In an article published in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution called “Cult’s rites do wrong by girls†about Warren Jeffs’ polygynous sect, the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Susan Paynter writes, “as a society we are still pretty confused about girls and women.” She notes that females of 16 and 17 may be referred to as “young girls” when they are missing or injured but even if as young as 12 and 13 may be declared “mature enough to be held fully responsible for the consequences of their actions” and prosecuted as adults.
Paynter was unnecessarily sexist. The confusion about age applies to boys and men as well as girls and women. I published an article in Court TV’s online Crime about the infamous case of Mary Kay Letourneau, the schoolteacher imprisoned for an affair with Vili Fualaau that began when he was 13 (the couple married after she served seven years in prison). Letourneau’s attorney, David Gehrke noted, “When he had sex with Mary, poor little Vili was not responsible at all for his acts because he was just a child but if he shoots someone or steals a car at that same age, all of a sudden he has personal responsibility. If he commits a crime like an adult, he’ll be held responsible like an adult.â€Â
If anyone is interested in reading my piece on the Letourneau case, it is at http://www.crimelibrary.com/criminal_mind/psychology/marykay_letourneau/1.html.
