............was the headline on Page 27 of yesterday's Daily Mail. A young burgler wrote to his victim as part of the restorative justice programme only to admit, in graphic terms, that he felt no remorse or shame at all. On the contrary, he blamed his victims for allowing their home to be insecure and, by implication, encouraging his crime.
His reasoning showed intelligence, his words spoke his truth, as he saw it. His spelling is atrocious but he explained, with some care, why he was able to enter the house and steal. The points he raised were solid and valid. You could imagine that, in different circumstances, he might have been an asset to a employer, society and himself. Instead his potential has been twisted, wasted and lost. He has a jaundiced view of life which will, in all probability, see him lead a life of crime and destruction.
It's easy to blame his parents, society and everyone else for this sad boy but not all neglected children with poor educations turn out to be criminals. Better brains than mine have struggled with this problem for ages; it isn't exactly a new issue. Is there an answer? Not every society across the globe has this dilemma; maybe the answer is out there, somewhere, and we just need to keep looking with open eyes and minds.
I feel sorry for the victims in this situation but I feel sad for the boy, too. No-one has come out of this with grace.
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