Stealing ,crime, but yet to be given another chance.

Quoted Article:Sunday Times ,"She used to shoplift up to five times a week" dated 6/5/07

Goh Lee Yin started to steal when she is nine and this continued for thirteen years. However, she was diagnosed to have Kleptomania -an urge to steal. Since it is an illness, should she be punished at all?

It is said that Kleptomania originates from depression and unhappy childhood. It is also said that people who suffered in silence will be more prone to land themselves in crimes. In this case, Lee Yin suffers from low self-esteem and had suicidal thoughts, which therefore worsen the situation on top of her having the illness. Lee Yin therefore, did not deliberately steal because as seen from the newspaper article, the stuff that she stole varies from mere shaver to the expensive watches and handbags.

Question is, since she is suffering from such illness, should she be pardoned from law, such as that of a mental illness patient having to have killed someone? Well, I think that instead of just merely punishing her, the law should actually help her by giving her counsels, so as to pull her out from the zone of agitation. Probably in lieu with the counselling, she could also serve a couple of years in jail to make it fair to the rest of the crime-breakers.

We should never condemn these law-breakers but to give them another opportunity by showing care and support, as well as giving them another chance to face the world.

Differences in our lives are inevitable. People try to do things when they feel insecure about their situations. When Lee Yin is in such a situation, it is of no wonder why she tends to steal so as to make herself more comfortable. Therefore, I urge people to see them as normal people in the society and allow them to continue to serve the society.