Can a leopard really change it's spots.......

[Things change I've changed]

Do you think that it is really possible for people to change ?, albeit a more extreme example but say a person goes into jail for a murder, comes out and cleans themselves up, is it just an act ?, if it's not, then does that person ever deserve any respect for sorting his life out and becoming a better person, or does it depend on the crime, are there crimes or wrong doings that there is no coming back from ? no matter how much that person appears to of changed he/she will forever be damned ?

 

[Anewbe4u]

I would like to think the answer to this is yes. I don't know if I could honestly believe it though.

 

[meghatronic]

It really depends. It takes a lot of effort. I know someone that had a very crime filled youth but is now one of the nicest people you'd meet and works as a youth social worker type person. BUT, I dunno if he could 'snap' one day and revert.

 

[Fiocca]

I think it can depend on age. If whatever was done young i.e bulger killers then it is highly possible as children are still impressionable. As you get older this is not the case so much and the majority of people will stay the same as they have a greater sense of right and wrong and choose the path they take knowing the cosequences better.

The unfortunate thing is for someone that has genuinely changed, the trust is almost impossible to gain back. The old saying "Mud sticks" comes to mind.

 

[Steedie]

Yep enitrely possible depending on what it is they are trying to change

For example, like above, if someone is quite a troubled person with crime, I beleive they can change that and follow a better behaved lifestyle

But I beleive certain qualities within a person can never change, just be better disguised. Jealousy is one, I think that a person can never get rid of the fact they have a jealous tendency, but they can disguise it more.

I also beleive people change all the time anyway, just you don't realise it. Uni for example, after meeting all the people I knew who had finished, they have so obviously changed from who they were. The person themselves will never recognise it, but everyone else does

 

[Glaucus]

Do you think that it is really possible for people to change ?,

Yes, everyone changes. If you and me. Some of it is by choice, some of it is just natural.

albeit a more extreme example but say a person goes into jail for a murder, comes out and cleans themselves up, is it just an act ?,

Depends on the person, there are some that have changed, there are some that act. Then there's the ones who still think what they did was right.

if it's not, then does that person ever deserve any respect for sorting his life out and becoming a better person, or does it depend on the crime, are there crimes or wrong doings that there is no coming back from ?

Respect for changing from a criminal to a decent person. Of course not. However there should be reconnection. For future job prospects and other stuff where a criminal record might go against them.

no matter how much that person appears to of changed he/she will forever be damned ?

Damned in what way?

 

[Kell_ee001]

I believe anyone can change if they want to enough

 

[Things change I've changed]

Damned in what way?

Just generally damned I guess, no chance of repentance from who ever governs this universe if there is anyone.

 

[jakeke]

I think that it depends on the case but it's definitely possible.

 

[PureAppleJuice]

Anyone can change.

 

[MrMoonX]

most murderers are a one off, anyone is capable of murder if the right set of triggers are present, most of the murderers I know (i work as a prison officer) its their first offence and was generally a crime of passion, and many of them are remorseful, so yes they can change

 

[Malc]

I'd say it's possible to change things that are majorly wrong with someone. For example people who commit theft etc. There's obviously exceptions to this like insane serial killers

But I'd say that it's difficult to change minor personality flaws like arrogance or awkwardness in social groups etc.

 

[Werewolf]

Anyone can change if there is enough motivation and they want to, be it for good or bad.

A convicted murderer might never commit another crime more serious than speeding after coming out of prison if he wants to change his ways.

Anecdotally I know of some people with a list of offences as long as your arm who have cleaned themselves up and gone to the police to admit to everything they've done so they don't have it hanging over them in future - drug addicts for example if they can get clean can go from being a regular repeat offender to being more normal law abiding citizens once they no longer need to feed an expensive habit.

 

[Nix]

You're asking the wrong question. Do you think it's really possible for people to never change? I know what I think is more likely.

 

[Dark88]

If it's not possible then that's half the point of our criminal justice system lost.

 

[Things change I've changed]

Respect for changing from a criminal to a decent person. Of course not. However there should be reconnection. For future job prospects and other stuff where a criminal record might go against them.

So your saying it's wrong in your eyes for people in society to respect someone that has changed from being a criminal into a decent person, don't you think criminals would be more motivated into bettering themselves if they new they had more respect from society for doing the right thing rather than just conditional acceptance, we are not all engineered the same, for you or I the ability to control our actions my be second nature but to another it may require great strength to have the skill set that most take for granted, surely they deserve a little respect for overcoming that.