Are Bullies Criminals? | Teen Ink

Are Bullies Criminals?

May 21, 2011
By JoPepper PLATINUM, Annandale, Virginia
JoPepper PLATINUM, Annandale, Virginia
35 articles 0 photos 782 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Freedom is the ability to not care what the other person thinks."

"Not all those who wander are lost" --JRR Tolkien

"When you are listening to music it is better to cover your eyes than your ears." --Jose' Bergamin


The death of Phoebe Prince was tragic, but it’s not right to punish all bullies as criminals. I’m not saying bullying should go unresolved, but some bullies are victims. There are different degrees of bullying. If it is 2nd degree bullying, the bullies irritate you severely and tease you. But 1st degree bullies make you miserable, and in Phoebe’s case suicidal.
Bullying is really common, what are we going to do…send half of American kids to jail? No one is mean just to be mean; there are usually background problems. Abusive parents, death of relatives, or jealousy. For instance, one reason Phoebe was harassed was because the bullies didn’t like the fact she dated a popular football player. They may have been jealous of the relationship.
Stopping bullying is the job of parents and schools. They’re the ones who should face charges when bullying gets out of hand. How come nobody noticed Phoebe getting pummeled every day? The bullies were also being mean to her on Facebook. Where were the parents supervising their children’s accounts? Since Facebook and other Social Networking sites enable bullying 24/7, bullying today can be 10 times worse. This shows why Social Networking sites need to be monitored by adults, or even friends.
Bullies don’t cause kids to commit suicide. Lots of kids are bullied and don’t commit suicide. Those who do must have other problems. Phoebe already thought of herself as worthless. Before she came to South Hadley, she already had problems and attempted suicide. Her break up with the football player could’ve made her depressed again. The 1st degree bullying probably served as the last straw.
The only bullies who should face charges are the bullies that cause others to literally cry themselves to death, like Phoebe Prince. If we put every bully in jail, that would ruin a lot of kids’ lives, when most of them were 2nd degree bullies. These bullies need to face the parents and schools. Only 1st degree bullies should face the legal system.


The author's comments:
RIP Phoebe Prince
Resource: http://www.today24news.com
This was an assignment for Language Arts. Please comment on this. Thank you!!!

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This article has 28 comments.


on Apr. 9 2015 at 9:55 am
@sydneyk are you putting down this story? It is a moving piece and i think you don't care about bullying.

on May. 28 2014 at 4:45 pm
Wht grade u in now? And this story sad

on May. 16 2014 at 7:00 pm
JoPepper PLATINUM, Annandale, Virginia
35 articles 0 photos 782 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Freedom is the ability to not care what the other person thinks."

"Not all those who wander are lost" --JRR Tolkien

"When you are listening to music it is better to cover your eyes than your ears." --Jose' Bergamin

Care to tell me why?

on May. 16 2014 at 7:00 pm
JoPepper PLATINUM, Annandale, Virginia
35 articles 0 photos 782 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Freedom is the ability to not care what the other person thinks."

"Not all those who wander are lost" --JRR Tolkien

"When you are listening to music it is better to cover your eyes than your ears." --Jose' Bergamin

Uhmmm I don't remember...

on May. 16 2014 at 6:59 pm
JoPepper PLATINUM, Annandale, Virginia
35 articles 0 photos 782 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Freedom is the ability to not care what the other person thinks."

"Not all those who wander are lost" --JRR Tolkien

"When you are listening to music it is better to cover your eyes than your ears." --Jose' Bergamin

Huh I never knew.  You raise good points xD

on May. 16 2014 at 6:58 pm
JoPepper PLATINUM, Annandale, Virginia
35 articles 0 photos 782 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Freedom is the ability to not care what the other person thinks."

"Not all those who wander are lost" --JRR Tolkien

"When you are listening to music it is better to cover your eyes than your ears." --Jose' Bergamin

Awe glad I could help xD

on May. 16 2014 at 6:57 pm
JoPepper PLATINUM, Annandale, Virginia
35 articles 0 photos 782 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Freedom is the ability to not care what the other person thinks."

"Not all those who wander are lost" --JRR Tolkien

"When you are listening to music it is better to cover your eyes than your ears." --Jose' Bergamin

I agree they should face the legal system...since I guess they're 1st degree.  I agree that was NOT okay of them.

on May. 16 2014 at 6:55 pm
JoPepper PLATINUM, Annandale, Virginia
35 articles 0 photos 782 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Freedom is the ability to not care what the other person thinks."

"Not all those who wander are lost" --JRR Tolkien

"When you are listening to music it is better to cover your eyes than your ears." --Jose' Bergamin

...actually I am not aware of Schoolastic, and this was an assignment I had to do for Language arts in 7th grade. o.O  I did not plagerize.

Miley said...
on May. 16 2014 at 5:24 pm
It is very helpful it also helped me

sydneyk said...
on Feb. 23 2014 at 9:01 pm
This is originally a Schoolastic peice. Nice try though.

flowerbell said...
on Aug. 21 2013 at 9:19 pm
i thought differently because the six mean girls should have been punished because of there jealousy ,they didnt have to bully phoebe. They wouldnt have liked it if they got bullied so why did they bully her!!! Phoebe didnt have to kill herself because of there jealousy agaist herself dating a popular football player!!!

flowerbell said...
on Aug. 21 2013 at 6:50 pm
you helped me with the bullies are criminals essay i just got and u put such interesting data. Everything u sayd on the essay was true because i read the persuasive writing!!!! DUH

Kenson said...
on Apr. 2 2013 at 2:32 am
It's actually bullies, who are truly suicidal, at least, on the subconscious level, whether they realize it or not because they endanger themselves when they try to mess with a particular person, and some of them get eventually killed either in shooting sprees, or what seems to be an accident or individually. It also depends on who bullies who. There is a lot of double standard when it comes to bullying. Some bullies get away with bullying, but some actually get harmed pretty badly, if they happended to pick the wrong target. 

kimil said...
on Nov. 25 2012 at 1:37 pm
when was this published?

ichris17 said...
on May. 30 2012 at 8:37 pm
lame.........

on Dec. 10 2011 at 12:59 pm
JoPepper PLATINUM, Annandale, Virginia
35 articles 0 photos 782 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Freedom is the ability to not care what the other person thinks."

"Not all those who wander are lost" --JRR Tolkien

"When you are listening to music it is better to cover your eyes than your ears." --Jose' Bergamin

What are you talking about?

on Dec. 10 2011 at 10:24 am
Ohh, the paper was due and i deleted it before I viewed your response. :0

on Nov. 18 2011 at 3:19 pm
JoPepper PLATINUM, Annandale, Virginia
35 articles 0 photos 782 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Freedom is the ability to not care what the other person thinks."

"Not all those who wander are lost" --JRR Tolkien

"When you are listening to music it is better to cover your eyes than your ears." --Jose' Bergamin

Thank you sooo much would you like me to read your stuff? <3

on Nov. 18 2011 at 7:18 am
Thanks so much, I had to right an essay just like this. And you made me think of many different things it was unbelievable... YOU REALLY GO IN DEPTH WITH YOUR WRITING, Keep up the great work! :)

on Jun. 21 2011 at 2:24 pm
JoPepper PLATINUM, Annandale, Virginia
35 articles 0 photos 782 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Freedom is the ability to not care what the other person thinks."

"Not all those who wander are lost" --JRR Tolkien

"When you are listening to music it is better to cover your eyes than your ears." --Jose' Bergamin

Thanks so much for reading I'm glad you like it.  Thanks for commenting!!!!!!!!!!!! :D