What happened to personal responsibility?

[pstone]

I would throw the book at him.

[alison]

The belongings were returned and no one was hurt. Why clog the system?

[SuzySunshine]

The belongings were returned and no one was hurt. Why clog the system?

Because he is a college student and he should learn some responsibility and accountability.

[alison]

I guess you've got to pick your battles. I guess I've been living in a big city too long to find something like this worthwhile. I saw a kid get HIT BY A CAR this morning on my way to work and the guy in the car honked his horn and sped off, leaving the kid in the street. He was moaning. I ran to the fire station halfway down the block and got him some help and stood around to give a police report. That is worth my time.

[alison]

Sorry to be so snappy. I don't mean to be. Just a little hot-tempered and bitchy today.

Jesus, Alison, where do you live?? That sounds awful!

Hmmm . . . too bad that your brother doesn't have a middle ground option between do nothing and press charges. Perhaps he can work with the campus administrators to hammer out an agreement where the thief commits to undergo x hours of counseling AND complete 200 hours of community service. Your brother could agree to suspend pressing charges pending completion of community service/counseling.

Most people in this guy's situation aren't career thiefs where burglary is their work - - college kids steal because they need money or because they have some wierd upper class neuroses. Both are a little sad . . .

Press charges.

[alison]

Chicago. Where they've got bigger fish to fry. :>

Bigger than that? Wow, I don't think you'll ever persuade me to visit you... Is it that scary on a daily basis?

Give me snakes and redback spiders anyday...

[alison]

I don't feel all that safe here, but that's because I grew up in a safe part of a smaller city. I've seen TONS of things worse than bookbags getting stolen here. Having them returned would be a miracle!

Well, opportunistic bag grabs happen anywhere I guess, but the hit-and-run you described would probably make the six o'clock news here... I hope the boy was OK!?

[alison]

I don't know if he's ok or not. I was worried, but at least he was moving, his eyes were open, and moaning. That's not big enough to make the news here. If he were to have been killed, then yes.

The sad thing is that even though I stayed with him, I was probably more worried about getting to work on time. When he got hit, there was a big thump-thump-thump noise. I hate to say it, but he could have been more attentive -- he was on a cell phone. A 10 year old on a frickin cell phone!!!

[Sheherezade]

I'd also pursue the middle ground. Can he tell campus police that he will press charges unless X, Y or X happens? Maybe something like a letter in his campus file? Or that he has to write a letter of apology to both victims and have that on file? I can understand not wanting to go to court over the matter, but I think something should be on his record. Maybe your brother could take up the matter with the university office of student affairs to see if they have any ideas. If they say press charges...then I would. I'd also tell the kid that I wanted a middle ground, but the university offered no options. Maybe then HE'D try to get a middle ground option from the university.

I was mugged in Philly, Alison. At 7:30 in the morning on the university campus. I never had any problems in NYC - even at 4 AM. I think that kind of danger is a function of how many people are around. Your story about the 10 year old has me nervous about my son's walks to school.

[alison]

Just remind him that when he's crossing a street not just to look left-right-left, but also to cars that may be making a right turn in front of him. That's what happened to this kid. The huge hurkin SUV didn't see the kid jump off the curb and turned right into him. The kid didn't check for cars carefully enough. So sad...

Carry mug money. I carry $20. That seems to be the going rate.