While reading Saints and Roughnecks, I was surprised and upset. I couldn't comprehend why people would be excused of crime simply based on their financial and social status. The Saints would commit worse and more dangerous crimes, like leaving potholes open for cyclists to get hurt and drinking and driving, then the Roughnecks who would do things like steal to make a profit. The Roughnecks would always get caught and get in a lot more trouble. The Saints would get out of almost everything, including the majority of speeding tickets. Both the Saints and the Roughnecks would ditch classes, but the Roughnecks would get worse grades and get "caught" more often. The Saints would come up with excuses as to why they needed to leave class.
Although it is not that realistic, I think society needs to learn how to punish people who are committing crimes, no matter who they are or what their financial status is. It is not fair for the more poor person to get arrested for a crime when the more wealthy kid gets away with it because his/her parents are more wealthy and powerful in the community.
This story has opened my eyes to the fact that police even go by these standards at work. In the story, it said that "police who arrest poor kids for stealing bicycles or selling drugs are doing a good job and are promoted to Sergeant. Police who arrest upper-middle class kids for being truant and hanging out in pool halls create strains that no police chief wants." I think that that is ridiculous and needs to be looked at and thought over more carefully.
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