If You Commit The Library Crime, You’ve Gotta Do the Time?

When you’re a working parent of two special needs children, it’s not uncommon to be a bit forgetful. This forgetfulness might occur in the form of missed therapist appointments, unfilled prescriptions, or confusion with themed school events. (“Mommy, I told you, today was school picture day NOT crazy hair day!”) In the past year, due to her daughters’ growing maturity, Gina has been far less forgetful. “Mommy, you can’t go to the gym. I’ll miss my Saturday Social Group.”

There was, however, one thing that Gina was very forgetful with — returning library books. In fact, due to our mother’s illness and other events this summer, she completely forgot to return three of them — creating a hefty library fine of nearly two hundred dollars. Too embarrassed to return them, Gina held on to them longer into the fall. She was quite ashamed, and certainly wasn’t brought up to do this as both of our parents had stellar library records.  Fearful that she might be called out for her crime publicly, she avoided in-town stores and events. It wasn’t until a fellow resident informed her about fine-free Wednesdays that she was ready to face her crime. So, early one Wednesday morning, she trekked to the library in her trench coat and dark glasses and dropped them off, finally releasing herself of the burden and the humiliation.

Gina was one of the lucky ones, however, a cute little 5-year-old girl from from Charlton, MA,  didn’t get off so easy. She actually had a policeman come to her house to scare her straight for  her overdue library book, causing the poor little girl anxiety.Keep in mind, this is Massachusetts, the state where corruption runs rampant.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-57351513-504083/mass-library-sends-cops-to-collect-overdue-books-from-5-year-old/

Have you ever heard of anything so ridiculous? Should Gina be allowed to walk free when this poor child is traumatized?