A man in the US state of Ohio has been charged with disorderly conduct after being found guilty of verbally abusing his neighbour as well as vandalising her property over a period of ten years.
The guilty man was sentenced to: "15 days in jail, seven months' probation, 100 hours of community service, anger management classes and mental-health counseling, according to court records. Finally, he must publish in a local newspaper a letter of apology ".
What makes this story unusual is that in addition to his sentence the judge has ordered that the man must spend one whole day at a busy intersection holding a sign that reads:
"I AM A BULLY! I pick on children that are disabled, and I am intolerant of those that are different from myself. My actions do not reflect an appreciation for the diverse South Euclid community that I live in."
The sign must be "large enough for a normal person to see the sign from 25 feet away".
Has this judge taken justice and retribution a step too far or should more punishments come with compulsory 'public shaming'?
Read more here:
www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/10/us-usa-bully-ohio-idUSBREA391Y420140410 www.gwu.edu/~ccps/etzioni/B173.htmlIt is proposed that more punishments in our country should include public shaming