Wow. I see it a totally different way. Some people are just unfit for society. I see it as a stroke of luck that Tate reoffended. That way, we don’t have to worry about him killing again for another couple decades.

Well said, Jamie!

Jami Floyd has apperently uncovered a huge conspiracy. Prisons are a “business” and people are sent there to generate profit of some sort. Right. She also states that people are abused in prison and that we dont do enough to rehabilitate these poor victims of a corrupt system. Perhaps were dont spend enough time and money on these poor victims of society. Perhaps we dont love them enough.
Jami, minors get recommended to adult prison for serious offenses, not midemeanors. The reson they are sent to prison is because they have abused others and pose a threat for continued lawlessness. Prison is called prison and not “recess”, “time out” or “forgive and forget” for a reason. It is not meant to be rehabilitative, it is meant to be PUNISHMENT. You get there by commiting very serious crimes or by repeated lawlesness. The warden doesn’t grab your kids out of school or your husband from the golf course and incarcerate them….
You seem to think everyone is nice and if they do evil its not their fault or that you can change them with love and kindness. Many of these people in prison had just as much chance at a normal life as you or me -they CHOSE to be evil and CHOSE to be lawless. You are really quite gullible and ahve a lot to learn about people. Congrats on your sheltered life. Every repeat offender made a CHOICE of a criminal life.

Jami,

It saddens me that society can take Michael Vick’s bullied abused dogs and rehabilitate them into loving pets, but our prison systems just can’t seem to provide the proper tools for rehabilitation when a child commits a crime.

But I am just singin’ in the wind. Thanks Jami and CNN for letting my voice be heard.

No matter what age you are. If you kill someone you should serve the time. Hard Crime gets hard time. If you rob someone while on parole you go back to prison. I’m sure some of the blame for Lionel’s behavior is the fault of the parents, schools and other organization that past the buck because Lionel was a difficult adolesant.
We need to make an example out of children who kill people, rob, maim, massacre and bully other students in schools and neighborhoods.

Kids now days are allot smarter than they were 10, 15, or 20 years ago. They think the legal system can’t punish them with harsh punishments because they are a minor.

It’s time to the baby treatment to stop and people be held accountable for their actions. If a child kills some then definitely take a look at the parents. Where the parents drug users? Was their valence in the home? Was child abused by the parents? What could have led to a serious crime being committed by a child?

It’s time to TAKE back the safety of the community. May be we should entertain the thought of a license to have children. Ignorance breeds ignorance. People with questionable backgrounds should have to complete education/parenting classes before they get a license to have children. No one gripes when you have to a marriage license.
Accountability across the board!

I agree. I feel fortunate he reoffended when he did before he went on a full-force rampage! He should have been sentenced to life without parole when he was 12 for first-degree murder. These monsters keep being put back out on the street and commit more murders. How much more evidence do we need of this!!! He is not a poor little child. He is a MURDERER!!!

Are you kidding me Tom?!?! Have people obtain a license, and go to classes to have a child? That is pure IGNORANCE in it’s self. People in society are always so quick to point the finger at the parents or guardian of the child, or even better point the finger at the musical artist they listen too. Example: Your kid listens to Eminem! So BAM! they are a gang banger out looking to score some weed. People need to come to their senses and stop pointing the finger and coming up with ideas that they think will better soceity and get out there and do something about it!

I think we should have some stricter laws on minors. They know right from wrong, their not dumb. They know killing, and stealing is wrong! So why is the justice system just giving them a slap on the wrist and saying “Better not do that again.” Maybe if we actually treated the crime these minors acted on with some serious actions they wouldn’t continue to think it was ok, and that they coud get away with it.

Another thing, we are so quick to pass judgement on someone who has committed a crime and was released from prison. We don’t reach out and think of ways to help this person survive outside of prison, instead we are so quick to turn them down from jobs. this person has paid thier dues and whats does soceity do…block all means of living. So what do they tend to do? They go out and commit another crime to go back to prison where they had a warm place to sleep, and had 3 meals a day. Now thats a shame!

I agree, if he hadn’t got caught on these new charges, who knows what he would have done next. He went to prison for MURDER at age 12, that is HIS fault. Someone who is capable of something so horrible at such a young age to me stand less of a chance at rehabilitation that someone who commited their first crime at a much later age.

I agree totally! Although he is age appropriate for adult prison, he will never get the help that he needs. Not even in juvenile justice system does that happen. These children should not be allowed to be housed in adult prisons!

This is a travesty!

I remember when poor Lionel murdered the little girl!
He did it on purpose, in my opinion. Slammed her to the floor many times.
He didn’t lose any sleep over it, didn’t show any remorse (not that I would have cared), and thought he’d just go on with his life.
I was 13 once, I knew it was wrong to kill, hit, kick, bite when I was 13.
Heck, I knew it was wrong by age 2. So does everybody else.

My law would be simple.

When the person you killed starts breathing again and is able to function as they did before they were murdered, we’ll let you out.

Until then, rot in jail.

As for Jamie’s article.

Prisons are not “profit” centers, they are “cost” centers.
States and the Feds “do not” make money from prisons.

What a stupid comment that they are “big business”.

I hope Lionel doesn’t leave prison alive.

He’s a pathetic creature that does not deserve the 3 meals a day that he’s going to be getting.

I bet this is a very sad day for you, Jami. I would love to hear what type of spin you would have put on the case if you would have represented Mark Jensen.

I hope someday you’ll see the light and feel more compelled to help victims.

Children such as Lionel Tate are probably beyond rehabilitation. The real issue here is the way he was treated by his parents or other adults that made him the killer he became. Until we go after parents for the crimes of their children-NOTHING will change. An abused child has low self esteem and no skills what so ever on how to deal with all issues in life. Unless they are born with these skills where do you think they would get any them? It is interesting that we EXPECT these children to make something out of their lives. And if they do not we blame only them and not the real criminals-their parents. This is the reason why we have so many lost children. It is not an excuse for them to act like this-and they should be punished- but an understanding why they become this way. We need to fix this problem and soon!

He should never have been allowed out of prison. The crime here isn’t that Lionel was treated as an adult, but rather, that he wasn’t.

Lionel knew it was wrong, and that’s why he took the time to try to cover it up by saying “Gosh, I was just playing!”. It didn’t help that his relatives assisted him with that lousy cover up. Come on ! Even kindergarteners know it is wrong to murder or kill someone else.

He’s tried (and is probably still trying) the “I was a kid put into prison and that ruined me” ploy to excuse himself for his latest crimes.

Most criminals don’t take responsibility for their own crimes. They blame everything else- but themselves.

Thank goodness he is back behind bars. Let’s hope they keep him there.

Good parents can have kids that stray from the foundation they grew up with. I cannot agree that every parent be blamed for all of the choices that their children make. It is how we hold them accountable that matters. It sounds like this kid at the time of the murder was growing up in a single parent home with a mom who worked very hard as a cop. Perhaps he had some special needs that were never addressed back then that could have alleviated such a tragedy. I believe if this was a white boy the outcome would have been different.