Emily Wentz

Prof.s Billie Dziech, Susan Bourke

Seminar Kids Who Kill

2 March 2017

I think that, compared to my fellow classmates, my opinions timeline might be

backwards. My original stance on kids who kill as a group involved an emphasis on

understanding. The psychology student in me is intent on finding out what makes kids do these

things, and my belief system has always hinged on the point that there is, in fact, an explanation

that is more than likely makes the crime not the perpetrators fault. Interestingly, though, I

experienced a major moral conflict in response to Lost for Life.

I was settled listening to each of the young criminals stories, and very interested in their

viewpoint and the background information that each of them deemed important enough to share.

Some time into the short film though, it started to feel like a cry for not even help, but pity. As

part of last weeks assignment I stated that, should I face similar circumstances to those of the

victims families, I would attempt to stay as objective as possible. While I would indeed push for

better, thorough information, I also recognize that I would be incredibly bitter, and that

forgiveness would be a long, difficult process for me. About forty minutes into the film, I found

myself unable to look at the screen, because I just didnt like the contempt for the justice system

that was portrayed by the criminals and their families, all of whom struck me as alarmingly

naive. Any mention of the victims, or their families, sides wasnt even touched upon until

minute 55 (out of 72,) when a clip of a support group was played, and I found each half of my

brain at odds with the other, me with more questions than I had before.
 How do you know if someone will recidivate? All these parents of murderous kids are so

sure that their child is sorry, but how do we measure that? Is there a tool or scale we can use to

accurately measure remorse or reform? At what point, or after how many incidences of

recidivism, do we give up on someone? Again, I can get on board with the assumption that

something went wrong early in the lives of these children that led them to their current situation

against their better interest, but thats a real expensive proposal a personalized system for

every criminal to come through court.

Overall, I though the film was interesting. Showing me the slit wrists of a twenty-

something year old male person who feels so badly for brutally stabbing and murdering that

teenage girl, though, wasnt persuasive enough for me. Part of it might be due to my conservative

upbringing, but I cant get on board with being so excited for these guys to get out in response to

the supreme court ruling that may or may not overturn their original sentences. Am I sorry

theyre human beings who feel trapped and guilty and alone? Yes. Sorry enough to let them out?

Generally, no. I dug a little deeper and realized the difficulty in finding empathy for these types

of criminals. For me and these strangers, its almost impossible. Then again, isnt the very thing I

fear about these people their apparent lack of empathy? Dont we lock them up for years in an

attempt to force them to be able to empathize with those people or things that led their life to this

point?