# Evil child abusing bastards. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 9, 2006, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-child-abusing-bastards/363709 "2006-07-09T05:54:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2006, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-child-abusing-bastards/363709/81 "2006-07-12T23:51:00Z")
> [@Pjen](#): > > Agreed. That’s why I used scare quotes around “common sense” and “gut feeling” Got it. I, personally, can’t stand hearing the expression, “Common sense.” IMHO, it’s far too often used to either excuse one’s behavior or condemn another’s behavior. > [@](#): > > I understand the US legal system fairly well. I was the irritating sod who took A’s in Civics and US History depite being the “English Kid”. I love it when that’s the case! One would think that instead of getting irritated by such a situation, the local citizens would get off their duff and do better. > [@](#): > > Few murders or cases of child abuse are held at Federal Level. The common thing across the US state justice system is the greater power of the DA than the CPS has in the UK. > > The entire system in the US is based on plea bargaining avoiding a log jam in the courts. Most plea bargaining has been banned in English courts until recently, although it is creeping in. Because the US actual punishment for murder is so much greater than in the UK, and because of the plea bargaining system, and because of the greater compliance of US juries with the prosecution, a case as in the original post would likely in the US to be pursued in the way I suggested. One or other or both of the parents would plead guilty to avoid a trial and greater punishment. In the UK lawyers know that the CPS would not be able to progress such a case to trial without cast-iron evidence, and that the trial judge would not let a case to go to jury if the burden of proof is not fully met. > > This was not meant as a rant at the US Justice system (the rest of my examples were British) but an attempt to understand what **Chowder** wanted to happen in this case, and I was giving an example of the manner in which another system might have used. I might also have mentioned the Napoleonic system which would allow an investigating magistrate to hold suspects in custody virtually indefinitely until s/he had full evidence, or until one of them cracked. IIRC, we still have in one state the Napoleanic system. I don’t think it’s as bad as the old one in France, though. Anyway, the police and the DA do try to get a confession–one would hope lawfully–before taking a case to court. Even so, the DA can’t realistically take it to jury without meeting his burden of proof. > [@](#): > > Now we know that **Chowder** is just a potential criminal and anti-rule of law, all of the above does not really matter. Again, agreed. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2006, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-child-abusing-bastards/363709/82 "2006-07-13T00:33:19Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > Got it. I, personally, can’t stand hearing the expression, “Common sense.” IMHO, it’s far too often used to either excuse one’s behavior or condemn another’s behavior. Agreed. Generally I find it helpful to assume that the word “common” is being used in the perjorative sense. Not that the person using the expression usually means it that way. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2006, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-child-abusing-bastards/363709/83 "2006-07-13T04:41:37Z")
Princhester: Have you ever heard this one? For some reason, I find it hilarious. > [@](#): > > A (upon observing B do something incredibly rude): Tsssk. I expected common courtesy from you? > B: What do you mean? > A: After all, you’re as common as they come. I heard that on some British radio show way back in 1979 or so. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-child-abusing-bastards/363709.md?page=4)