When is a thief a thief?
For how long can we call a thief a thief? When somebody was caught stealing we call him a thief. If he’s sent to jail, we still call him a thief. But can we continue to do so when he’s paid his debt to society? Or is it once a thief, always a thief?
One can argue that being a thief indicates a flaw in character. It is probably true but once the person had been punished, is it fair to hold it against him for life?
For reasons I can perfectly understand employers are reluctant to employ people with a criminal record but is it the right thing to do? Are we not forcing him back to stealing when we refuse to give him some way to earn an honest living?
Many years ago I employed somebody like that twice a week to work in my garden. That was way below his abilities; he was a chef before. I guess working for the much lower wages of a gardener frustrated him because one day he absconded with my electric drill, jigsaw and angle grinder.
Everybody said it was my own fault as I knew he was a thief - which may be partly true but I say if he was properly and gainfully employed in what he was trained to do, this would not have happened.
How can we ever rehabilitate criminals if we cannot accept them back into society? Should we not take some of the blame when such a person becomes a habitual criminal? How else can he survive in this world if nobody wants to give him a chance to prove himself?
Have a great day!
Comments (41)
It must have been very quiet last night to bring you back to this blog.
But there is some truth in what you said. When things happen closer to home, it weighs more. I was brought up with another idea of stealing, I was taught that stealing is stealing. Whether it is R1.00 or R1000.00, it is the same. Mind you, I was also brought up with the idea that attempted murder is the same as murder. It is the intent that matters. Even today I don't see doing a bad job as mitigation.