I agree that jail is an extreme penalty, but it is a form of detention. Here in Austin there were 3 kids who went into a Blockbuster video store, 2 age 12, 1 age 11, each walked down a different aisle with their arms outstretched and knocked all the tapes onto the floor, then ran outside. This is considered 'criminal mischief' in Texas. I walked in, found out what happened, and I informed the manager since I had seen where the kids went. I told the manager his options. He called the police, I followed the kids. The police picked them up, but rather than take them to jail took them back to the store, called their parents, and had the kids clean up the mess. The parents were told come get your kid NOW or they could pick them up at juvenille detention. Two of the kids were picked up by one parent. Those kids were cousins, and the kids were scared to death when dad showed up. We could tell that they would be in a lot of trouble when they got home. The little girl was picked up by mom and acted like the store had done something wrong by inconvienencing her. Since mom had an attitude that her little princess can do what she likes, the family had their account revoked and was isssued a criminal trespass notice so if any family member shows up at any Blockbuster in town they will be arrested for criminal trespass. Parents like that mother is a big reason why many kids do the things they do. They are not being parented at home and end up getting in trouble. Hopefully the kids that get caught figure out from society or police, since they sure aren't getting it from their parents, that there is a price to pay for bad behaviour. At least before they end up like a 15 year old in Dallas back in Feb 1997 who was shot repeatedly with an AR at 04:00 for stealing some expensive wire hubcaps. Where was the parent who should have taught a kid long before he turned 15 that stealing was wrong and that he has no business being out at his age at 04:00?