on the very low functioning end of the autistic spectrum with a similar understanding to many toddlers, you'd think it's okay for something like this to go as far as them being accused in court? Imagine the immense stress people like my brothers would go through being arrested, held against their will with strangers around them and then dragged up before a court, this would be a huge punishment in itself and they'd most likely be having meltdowns throughout the entire process including in court to the extent where it would be difficult to conduct the trial with them present and it would be very unlikely that they'd understand why it was happening to them. In fact how could they be tried since they wouldn't even understand the plea of guilty or not guilty? At the very best they might be able to repeat what they'd be told to say in the unlikely event that they were able to keep them calm.
If they get instructed and shown how to commit a crime like that, they have been abused, so you think rehabilitation would be right because in my opinion they'd only be a innocent victim with no understanding and they wouldn't be a risk to anyone without a criminal 3rd party that was using them? Instead they should be protected as a victim of abuse and the abuse should be investigated, obviously if it was their guardian they should be taken into state care for their protection in the same way as if a 3 year old child was taught to for instance carry narcotics, but similarly they definitely shouldn't be punished in any way what-so-ever.
Edit:
PS: I remember once when my Mum took my adult brother into a shop and left, then 30 minutes later she noticed him holding something, on further inspection she was shocked to discover that he'd picked up a toy train he'd seen in the shop that wasn't paid for. My upset and now panicking mother immediately went back to the store to hand over the toy and apologise, luckily the store staff were very understanding and really pleasant about the whole incident. The same situation could have ended up with my brother being arrested for shop lifting along with my Mum as an accomplice however, in fact since I was with them I'd probably be arrested too. This could have happened if security had noticed my brother carrying the toy as soon as we'd left the store, but obviously all parties were morally innocent and my brother had absolutely no understanding that what he'd done was wrong. Luckily there hasn't been any more incidents like this because my parents have been extra careful when visiting shops with my brothers ever since and over time my brother at least seems to understand that he can't just take things from a shop, although he still doesn't understand money or value. Now imagine if my someone like my brother had a criminal with him who wanted him to shoplift, teaching him what to take and the implications of this? Obviously my brother would still be innocent and a victim of abuse.
Last edited:
