should young offenders be given the CHOICE of army instead of jail?

Being in the military requires you to have complete trust in your comrades (and they in you) - your lives can depend upon each and every one of you.

While their ARE offenders whom I believe military service could (and does) help, they need to be able to make their own decision to change and join (sort of a "can't get better until they admit that they have a problem" kind of thing). They also have to know that it's a never look back proposition, 'slipping up' or going back to their 'old ways' even momentarily as a civilian can result in a 'slap on the hand' from the legal system, but the military treats offences harshly.

I see that you are in Australia, imagine being on foot patrol several years ago in East Timor, depending on your comrades to watch your back - literally to keep you alive - what if you knew that one or more of them were only in the military to avoid jail time, for what, assault, drugs, manslaughter? Would you be willing to put your life in their hands?

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It's definitely unconstitutional, and nothing more than an attempt to coerce conversions on the part of the lawmakers and churches involved. There is little or no connection between religious faith and failure to commit crimes, based on the number of people in prison with a strong faith in God. Moreover, the fact that there are a limited number of churches involved leaves many people with no options relevant to their beliefs (or lack thereof) -- and I seriously doubt the lawmakers who pushed this through would accept a Wiccan coven if such a group volunteered. I seem to recall as well that the law mandated church attendance on *Sundays*, which de facto excludes any religion whose worship services are held on a different day (Judaism, anyone?). To say nothing of atheists being stuck without an option at all. Regardless of all that, though, the government should not be in the business of trying to force, coerce, or encourage people to attend any particular churches, or even religious services in general. And when your only options are church or prison, yes, that's coercion. If they want to try something that's both Constitutionally-sound and actually effective, then maybe they should institute some sort of therapy or counseling program as an alternative to prison -- secular, and actually relevant to the problems they're trying to address. I agree that the judicial system in the US is far too focused on punishment and not nearly concerned enough with rehabilitation, but this is the wrong way to go about it.

I think they should be given the choice of the army instead of going to jail. Most of them, when they get out of jail, they swear up and down they want to change and not go back to their old ways. A few months later, you hear of them getting sent back to jail and the pattern just repeats over and over again. I think the Army would show them a different perspective of life and help them change. When they come back, they won't even think about what they were used to doing or their old friends, but the experiences they just went through. Also they don't won't have anything on their record, so they can get a job and vote. They also have an opportunity to get an education, which is difficult when you have a bunch of negative influences around you telling you, "oh, you don't need school, its other ways to make more money and filling your head with nonsense, which is when the bad decision making starts and the follow the leader thing starts as well. This is a really interesting question.

They did that when I was young on many occasions, I think now some of the youth are so violent or troubled even the military doesn't want them ! When I was young the kids getting in trouble where nothing like today, the crimes now are much more high stake and violent in many cases. There are some that if caught early it would make a real difference in there life I'm sure .

Very long question and post which doesn't even require me to read in order to answer.

NO. The only way to maintain a professional fighting force is to keep it VOLUNTEER. Why do you think so many countries have switched to all-volunteer forces? It's better for morale and quality of personnel. Add a few bottom-feeding troublemakers into the mix and it will seriously and negatively affect the entire operation.

Young offenders should, if anything, get labor sentences like in the old days. Put them on highway chain gangs or making great big rocks into little tiny ones. Make them work up a sweat... putting them into the service is not really even punishment when you consider what they are getting out of it by the time they are discharged.

To anyone that says no? I was in military, enlisted as a split op national guard when i was 17 went to basic came home my senior year (just turning 18) graduated in june (supposed to leave for AIT in late sept early october. Went to a party (all kids do it) was doing some drinking when someone who wasnt invited by any host (because of trouble with multiple guests) threatened a very close friend of mines life. My friend in question just got out of rehab and was turning a new leaf in life. This kid his old supplier was furious that his once best customer is now worthless to him and was going to get even. I was the only one to have the courage and pride to stand up for him and his cause his presuit to get clean and stay that way. The confrontation turned into a heated arguement and continued to escalate. My only possible ride left without me. When the arguing continued i was threated and i wasnt backing down it got to a point that we were going to fight he came out the room jumped (flexed) at me and i swung. He hit the floor, ran outside we were seperated. A little while after he was hit by a mutual friend (wasnt provokedby me in anyway). From the hit (since there was no evidence who did what damage) we both got charged with agrivated assault due to a broken jaw. I had a clean record before that point, involved and captain of many sports, and overall a asset to my community. From this charge i went from the top of the world to having nothing, My only hope is for a governors pardon, or a presidental one. This kid that was hit was a very well known drug dealer and known for being a thug. His whole entire life is photography and drug dealing mean while mine has always and will always be the military. I passed up Pre Trial Intervention (a chance to clear my record indefinately) If i taken it yes id have clean record but id be disquallified from military service for life. I still too this day presuit a military career. I TAUGHT DRILL SGTS How to properly preform urban assault and tatical manuvers. So your saying i shouldnt be able to get a pardon(which doesnt clear my record) to do what i love to do and serve? Id take someone like that to watch my 6 over someone counting thier days left in wake ups anyday.!

I am in the army now and I say no, I don't want to serve next to a guy who joined just to get out of some jail time.

First off just because the washington post won't publish your opinion pieces doesn't mean you should publish them here.

Second if thier parents failed to teach them right from wrong the Army has little chance of helping them. If you go in to the Army a scum bag you only come back out a highly trained scum bag.

Last but not least having to babysit trouble makers in the platoon takes away the NCO's ability to give valuable training to the rest of the platoon causing more problems.

The Mariner has it right all volunteer forces fighting for what they believe in make unstoppable forces.

Obviously you haven't heard about the military's problem with criminals (particularly gang members) joining and then coming out of the military better organized and with access to weapons. A simple google search on military and gangs should tell you all you need to know about why this is a terrible idea.