3 ms·

> People make mistakes, we are fallible. Unless it's a felony, these things should not haunt people who have learned and matured enough to have not made the mis

by chias 8y ago

> People make mistakes, we are fallible. Unless it's a felony, these things should not haunt people who have learned and matured enough to have not made the mistakes recently. Do you have a personal philosophical justification for stating that a felony should continue to haunt people who have learned and matured enough not to do them again? If so, why? (or is this more of a practical "well we don't have a chance in Hell of getting the Justice system on board to forget felonies" type of exclusion)

mc32 8y ago
I am more thinking of this from the minor social offenses first PoV. These things should not follow people indefinitely. It’s easier to make this case. Felonies often (but not always) involve serious crime, so I can see the PoV of not allowing these to decay; however, yes, for non-violent felonies, I can see advocating for that too. Also, things you say and do at 14, 15, 16, should not follow you and often, in the justice system, they don’t (depending on severity) but on the internet immature age makes no difference.
User23 8y ago
There is no getting past rape, murder, or kidnapping. Those crimes change who you are. There should be a social stigma attached to being a rapist, a murderer, or a kidnapper, even if the felon feels bad about it afterwards. In other words, the defining characteristic of a felony is that it's the kind of crime that's so serious that it can't just be forgotten and moved past. Sadly our legislatures are rather daft sometimes, so many lesser crimes are legally classified as felonies.
- rusk 8y ago
  > the defining characteristic of a felony I thought the defining characteristic was the extent to which it is pursued and punished by the law. Off the top of my head I can think of one or two felonious charges that at least "arguably" don't satisfy your definition. Law often follows morality but one should be wary of mistaking them for the same thing. EDIT sorry I read through your comment again and realised you pretty much end up in agreement, though we perhaps start at different points.

by chias 8y ago

mc32 8y ago

I am more thinking of this from the minor social offenses first PoV. These things should not follow people indefinitely. It’s easier to make this case. Felonies often (but not always) involve serious crime, so I can see the PoV of not allowing these to decay; however, yes, for non-violent felonies, I can see advocating for that too. Also, things you say and do at 14, 15, 16, should not follow you and often, in the justice system, they don’t (depending on severity) but on the internet immature age makes no difference.

User23 8y ago

There is no getting past rape, murder, or kidnapping. Those crimes change who you are. There should be a social stigma attached to being a rapist, a murderer, or a kidnapper, even if the felon feels bad about it afterwards. In other words, the defining characteristic of a felony is that it's the kind of crime that's so serious that it can't just be forgotten and moved past. Sadly our legislatures are rather daft sometimes, so many lesser crimes are legally classified as felonies.

rusk 8y ago
> the defining characteristic of a felony I thought the defining characteristic was the extent to which it is pursued and punished by the law. Off the top of my head I can think of one or two felonious charges that at least "arguably" don't satisfy your definition. Law often follows morality but one should be wary of mistaking them for the same thing. EDIT sorry I read through your comment again and realised you pretty much end up in agreement, though we perhaps start at different points.