First Offense?

I'm sick of people getting off scot-free because it's their "first offense".  Do you know what first offense means?  It just means it's the first time they have been caught by law enforcement.  It certainly isn't their first offense.  In fact, most first offenders have committed said offense several if not many times before.  They just haven't been caught.

Let me give you a personal example.  Names have been changed to protect the innocent/guilty.

A middle-aged man named Clayne and his wife Megan live with Clayne's elderly parents, Robert and Alexandra. Clayne decided one night to get drunk and subsequently beat his wife, Megan.   Robert and Alexandra were out of state at the time so Megan, fearing for her life, calls the police.  Clayne is taken into police custody and charged with a "first offense".  Being related to Clayne I am aware of several prior incidents of abuse/assault.  Including Clayne getting drunk at his brother Watson's wedding. Clayne began causing a scene and their sister, Cressida, asked Clayne to quit misbehaving at their brother's wedding.  After which Clayne punched his sister Cressida in the face.  Obviously Clayne has a history of drunken assault.

Yet Clayne's elderly father, Robert, is quick to blame law enforcement and the victim, Megan. all the while defending his precious baby son, who can do no wrong.  Classic case of enabling. Robert is quick to claim "first offense".  Guess what?  In the world I live in a first offense hurts the victim just as much as subsequent offenses.  Why is it excusable?

Does a murderer get to play the "first offense" card?  No.  So why should a perpetrator of domestic abuse, animal cruelty, assault, robbery, evading police or any other crime get off scot-free because it is a "first offense"?

Especially in cases such as domestic abuse, child abuse, animal cruelty, assault, rape etc. where the victim is scared to or unable to press charges.

I'm all for rehabilitating people and helping them get their lives back in order.  But I'm also a fan of people having to pay the consequences of their actions and choices.  Enabling bad behavior never helps the perpetrator.  And in fact does more harm than good.

I'm really getting fed up with people -- and especially my relatives -- who constantly defend those in the wrong just because they share DNA.  Wrong is wrong.  It doesn't matter who the perpetrator is.  Yes, even baby sons and baby nephews make bad choices and some even break the law.  It's not the law's fault that your relative makes bad choices.  Put the blame where it belongs. A first offense is still an offense.

People need to start taking responsibility for their actions and pay the consequences for their choices. People also need to stop defending, making excuses for, and flat out denying other people's bad choices and actions just because they are related.

Wrong is wrong.  What's so hard to understand about that?

That's my two cents.