Do criminals ever admit they are bad people ?

Jumboman

It seems when someone is charged with a crime no matter how horrific the crime may be they will always come out with a sob story that they have come from a bad background or have a drink or drug problem in the case of the guy in america who kidnapped 3 women he cliams he has a problem with a pornography.

http://news.sky.com/story/1120849/ohio-kidnapper-ariel-castro-accepts-plea-deal

"My addiction to pornography and my sexual problem has really taken a toll on my mind," Castro told judge Michael Russo

I'm wondering if their are any criminals out there who will say "yes judge I'm a scumbag and I deserve everything thats coming to me" instead of trying to play the victim like Ariel Castro and just about every other criminal trys to do.

Agricola

Hes trying to get out of being executed, thats why he and most others like him come out with this stuff.

pharmaton

generally remorseful people are accepting of their punishment, few criminals feel remorse as.. well..they're criminals and it's in their nature to justify what they've done.

arse..biscuits

They usually say "Only God can judge me" before giving a smug grin and feeling like a philosopher

Marsden

It's not just a case of telling the judge this for leniency, I would assume it would be easier to live with themselves if they don't accept responsibility for what they've done.

BunShopVoyeur.

Didn't the BTK killer call himself a monster?

DEFTLEFTHAND

Robert Kuklinski 'the Ice Man' took full responsibility for what he did, while he claimed to feel no remorse for his victims he did express sorrow that his wife and kids would have to live with his legacy. He also agreed that he deserved to be caged for the rest of life.

Killer Wench

It seems that many do once they have accepted some kind of religious intervention.

rolliepoley

Once you catch something it will squirm and do anything to try and get away, its instinct.

Sunnyisland

Why should they as we keep re electing them :-)

bumper234

I'm wondering if their are any criminals out there who will say "yes judge I'm a scumbag and I deserve everything thats coming to me" instead of trying to play the victim like Ariel Castro and just about every other criminal trys to do.

Charles Bronson.


http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Bronson_(prisoner)

Forest Demon

Some people don't care either way as they are selfish and can justify their behaviour. Others think they do bad things but they are not bad people. Some are bitter and have had it so hard (or think they have had) that they don't want to know any other way. Loads of reasons why people become criminals. There are some sound so called criminals out there. I know a couple of lads that would not hurt a fly that have done time.

Huge difference in somebody caught dealing some weed then a murderer of an innocent or rapist. All would be called criminals.

Jumboman

Its funny when someone is caught smuggling drugs they will always say they were forced to do it.

Why do criminals never admit anything even when their caught red handed ?

Wacker The Attacker

Michael Jackson.

He knew he's bad he's bad

Sunglasses Ron

I find the lawyer who is willing to entertain the type of story that clearly guilty people with similar prior convictions comes up with, such as the Ian Huntley case, to be nearly as reprehensible as the offender themselves.


In all the last few decades of criminal law I wonder has there ever been a lawyer or their loved ones who coincidentally fell victim to a previous client who they got off the hook on a charge. Probability would say there surely has been.

Seachmall

While career criminals might be different I do know of people who have repeatedly committed crimes who accept they were dickheads for doing it.

Oddly enough they don't necessarily feel remorse for what they did, but they accept they were wrong and strive not to repeat their mistakes.

Lux23

There are many that plead guilty to their charges, so lots of criminals know well they do bad things for a living and a prison term is an occupational hazard.

Sex offenders, although still criminals, aren't really the same in my eyes. We all have strange desires and fantasies but they stay just that because we know they are wrong. Someone like Castro knows what he is doing is wrong, but he has probably spent years developing a system to cope with the guilt so in his mind he's probably the victim. People like that can never be rehabilitated, they would probably have a complete mental breakdown if they ever truly acknowledged how sick and evil they are. Now he will probably pretend to find God, that he's sorry for what he did but it's probably just another way for him to avoid the truth.

Shenshen

I think there's a difference between trying to explain why they did what they did, and trying to make excuses.

On that one sentence alone, I can't really say if Castro is trying to do one or the other.

Personally, if I was the victim of a crime, I would want to know why the criminal felt he/she needed to do it, so I'd be very happy for an explanation of their motives, internal and external.
I'd draw a line where the criminal would ask outright for a lenient treatment based on reasons of childhood neglect or the like.

Cody Pomeray

I think most criminals who show remorse are those who committed crimes in the grip of passion. Spleen venters.

I admit to being a bleeding heart. However, absent something drastic happening, there are a minority in society who are too far gone to have a chance of rehabilitation, or positively contributing to society. Some people are here to wreak absolute carnage and they couldn't give a blue fúck about it either.

Sunglasses Ron wrote: »

I find the lawyer who is willing to entertain the type of story that clearly guilty people with similar prior convictions comes up with, such as the Ian Huntley case, to be nearly as reprehensible as the offender themselves.

That's understandable but mistaken. A lawyer's job is to act as an intervener. It is more procedural than people believe. You are there to advocate this man's case to the court in language that the court understands, and advance arguments that the courts can comprehend.

The Barrister acting for some accused child murderer, for example, cannot invent an alibi or get creative with the accused's version of events.
He cannot refuse his case (barring exceptional circumstances).
And while he cannot deliberately mislead the court, neither can he run off to the Gardaí or the DPP with anything the accused tells him in confidence.

Even demons are entitled to their defence. Lawyers are only a channel through which the accused person, having been advised of his rights, can speak.