Scout committed a felony

[Tucker]

While attending a Scout function at a local Boy Scout Camp, my debit and credit cards were stolen. Through some diligent work on my part, I had the scout identified from surveillance tape, using my card, then called the police. At the time this scout was the SPL and close to Eagle. This boy is still in scouts. WHY? What part of the scout law has he not broken? I know the BSA is supposed to lead and guide boys into adulthood, but are we supposed to rehabilitate felons? If my son would have done this I would have been so embarrassed I would have removed him myself.

[nldscout]

Does the home troop and Scoutmaster know about this? Was he charged with a crime? If the answer to these is Yes and the scout is close to Eagle I would qwrite a short letter of NON-recomendation to the Advancement chairman in your district.

[Tucker]

Yes, he was identified by an ASM in his home troop. Because he stole the cards in one county and used them in another he has multiple court appearance. His charges were: Felony Larceny, Felony Possession of Stolen Goods, and 2 counts of Financial Transaction Fraud. The DE is also aware of this as I reported it to him the day the boy was identified and subsequently charged. Nldscout thanks for your reply. Bob White I was only asking for guidance I guess I didnt come across that way. My son and I have been registered Scout/Scouter for less than two years and I was only wondering if like situations were being handled similarly within other council, troop and chartered organizations.

[acco40]

As a neutral observer, I think the key word is "charged." Until a legal determination of guilt arises, I would not take action unless I was directly involved with the youth (i.e. parent, Scoutmaster, etc.) wrt his Scouting "career."

 

Scouts, Scouters and former Scouts have committed a cornucopia of murders, robberies, rapes etc. just like the rest of the population. We are not that much different from others regardless of what others say. That is not a knock on the program, just my observance.

 

During Jamboree, one of the Scouts in our contingent troop was caught igniting a can of bug spray with matches - like many youth before him and many after him will do. I'm not condoning his actions but realize what adolescent behavior can do. Committing such actions on a military base may make the "crime" a federal offense, a felony but it was something we handled by the troop without involving the military.

[evmori]

Charged is correct only because he hasn't been convicted yet. Based on the posts, it's just a matter of a court date & this Scout will be convicted.

 

I think the question is "Is this Scout Eagle material?"

 

Based on his recent actions, I would say no.

 

Ed Mori

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[Tucker]

OK, let me give a little more information. He has appeared in court where he pled guilty. He was given 200 hours community service (the judge actually said I want blood, sweat, tears), none of which could be used for scouts, restitution to myself, no participation in scouts until Jan 31 when he must appear in court again when the case was deferred I think was the word they used. He has yet to appear in court of the theft. The evidence shows; him on surveillance tape using the card(s) and he made a sworn statement to the police admitting guilt. His troop knows about the incident as well as the district, and council which we are both part. I actually found out at the last court appearance that his troop made him the Troop Instructor. Whats he going to instruct, Thieving 101? How would your council, Scoutmasters, troop committees handle this situation? Would he still be in Scouts if he were one of yours?

[Lynda J]

Does the Charter Org know what happened? If not they do need to be told. Has he admitted to taking and using the cards? If not you need to wait until he is convicted. But the CO does need to know what is going on.

[jr56]

I would agree with Ed, at this timne he is not Eagle material. Maybe at some time in the future, after he has had time to relfect on his actions, and prove himself a changed person, but that is for his troop to decide.

[LPC_Thumper]

I've had the chance to sit on an Eagle Board where one of the references basically said "Don't pass this kid, he isn't an Eagle." (I'm paraphrasing, but you get the point).

 

We tried to stay open minded, but when we were being introduced to him, another adult on the board recognized him as the young man he had to take to court over a hit and run incident involving the adult's parked car, and the youth's driven one.

 

We let the boy make his presentation, and when he was done, we had him leave the room. That's when I realized the situation with the other board member, the letter of non-endorsement, and my gut feeling that he wasn't what an Eagle Scout is.

 

We invited him back in, and we tried to help him see what he would need to do. He was unwilling to take any direction from us, and in fact his CC who WAS (that was capitalized on purpose)the District Advancement Chair told us we HAD to pass this young man. We didn't. In fact we wrote a very precise letter informing him what he would need to do to start to repair our opinions. In the case you are presenting, I think the most important thing to do is let others know what's up. Had we just known him to be a lousy, frieghtened drive it surely wouldn't be a pattern. But the more we learned the more we knew what we really had... It wasn't a fun thing to do.

[morainemom]

I have alway been under the assumption that any Scout convicted of a felony crime cannot earn the Eagle Rank.

 

I did several google searches and can't find exact facts to back this up, though.

 

However, I did find some info over at : www.netcommish.com/AskAndy41.asp

(This message has been edited by morainemom)

[Bob White]

While I appreciate your question Tucker what I do not understand is why you are asking it here. None of us have any authority in the matter. You already understand that his behavior was unscout-like, so why not ask the question of those in your own scouting community who have the responsibility to take action?

[Eamonn]

It would seem that this Lad has made some very bad choices and he has admitted that he made them. He has been sentenced for his crime and will pay the consequences.

I don't have any problem with any of that. If what has been posted is true the Lad got what he deserves.

I don't remember seeing if anyone said how old the Lad is?

I would hope that if he is still young enough, that we the adults in Scouting would be willing to do everything that we can to help this Lad and do our best to make sure that he is given every opportunity to start making good choices.

Of course I don't know the Lad and maybe the Scout Exec or the CO will decide that he really should not be in Scouting. - As Bob White says that will be their call.

It is very easy for me to sit here at my computer and pass judgment, but not knowing the Lad or knowing nothing about his home life, it is wrong of me to judge anyone.

I do agree that pinning an Eagle Rank patch on his chest on the way out of the court would seem very silly, but if we believe in a forgiving God,surely we can try to allow to let this Lad make up for his past mistakes.

We could "Chuck Him" (Yuck!!) And leave him out there to continue to make bad choices, but then are we doing our best to help other people at all times?

I hope we never forget our Oath.

Eamonn.

[madkins007]

I was thinking about the same as Eamonn.

 

You don't know the Scout well enough to know if this is part of a history, or a horrible choice of an otherwise good kid. Hopefully his unit knows him better and will make the right choices.

 

You certainly can write a letter to the advancement board, and if you feel strongly about this, you SHOULD write.

 

I was not a sterling example of humanity in the years just before my own Eagle. I was a good kid overall (especially in public!), but there are some things I did that while not (quite) felonious were really, really bad choices. Some were illegal, some just unScout-like, and all are massively embarrassing to reflect upon.

[ronvo]

Tucker welcome to the forum. I agree that such a boy should not earn Eagle. Unfourtunately, I don't think it is so uncommon for boys his age to do such things. His was just worse and he got caught.

 

And I also believe that even if this is his first offense and he is remorseful and should he be held to a lesser charge that the Eagle should be delayed.

 

I would also hope that if a boy had already earned and been awarded his Eagle Badge and was "convicted" of such a crime, that Eagle award would be taken away and BSA would issue a public statement to that fact. That would help the public know BSA is sincere about the oath and law.

 

I do not know of a similar case in either of the councils I've been in so cannot be of any assistance in how it should or has been handled in the past.

 

Please let us know what happens.

 

See BW - it isn't so hard to be friendly and courteous.

 

pax,

ronvo

[Bob White]

I was being neither unfriendly or discourteous. I was trying to give the poster a more constructive and productive avenue to deal with his concerns than to simply tell a bunch of annonymous strangers on the internet.

 

If he has a problem with what happened (and I can understand why he would) then he shoulkd take steps that could actually lead to some kind of actual result. Posting it here will not.