Obviously it wouldn't be miss A conference and head off for the slam. I'm sure the guy means an escalating series of "encouragements", culminating in the bucket for flagrant abusers. The person cleaning yer highway wouldn't be at a P-T conference if they weren't out there doing public service.

There are a whole lot of people who claim to be incarcerated because they just broke one little ol' law. One lousy mistake, but the judge just didn't like 'em. One simple mental error, moral lapse, mindless action and they've got 5, 10 or 20 years.

You have no idea how many people feel that the judge improperly took into account their previous record while sentencing them. Feel it's unfair. Each act should be judged on its' own.

I never did completely understand that particular thought process, though I tried. Basically it ran, "I paid my debt, did my time, the slate should be completely clean."

As for legislating morality, it's done all the time. Very often to protect children. Child abuse, of which neglect is one form, sex with or involving children is another, and so on.

And you're right, it would be silly to take that action early on in the process. But by the time the kid is 16, talking on a cell phone and smoking a joint while driving to grade school in a stolen car it's too late.

Arf