Originally a comment by Mark on The details of the case.
Speaking from a neurological perspective, the fact that they have a low IQ makes them more, not less, likely to re-offend. Rehabilitation requires that the subject possess a degree of intelligence to understand that what they did was wrong, to be able to empathise and put themselves in another’s shoes, so to speak. Low IQ people have many problems with doing this – and they are notoriously known to have very poor impulse control.
And it’s often not fixable. While IQ is often derided, it is a relatively useful measure of a specific type of intelligence, and neuroscientists and clinical neuropsychologists use it often. If they have a low IQ by the time they are 14 years of age, the odds are that it will remain low forever – especially if they remain in the same environment. A lot of it is set in stone by the time the child is 6 or 7 – poor early childhood nutrition, poor nutrition in-utero, low levels of mental stimuli or parent interaction, alcohol use by the mother while in-utero – all of that impacts IQ and a lot of that is irreversible.
The “punishment” given to the offenders is appalling, especially as it completely ignores any sense of justice for the victim. The judge didn’t even try to balance the right of the juvenile offenders with the need (and it is a need) for the victim to feel a sense of closure, a sense of justice. It was entirely “oh those poor widdle boys” and absolutely NOTHING (as far as I can see in the reports I’ve read) about the suffering, humiliation, pain and trauma faced by the girls attacked.
And does this judge really feel that these boys are going to learn any lesson by being let off the hook?
It’s a horrific case and a horrific act of judicial incompetence and a lack of care on the part of the judge for the victim. I’m not saying we should treat 14 year olds as adults, but neither should we treat them as if they are 5. And I’m also sadly quite certain that these boys will offend again. It’s just a matter of time.
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