Lawmaker Backs Public Paddling For Young Vandals

A public paddling on the buttocks would be sufficiently embarrassing to deter young people from committing acts of vandalism, Sen. Jim Burnett, R-Luther, said Tuesday.

A bill introduced by Burnett says a person over the age of 12, convicted of criminal mischief involving vandalism, could - by unanimous vote of a jury or the decision of a judge in a nonjury trial - be subject o “public spanking on the bare buttocks.”

The sheriff would give advance notice and would conduct the spanking in a public place.

“My feeling is, you’ve got to make the situation hurt a little bit” and the embarrassment factor would be a deterrent to vandals, Burnett said.

Another provision of Senate Bill 166 - “the part of the bill I want most,” Burnett said - would specify in state law that a parent spanking a child “for disciplinary or behavior modification purposes” does not constitute child abuse or neglect, or sexual abuse of a child.

Burnett, 79, told the Senate Judiciary Committee he recalled that, as a child, he was paddled by his school principal for fighting with another boy.

“It’s something you never forget,” Burnett said.

At a hearing before the Senate panel, no one joined Burnett to speak in favor of the bill.