East Lansing Council members have devised an extended punishment to all the people caught. The council plans to purchase ads in all the hometown newspapers of those arrested for the sole purpose of embarrassing the students. While they deserve to be punished for their actions, the council's plan shows a blatant disregard for the perpetrators' civil liberties.
Police reports indicate that a victory celebration got out of hand when dozens of drunk young adults, presumably students, threw a couch into a street, ignited a bonfire and proceeded to dance around flames reaching two stories high. In addition, the rioters threw cans and bottles at police who were attempting to clear the streets for fire personnel.
Few would disagree that the students' acts demonstrated disrespect for others, themselves, the city and the school. Their immature behavior cannot and will never be condoned, no matter what the explanation. But those caught will either pay a fine, serve jail time or be placed on probation. This is the way society has decided to punish those who violate the law, and the East Lansing City Council has no right to take the law into their own hands by publicly humiliating the students. Using people as guinea pigs in an experiment of right and wrong is more of an inhuman act than that committed more than a week ago.
American law attempts to inflict standard penalties for those who commit crimes. Those found guilty of a crime have the right to be punished by the courts, not a city council that believes the law did not do enough. Neither the council's constituents nor the American people have bestowed upon the council, a body elected not as law enforcement officials, the power to discipline a group of people.
Due process is an important part of the American justice system. Citizens rely on this system to punish and rehabilitate those found guilty of a crime. The council, by bypassing the system, is stealing many of the rights inherent to 200 years of American customs. If the city council takes it upon themselves to violate two centuries of standard law, then much of what we rely on as citizens has been washed away.
The actions of the council are reminiscent of Megan's Law, a law intended to notify people if a sex offender moves into their neighborhood. While the intentions may appear benevolent, the law further punishes the offenders. The targets are people who served their time, as administered by the judicial system and were released. For the council to further castigate some criminals, as Megan's Law does, and not others, undermines the justice system's validity.
The East Lansing city council is executing a punishment its members contrived and formulated. They are not members of law enforcement or the judicial system and therefore have no right to administer matters of justice. They believe that ridiculing a small portion of the truly guilty will solve their problem. Their dilemma is one that warrants more than just a naive solution that will end up acting as a quick fix.
The city council should review its original intentions and powers before placing the ads. They must delegate the authority to punish to law enforcement officials and the justice system. If the council abuses its authority, not only will their policies be detrimental to the accused, but to us all. The East Lansing City Council may be setting a dangerous precedent that violates human decency and undermines the American judicial system.