Should the Patch release the name of a minor? This will be on the internet *forever*, and they haven't even gone to court yet. What's the policy?

Ms. Perry,

Is it really true that a 17 year old is a legal adult in Massachusetts? They can't vote until they are 18! Even if they are adults in the eyes of the law, teenagers are still kids in so many ways. There are a lot of good kids who get themselves in trouble at this stage in their lives but go on to lead productive lives. But to have their names and the circumstances of their arrest broadcast to the town can only hurt everyone involved. The matter will be resolved by the police and through the courts. I don't believe anyone is served by releasing the names of these teenagers.

I have taken exception to the fact that you typically choose a headline about a teenager getting trouble to lead your weekly story of the police log. I don't receive the Chelmsford Independent anymore but they chose not to find a sensationalist headline for the police log but used a simple headline stating that it was the police log and noting the dates. If a reader chose to read through the log and note that teenagers had gotten into trouble then that was their prerogative. But by leading the story with that headline, it is an attention grabber which guarantees more people will read it.

I understand your obligation to report the news but I think there is a better way to do it in this case.

Perhaps the best way to resolve this would be to direct the police to omit the names of minors from the published police logs.

I've written a litter to Chief Murphy asking for clarification of the policy, and information about state policy or guidelines. I'll post his reply.

17 is not a minor in massachusetts in terms of prosecution (automatically tried as adults), so it logically follows that their name can and should be printed in police logs, if we are going to print adult's names. http://act4jj.org/media/factsheets/factsheet_20.pdf for example.

Tim's right; here's the reply I received from Chief Murphy:

===
Under Massachusetts law, a 17 year old is considered an adult in the criminal justice system. As such, we are required by law to include the name, age & charge on our public log on any adult arrested. As the police log is a public document, we do make it available to media outlets & others upon request. Hopes this answers your question & concerns

Chief James F. Murphy
Chelmsford Police Department
===

Teens can't vote or even smoke, but can be tried as adults. I hate it when our legislators are up for re-election and need to gin up a way to show how tough they are.

CPD did nothing wrong. An arrest for drugs in a school zone should be automatic. If teens know this and they have drugs in a school zone maybe they will think twice. The paper also did nothing wrong in reporting the information. This was for “intent to distribute” and that means they found a fair amount. I myself am easy going on a lot of things but when it comes to drugs and kids that goes out the window.

If a kid brings two joints, one for himself and one for his girlfriend, that can be "intent to distribute". There's no quantity threshold. There's a mandatory 2 year sentence because it was near the school.

Neither of us know the particulars, but the extreme severity of the charges can destroy this kids chance for college or even a job flipping burgers. I hate to see that happen when it's not demonstrably worse than underage drinking.

If you bring drugs or booze into a school zone you are an idiot. If its on your person then you are a double idiot. High school kids have very few things they need to do these days and one is not to bring drugs,booze or weapons to school zone. I was no angel but if you are a junior or senior and you get bagged in a school zone you can not say you did not know. Kids do what kids do but keep it out of the school zones. Keep it in your sock draw or in the garden shed but if you bring it into a school zone well... you get what you get.

Funny and I quote Mike "If a kid brings two joints, one for himself and one for his girlfriend, that can be "intent to distribute"." There should be NO IF, DRUGS are not permitted on school property, does not matter who you are, or what age you are.

Two years in an adult prison? A zero-tolerance policy doesn't have to send a 17 year old kid off for two years of rape, beatings, and other fraternization with adult inmates. The punishment should fit the crime.

Come on Mike you can't think that would happen unless the kid had a rap sheet as long as your arm. We do not have hanging courts. More like community service. I get community service kids all the time with crimes like this then again it could be dropped or dismissed. Being accused does NOT mean conviction. all the factors are taken into account.... however being bagged with drugs does get you a ride to the station and you name in the logs.

I hope you're right, but the law says it's a mandatory minimum sentence of two years. If it were up to me, it'd be arrest, community service, and perhaps time in some kind of juvenile detention. But I'd keep their name off the internet before they are even indicted.

Maybe I'm just soft on this because I drank before I was 21, even shared drinks with friends, and didn't go to prison for two years for "intent to distribute". I must have been the only one.

Still the issue is NO DRUG on school ground, this is the only issue here. If any kid Whatever age can not abide by this rule what are they going to do in adult life? Mike you have made a hug issue of this and its a pretty simple rule.

Mike , How much of an issue was heroine when you were in school ? Are you aware that it is a serious issue now ? Maby if instead of focusing on the kids that were exposed to this stuff and turned out fine ,we reflect on the people we know whose lives were ruined by being exposed to drugs at an early age , we could somehow find fault more with the student involved here, and less with the editor .For goodness sake some kid brings an illegal substance onto school property and some are more concerned with his civil rights than the illegal act . Geesh !

Mark: He wasn't caught with heroine; Class D is marijuana.

Diane: It's also a simple rule not to drive without a safety belt, but we don't give people two years in prison (mandatory sentence, no judge's discretion) for that.

I think I've explained my point as well as I can. I'm disappointed in the law but not going to change it through postings on The Patch.

Mark - to be fair, Class D is almost always pot; it never includes heroin.

To bar fair to the 17 year old, since personal possession is not a criminal offense in massachusetts, this is probably analogous to bringing a bottle of jack on campus. Not smart if the allegations are true, but we're not talking meth here.

Mike I am well aware what a class D substance is . I am also well aware of kids that started on a class D substance and by the age of 19 were kicking in peoples frt doors and stealing to feed an addiction that was built originally on the premise that " Pot is no big deal " and it gravitated from there .

The criminal offense here is "on school grounds"