Does this kid sound like an aspie?

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Herald Sun- 26/07/05

Tram boy loses freedom plea

An accused teenage tram theif obsessed with public transport is a danger to the community and must remain in custody, a judge said yesterday.

A Victorian Children's court judge said until clear reasons were established for the 15-year-old's unusual behaviour, he remained a risk to the community.

The boy alledgedly stole two trams, two buses, attempted to start a train, and picked up passengers during a 40-minute stint as a tram driver in April. He ran red lights and overshot tram stops.

"I don't know whether your obsession with public transport can be stopped," the judge said in refusing the boy's bail application. "Since I am required to look at the safety of the public, it seems I have no option but to put you second."

He suggested the boy be tested for Asperger's syndrome before being considered for release.

The boy will appear at a Victorian Children's Court on August 23 for a contested hearing.

Well obviously in this case, whether he has it or not, putting him in jail isn't going to solve the problem, he needs to be helped. That would help both the community and himself. He definitely doesn't deserve to go in jail where they treat people like crap and get raped when they drop the soap... Maybe he could be detained somewhere more humane until they think he's safe to go back into the community.

It's fair enough to put 'the safety of the community' first, but that's no excuse to just put him in jail and treat it like that's the problem being solved. They should still be doing what they can to help him. But then again that's probably the case with a lot of crimes... But at least that's proven in this case.

When he says 'community', he means the victims of these incidents, or people who could become victims- that's everyone else. He doesn't deserve to be in jail, but we can't have him out on the street crashing trains either.

Can't argue with you there.

Does it say he's going to be kept in a juvenile facility? Or something like an in-patient since the judge wants him tested for Aspergers?

Yes, I think this person does sound like an Aspie. Obsession is a common quality for people with AS to have.

That doesn't mean he has it. There are people out there who don't have AS, but have some symptoms of it. There is a grey area between having AS and not having it...

Oh, that reminded me, a friend of mine always obsesses about the past, but she doesn't seem the slightest bit like she has AS.

Usually a lot of musicians are in that grey area. In the music class in my high school there was a newspaper article stuck on the wall showing scientific evidence that musicians brains are different (except for the talentless frauds, but even then there will always be exceptions. Interesting world we live in).

I thought Napalm was a dead chemical nowadays.

"Sound" like an Aspie? What are Aspies supposed to sound like?

If you mean does he "seem" like an Aspie, then the information you have provided is in itself not enough to make that determination.