A Shooting in the Magic Valley Begs the Question Why

OPINION:

There are times I get angry when someone cuts me off in traffic.  Five minutes later, maybe even less, I’ve forgotten about it.  Why does a guy drive to a house and fire several bullets into the walls?  During the drive, wasn’t there time to cool off?  Then afterward, why would a guy think he can vanish for a few days and then go back to living normally?  I want to point out that people aren’t guilty until convicted in a court of law, but I’ll make a few predictions.  The guy the Twin Falls County Sheriff’s Office believes shot up a home near Kimberly will be convicted, and he’ll consider himself the victim.

This is a Vicious Cycle

I was a beat reporter when I was young, covering criminal courts.  The majority of the people I saw in orange jumpsuits had a long history in the system, and they didn’t appear to have a concern about changing their behavior.   I did once see a young man who was contrite after being convicted for his involvement in robbing an armored car company.  He bawled at sentencing, and the judge told the fellow that he was a nice young man and would turn his life around.  As I recall, when he was released from a federal prison, he turned his life around, but it seems rare.

The Fault is You and Not the Stars

A Lieutenant with the local sheriff’s office once told me the guys he encountered lacked conflict resolution skills.  I equate that with a belief that they’re always the victim.  Sure, I’ve encountered some sociopaths, but most people in the system can modify their behavior and discover a new life.