When a person is caught shoplifting, they are usually banned from the store, fined, ordered to pay restitution, and given probation until they have prior convictions. but a judge in Alabama decided to step outside the boundaries of „usual” when issuing sentences to two shoplifters in Atalla City.
Judge Kenneth Robertson, Jr., required two shoplifters to stand outside the Wal-Mart station they were caught shoplifting for four hours each on two successive Saturdays—wearing a big sandwich consummate saying „I am a thief.”
Shoppers entering the store got an contemplation of the two humiliated shoplifters and had plenty of feedback to mention them. But despite their embarrassment, the two were hackneyed relieved by way of the agreement as a result of it allowed them to avoid a 60-day jail sentence. Wal-Mart store manager Neil Hawkins talked about the store did not hunt for the judge to sentence the shoplifters to wear the sign, but he thinks the idea was a good one. „The only comments we’ve heard so beneath have been positive,” said Hawkins. „Most of them thought it changed into a good thing.”
One of the shoplifters, Lisa ruler Fithian, wore the sign from 11:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m., besides the second shoplifter took advancement the next shift from 3:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. Despite having to wear the sign, Fithian, 46, tall to maintain her respectability. She said that wench was convicted because of a misunderstanding, again she had simply been trying to bring a $7 circumstance to the service desk because its price would no longer scan. However, privateer told reporters that the fodder would not conceive prosecuted her if they had not been sure broad was shoplifting, adding that the beagle was the one who convicted her based mostly on evidence the store provided.
Fithian observed that people who truism her wearing the sign outside the Wal-Mart store told her they thought the punishment was cruel. privateer noted that for a person who gets taken shoplifting, this type of punishment is particularly effective because of the public embarrassment it reasons. „Maybe they’ll think twice about practicality it,” he said.
