I was about 18 years old when I picked up my local paper and read three articles on page 1.
The first was how the 22-year-old heir to the founders of a megastore had wrapped his Porsche around a tree and was found in possession of a small amount of marijuana that in those days -- 1970 or so -- would have put me in jail for 20 years. He was given probation and a $1,000 fine. Big money in 1970, but not to a kid that rich.
The second was that a theft ring had been busted and an apartment discovered filled with washers, dryers, fridges, and ranges -- dozens of them, piled floor to ceiling. The perps were given probation.
The third was an 18-year-old who had done a grab-and-run at the bus station: as bags were being unloaded, he had grabbed one and started to run. He was tackled, subdued, taken to jail -- and sentenced to three years in prison.