Threatening someones life IS illegal, and more than just harassment.
Joel Send a noteboard - 28/09/2009 08:02:22 AM
To get rid of a stalker, there are really only two things to do.
1) Take yourself away. How many people are willing to secretly move across country somewhere when you don't even know for sure that anything's wrong? It's just not an option most would take.
2) Take the stalker away. A better option, sure, but something you can't do until the guy does something really illegal. And by then, it's usually too late. Harassment is pretty low on the crime stepladder. At most you lock him up for a couple months. I can't imagine that would be of any use.
Are there any other options? Not really. This woman thinks the reform that has come since the incident could have saved her daughters life? Please. There was a hotline, and a questionnaire. What could a hotline tell you? There's nothing to do but move where he can't find you. As for the questionnaire, they clearly already had some sort of criteria if the junior office was able to determine that this guy was low to medium risk. I suppose the new questionnaire is going to be lots better? Maybe I guess, but even if you determine he's a big risk, what do you do if he's done nothing illegal?
And family justice centers, huh? If they work, great; I'd have to see the data. It still seems like the problem boils down to the fact that most stalkers don't do anything highly illegal until they snap. There's very little than can be pre-emptively done. I feel terrible for this woman and her family, but I completely agree with the police. Most obsessions don't end in violence, (people scream "I'll kill you!" every day, and do nothing. Watch cops for ten minutes and you'll see what I mean) and I see no way the police could have reliably predicted this.
1) Take yourself away. How many people are willing to secretly move across country somewhere when you don't even know for sure that anything's wrong? It's just not an option most would take.
2) Take the stalker away. A better option, sure, but something you can't do until the guy does something really illegal. And by then, it's usually too late. Harassment is pretty low on the crime stepladder. At most you lock him up for a couple months. I can't imagine that would be of any use.
Are there any other options? Not really. This woman thinks the reform that has come since the incident could have saved her daughters life? Please. There was a hotline, and a questionnaire. What could a hotline tell you? There's nothing to do but move where he can't find you. As for the questionnaire, they clearly already had some sort of criteria if the junior office was able to determine that this guy was low to medium risk. I suppose the new questionnaire is going to be lots better? Maybe I guess, but even if you determine he's a big risk, what do you do if he's done nothing illegal?
And family justice centers, huh? If they work, great; I'd have to see the data. It still seems like the problem boils down to the fact that most stalkers don't do anything highly illegal until they snap. There's very little than can be pre-emptively done. I feel terrible for this woman and her family, but I completely agree with the police. Most obsessions don't end in violence, (people scream "I'll kill you!" every day, and do nothing. Watch cops for ten minutes and you'll see what I mean) and I see no way the police could have reliably predicted this.
I hear what you're saying, but the fact women get stalked to death at womens shelters from time to time only underscores the fact that some people, when relationships end, become dangerously violent in addition to being unable to let go. Harassment is one thing, but when threats of violence enter the equation we've escalated to a new and more urgent level. Something anyone should consider before shouting, "I'll kill you!!!" at an estranged ex, and if they can't or won't retain that much presence of mind maybe some outside intervention is justified.
As to the questionnaire and evaluation, from what the article says it sounds like the "solution" there, if there is one, is more money and officers in law enforcement, and not assigning someone to a potentially violent, possibly lethal, case on their first day. The guy not only harassed her, he threatened her, threatened her life, broke bail and left the country. That's at least three crimes right there before we even consider he was ex-Yugoslavian military (nothing against Slavs or the military, but the military IS at least more conditioned to solve problems via firearms. ) How was he able to be walking around free to shoot her in a public place? You'd think some of that would've come up on the existing questionnaire, but perhaps an officer with a week on the job would've noticed on his own.
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Last First in wotmania Chat
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Last First in wotmania Chat
Slightly better than chocolate.
Love still can't be coerced.
Please Don't Eat the Newbies!
LoL. Be well, RAFOlk.
HTF Much "Hindsight" Does It Take to Know a Stalker Who Threatened Murder Might Murder?!!!
28/09/2009 06:35:34 AM
- 701 Views
Concerns for this chilled Franky aside, I don't see what could have been done.
28/09/2009 07:36:24 AM
- 444 Views
Threatening someones life IS illegal, and more than just harassment.
28/09/2009 08:02:22 AM
- 475 Views
I think you need to work on your European geography... *NM*
28/09/2009 12:07:32 PM
- 188 Views
Would "eastern Europe" have been better?
29/09/2009 05:17:20 PM
- 340 Views
No, you mixed up Slovakia and Slovenia
29/09/2009 05:33:51 PM
- 306 Views
So a "Yugoslavian" is not a Slav?
29/09/2009 05:47:54 PM
- 352 Views
so you believe exmilitary service should be a factor?
29/09/2009 05:59:30 PM
- 289 Views
I didn't say it makes murder more likely.
29/09/2009 06:18:28 PM
- 305 Views
Now you're just doing it on purpose. *NM*
29/09/2009 06:25:30 PM
- 153 Views
I'm old; sue me.
30/09/2009 02:55:54 AM
- 319 Views