Bullies used to be handled much differently. If a kid was bothering you in school, a child was taught to stand up to the other child. If this didn’t work, parents worked with school authorities in Larimer, Boulder, and Jackson County to put a stop to the behavior. Rarely was law enforcement involved. The world is changing, however. In recent news, a California man has requested a judge issue a restraining order against a 9-year-old boy who is allegedly bullying his son at school. According to the father, the 4th grader is terrorizing his son verbally and physically. There are a couple reasons of reasons that involving law enforcement and courts doesn’t work: Courts aren’t equipped to handle restraining and protection orders against 9-year-olds, and issuing a protection order against a young juvenile will benefit no one.
A Bit About Restraining Orders
Restraining and protection orders are issued when a person is the alleged victim of a violent crime, and is in danger of further abuse in Fort Collins, Loveland, and Estes Park. When a restraining order is issued, the person it is issued against will have many restrictions on their freedom. The person will be unable to have any contact with the alleged victim, and will not be allowed in the same area (building, work environment, apartment complex, etc.) where the alleged victim frequents, etc. It can even be a violation of a restraining order to have any interaction whatsoever (even accidental) on social media. If a civil protection order becomes permanent, it can have a negative effect on the person’s life. They will be unable to own, use, or possess a firearm, and may have a difficult time finding housing or a job.
Restraining Order Restrictions Aren’t Built for Young Juveniles
These kinds of restrictions aren’t plausible for a 9-year-old. In the case in CA, the two boys go to school together, and most likely have activities in the same area. A restraining order would greatly limit the alleged bully’s freedom and rights, and make continuing school almost impossible. Because of the restraining order, the child would have to find another school and adjust to a new life.
[pullquote align=”center” textalign=”center” width=”60%”]A restraining order would help neither the alleged victim nor the alleged bully. [/pullquote]Restraining Order Against a 9 Year Old Would Help No One
In this kind of situation, issuing a restraining / protection order would help no one. The alleged victim wouldn’t learn how to deal with bullies, and the alleged bully would only be further damaged by needing to switch schools and the possibility of future negative consequences. People who bully as children are charged with Assault when they grow up. Issuing a restraining order against a bully will never resolve the issue – the bully would simply move to another school and continue his behavior.
Bullying and the Misuse of the Law
More and more people are turning to the police and court system to solve their problems than ever before. With the creation of vague laws, and the misuse of the law by the public, our prison, jails, and treatment centers are overflowing. The CA boy who is allegedly being bullied would learn much more if his father taught him to face his tormentor. If this proved unhelpful, the school should be the one stepping in to discipline the bully and create a safe environment for its students. Law enforcement and judges should never be called in to solve personal problems. This is why many innocent poepl are in prison today.