Звездный десант
Chapter 8
Itcertainlywillnotteachhimanything.Howlonghasitbeensincetheprincipalofthisschoollasthadtoswitchapupil?"
"Uh,I’mnotsure.Abouttwoyears.Thekidthatswiped—"
"Nevermind.Longenough.Itmeansthatsuchpunishmentissounusualastobesignificant,todeter,toinstruct.Backtotheseyoungcriminals—Theyprobablywerenotspankedasbabies;theycertainlywerenotfloggedfortheircrimes.Theusualsequencewas:forafirstoffense,awarning—ascolding,oftenwithouttrial.Afterseveraloffensesasentenceofconfinementbutwithsentencesuspendedandtheyoungsterplacedonprobation.Aboymightbearrestedmanytimesandconvictedseveraltimesbeforehewaspunished—andthenitwouldbemerelyconfinement,withotherslikehimfromwhomhelearnedstillmorecriminalhabits.Ifhekeptoutofmajortroublewhileconfined,hecouldusuallyevademostofeventhatmildpunishment,begivenprobation—‘paroled’inthejargonofthetimes.
"Thisincrediblesequencecouldgoonforyearswhilehiscrimesincreasedinfrequencyandviciousness,withnopunishmentwhateversaveraredull-but-comfortableconfinements.Thensuddenly,usuallybylawonhiseighteenthbirthday,thisso-called‘juveniledelinquent’becomesanadultcriminal—andsometimeswoundupinonlyweeksormonthsinadeathcellawaitingexecutionformurder.You—"
Hehadsingledmeoutagain."Supposeyoumerelyscoldedyourpuppy,neverpunishedhim,lethimgoonmakingmessesinthehouse...
