Ethan Couch: a failure of juvenile justice or a lesson in how it works?

Ethan Couch, the very, very drunk boy whose 2013 pickup crash killed four people and injured 12, had almost slipped out of the bright public spotlight that followed him for many months.

Then a Twitter video appeared to show Couch, who turns 19 in April, at a recent party during a drinking game. Prosecutors wanted to move his case to adult court.

Couch failed to check in with his probation officer — his probation after the crash was what drew public outrage. He and his mother both disappeared.

Can the juvenile justice system recover from Ethan Couch?

The juvenile system does not need to recover from Ethan Couch because Couch did not harm it. He harmed himself and four other families irreparably.

Whether you agreed with the initial decisions or not, those decisions were made within the context of and consistent with a legal system designed by thoughtful legislators with professional input over a number of years.

Now the system is continuing to work as it should. Couch once again turned his back on his opportunity, violated his probation and, by doing so, will probably spend a significant number of years incarcerated.

This is how the system is designed. Exploitation of these events by elected officials does not change the outcomes, nor does it change the lives of those affected by this tragedy.

The justice system has definitely gotten a black eye.

If the psychologist had been allowed to handle it, and had treatment not been taken over by the state, the outcome would likely have been different. But most likely would still have been bad.

This kid was so badly wasted both morally and emotionally, there was little hope of a positive outcome. He and his parents should have been under a psychologist’s treatment several years earlier.

This is the ultimate case of “affluenza” — too much money, no discipline, no responsibility. A handsome young man; such a sad waste.

The criminal justice system cannot compete with money. Get over it.

As long as his mother and father shove money at lawyers, their son will remain relatively immune. When the money runs out, he will begin to learn some hard lessons of life.

Will he learn enough to avoid additional jail time? Probably not.

I am an octogenarian who is appalled at the corruption in our society, public and private, that allows the miscarriage of accountability. It demonstrates parental irresponsibility.

Where is the outrage at the parents?

Ethan Couch is another example of wealth influencing the judicial system.

The case shows how low we have sunk morally. To use socioeconomic status as an excuse is weak and political correctness at its finest. Even as a grammar-school kid, I knew right from wrong.

What we have here is bad parenting. Four people are dead, and now we taxpayers have to spend time and money to find Couch and his mother.

I never expected probation to be completed. This is a classic example of our ineffective judical system.

We make excuses instead of holding people accountable.

Once the authorities received the six-second video clip from the drinking party, they should have responded immediately.

After Couch and his mom disappeared, I believe authorities said the video was still under investigation. How long does it take?

It was also reported that the drinking party might violate his probation. Ya think?

Is it any wonder he decided to skip town?

Many blame the court system, but we know young teenagers don’t belong in prison.

Many of us acted stupid as youth, but we had God-fearing, strong parents who guided us through.

Ethan didn’t have that. His life was out of balance, with too much love of money.

We all need strong, properly balanced parents who are aware of their responsibility.

Neither is totally innocent. It took two to bring him into this world.

I don’t believe the system was at fault. The problem was with the judge.

Ethan is an example of the system giving a young man a second chance. In this case, it did not work.

In a country of some 300 million people, to look at one case as a barometer of the system is ludicrous. If one failure indicates a flawed system, let’s do away with all the drug rehab centers and parole.

In the end, Ethan is going to pay a huge penalty (and probably his mom, too).

Beyond that, the greatest power on earth is the ability to forgive. We all need to learn from this, but never would we stop caring and trying to give people a second chance.

The judge thought she had taught Ethan a lesson and that her words would change him.

Who didn’t see this coming?

Most of us have witnessed how the wealthy have a big advantage. Welfare abuse, government money and human rights have driven many to ignore how out-of-control the wealthy have become, and they embrace the Republican party.

Wealth gives one extreme bullying advantage in our system, and eventually it leads to disaster.

If you think the Ethan Couch thing was unfair, wait and see what Trump has in store for us.

Ethan is a poster child for the old adage, “Spare the rod and spoil the child.”

His development emotionally and socially was so severely arrested that one could argue incarceration is not the answer.

But perhaps the worst perpetrator of all is a judge who allowed the parents’ money to influence a penalty in a court of law.

To me a drunk driver is premeditated murder regardless.

They did think about it before getting drunk.

Regardless of age, they should be tried as an adult, with swift justice for murder.

Now let’s look at the ones who brought the drunk into the world.

There is where the problem is and until a change takes place in the individual in the home the children will go astray.

Foolishness on the part of the judge and the parents!

And drop the cute “affluenza.”

Wealth is not the problem. I know people — some wealthier than these — who have exercised responsibility and respect and were pillars in the community.

The Couch parents are at fault by role-modeling irresponsibility and decadent self-centeredness.

The judge should not have given probation.

The juvenile justice system can recover but it takes some dedicated effort.

When Ethan Couch is captured, he should be tried and sentenced in an adult court as should his mother.

This story was originally published December 24, 2015 at 4:53 PM with the headline "Ethan Couch: a failure of juvenile justice or a lesson in how it works?."