Got An Overdue Book Or Movie? Go To Jail

[Sally]

0

It seems frivolous, but the money adds up when several other people also conveniently forget to return the property. I don't believe he forgot about it anyway. He packed and unpacked the DVD, how could he forget it belonged to the library? He just didn't give a shit and decided to keep it.

I have several customers who "forget" to pay me for services rendered and unfortunately the only thing I can do about it is put a lien on their property within 90 days and spend even more money taking it to court.

[Black Sun]

0

I think saying "you forgot" is a convenient cop out in cases like this.

Surely when he was packing the DVD and he had it in his hand he must have realised "Hang on, this belongs to the library".

Try saying "you forgot" to pay your utility bills as you sit in the dark, shivering.

[LH]

0

A lesson for the boy, hopefully he learned and will go through life a better person. I wonder if the parents drove that message home to him or said "Don't worry sonny we think you were right for stealing"

[Twitchin Kitten]

0

I had a library book that got lost in my room. I was around 8 or 9. Notices kept coming and my mom wound up having to pay for the book.

This book was one of those mysterious things that stayed hidden for years. No matter how many times I cleaned my room, rearranged my room, switched rooms with my brothers, that book never friggin' showed up! One day, when I was packing to move out of the house - I was 18 now - that stupid book was right there in the bedside table drawer.

I felt guilty mom had to buy the book, I took it back to the library and you know what? they gave mom her money back! All $8.00 of it.

Now that surprised me to no end.

[Twilla]

0

You're all right, I apologize for trying to see how it's more cost effective for the county to issue warrants and have a cop tied up issuing the ticket etc for a $10 DVD... because that's about what the thing is actually worth... and then have the court involved with all the various clerks with the time spent on the necessary paperwork that was ultimately presented to a judge. Multiply that by all the other missing items from the library and you're looking at tens of thousands of dollars worth of man hours to recover a few hundred dollars worth of assets.

Silly me.

[LH]

0

You're all right, I apologize for trying to see how it's more cost effective for the county to issue warrants and have a cop tied up issuing the ticket etc for a $10 DVD... because that's about what the thing is actually worth... and then have the court involved with all the various clerks with the time spent on the necessary paperwork that was ultimately presented to a judge. Multiply that by all the other missing items from the library and you're looking at tens of thousands of dollars worth of man hours to recover a few hundred dollars worth of assets.

Silly me.

It sure would be nice if everything was free. I can only blame all this loss on the kid that started it all.

[Black Sun]

0

You're all right, I apologize for trying to see how it's more cost effective for the county to issue warrants and have a cop tied up issuing the ticket etc for a $10 DVD... because that's about what the thing is actually worth... and then have the court involved with all the various clerks with the time spent on the necessary paperwork that was ultimately presented to a judge. Multiply that by all the other missing items from the library and you're looking at tens of thousands of dollars worth of man hours to recover a few hundred dollars worth of assets.

Silly me.

I think that the general public will feel a lot safer knowing heinous library jackers are being prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

Yes the kid should have returned the DVD, but the response was disproportionate to the offence.

[Twitchin Kitten]

0

The jailing and stuff of the kid was ridiculous. All they should have done was make him pay for the item like my mom had to.

When we had our first library cards, mom had to go with us and give her information for being the one responsible for the books we take out. Are they not doing this anymore? Are kids allowed to use the libraries without anyone vouching for them?

[Vizth Hal]

0

You're all right, I apologize for trying to see how it's more cost effective for the county to issue warrants and have a cop tied up issuing the ticket etc for a $10 DVD... because that's about what the thing is actually worth... and then have the court involved with all the various clerks with the time spent on the necessary paperwork that was ultimately presented to a judge. Multiply that by all the other missing items from the library and you're looking at tens of thousands of dollars worth of man hours to recover a few hundred dollars worth of assets.

Silly me.

I agree with you, loose a few $100 to $10,000 a year, and / or add on another 5-10k to persecute someone for forgetting to return a single item. Money better spent going after actual criminals that are a threat to someone.

I could understand if the guy was actually intentionally stealing from there, but this was going way to far.

[lady cop]

0

devil's advocate here...and of course it does not apply to this situation in particular, but they have to apply the law equally. is it a dumb prosecution? yes.
other side of coin...i was once a trial court law librarian. law books are VERY EXPENSIVE. you know who stole the most? lawyers of course, and the DA's office! my budget barely covered the constantly needed updates/advance sheets, regional reporters, supreme court reporters and treatises that came in daily. so i went after those thieving DA's! they were afraid of me!
in this case a letter asking for replacement of item would have been enough, in hopes the kid would comply.