Emily’s Law makes sense

Published 10:31am Tuesday, March 16, 2010
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Assigning punishment for children who commit crimes is a tricky business at best. Minnesota’s laws are based upon the belief that a child below a certain age still has the ability to be rehabilitated, and that no matter what the crime, simply imprisoning a child, and then making an individual be accountable for a crime committed as a child, will result in a lifelong criminal.

The proposed Emily’s Law suggests that, while children who commit crimes deserve a chance for rehabilitation, they still should be accountable, even if the accountability is limited.

We agree.

Lynn and Travis Johnson this week testified to the Legislature on behalf of Emily’s Law, named after their daughter who was killed four years ago by a 13-year-old boy. The crime was clearly a heinous one, and they believe that simply allowing the boy to, when he reaches 19, walk away from the rehabilitation center with a clean record seems a tragedy.

Emily’s Law would require the boy would be in a parole-type situation until the age of 27. If a violation occurs within eight years, a judge could use the crime committed as a child as a factor in sentencing.

Such a law seems like a good compromise. While we hope children who commit crimes can eventually become productive members of society. The reality is, however, that many will not. And if the proposed Emily’s Law can keep a dangerous criminal off the street, it would be worth passing.

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