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.
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3 comments:
Hi! I'm Kanitha. I'm supposed to comment on your blog.
I think it is difficult to make a decision on whether this girl, should be punished or not because of her crimes. I think that since it is an illness, not all the blame can be put on her, even more so since she kept her behaviour to herself. It is rather saddening when you think about it. She must have felt very guilty and angry with herself if she did not know that her behaviour was caused by an illness like this.
However, it is unfair if she goes unpunished. Sometimes, undergoing treatment such as counselling, can be considered punishment enough,(I do not speak for the majority of the people who have gone through it.)
I suppose it is only right that she should have a lighter sentence, possibly just a fine. But she must undergo treatment and her progress should be monitored. I am sure this will definitely done.
I also agree with your view on supporting ex-offenders. I think that we should not condemn them or treat them any different from normal people, because that is what they are, people like you and me. Instead we should all give them a second chance since it is only human to err.
i feel that she should not been punished since she had this illness from young and i believed that it is not a choice of wanting or not wanting to have this illness as part of her life. But maybe if she really doesnt care about this illness and let it uncontrollably harm the society then she should be kept behind bars. Just hope that th epeople around her will sincerely care for her, especially her parents instead of her boyfriend. This is because it is a fact that parents are closer to her. By leaving her in the lurch, it is really unfair to her.
i forgot to rate ur blog.
***** (5 stars)
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