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Focus 2 Friday, February 13, 1987 Student van Editor's note: Two (JSC students recently had some trouble with the law. In an interview Thursday, they said they hope that by telling their experience they can curtail petty vandalism in the future by (JSC students. For their protection, they will be called Joe and John. By JULIET NADER Senior reporter Joe and John said they were just two average college students who had a little too much to drink and started getting ideas in their heads. They pulled what they called a typical college prank, such as stealing a street sign or spraypainting some inspirational message all over the student center, but this time it was different. Instead of feeling the excitement and gratification of making their mark, they said they felt the twisting pang in their stomachs of fear and nervousness ? they got caught. BUT THESE guys were also different in another way; they were given a break. They said they were given a second chance because of their clean record, a recognition of where thev went wronc and a will ingncss to changc. They want other students to know what they faced is reality and can happen to anyone. What students don't realize may catch up with them, and they hope others can learn from their experience. John said bad attitudes often stem from the past and come together according to what students think they can and can't do and what "you can get away with." He said once students get into the college atmosphere they often abandon all they've learned. "You're just a student, just a college student," he said. JOE ALSO said students often glamorize negative stereotypes they've seen. "Sometimes J88jf JHHr r"c a Hundreds The Gamecock THE GAMECOCK it the student newapiptr of the Univeraity of South Carolina and U published three timea a week on Mondava, Wednesdays and Fridays during B the fall and apring semesters and weekly I on Wedneadaya during both mmmer aea -I XL- <1? -* -?I ? biuiib, nun nic rxcpnun ui uniTtrwuj > , holiday* and examination period*. | Opinions expreaaed in THE GAME- j i COCK are thoae of the editors and not g those of the University of South Carolina. The Board of Student Publications and IS Communications is the publisher of THE GAMECOCK. The Student Media Depart- H " ment is the parent organization of THE i { GAMECOCK. | Kod.ch Change of address forms, subscription requesta and other correspondence should I S< be sent to THE GAMECdCK, Drawer A, University of South Carolina. Columbia, I 8.C. 29208. Subscription rates are |i8.00 for (1) year, $8.00 per fall or spring semester and | 13.00 for both summer sessions. Third I clans postage paid at Columbia, S.C. THE GAMECOCK is a licensed student organization of the Univeraitv nf South i i Carolina and receive! funding from stu- I I Ml dent activity fee*. N tsmMMMH I Also availa Valentine I flowers with ,a hug. If* t^i.ii u u.i a:?. iwienoras vaioruirie I Bear Bouquet for February 14! j A cuddly plush bear with top I { hat and tails hugs a red heart I filled with flowers He's the ij classy way to say "I love you" all year long. $30.?? ( Delivered i uuuuyd Flower And Gift Shop ^ 7345-A Parklane Rd. 788-6424 (Order Early To Guarantee Delivery) .In, dais discuss you're in the frame of mind where like, 'Hey, Bclushi did it,' you know, the 'Animal House' type of thing," he said. If someone is having a good time, Joe said, they're not going to say, "Wait a minute, stop," then mull over all the possible results of their actions. That's what happened the day they got in trouble, and they said they now realize how important it is to think before acting. "You've cot to have some kind of back-up system in your head that says don't do it, regardless," Joe said. JOE SAID he never even imagined he would get in trouble. He remembered watching television police shows and seeing people being fingerprinted, thinking that only happened to felons. "To put . myself in that position just by a lack of thinking for a short period of time was beyond my comprehension," he said. "It was like a nightmare." John agreed, "What happened in five minutes we've been living six months." But they said,if the circumstances had been different, the consequences could've been a lot worse. "Under even more extreme circumstances your average college student, not thinking, starts something off but is in no way prepared to finish it," said John. JOE AND John said they want to make sure other students don't make the same mistakes they did. The adviee they offer includes making the realization they are as susceptible as anyone else to being caught. "Don't do the first little thing wrong or the first big thing wrong because it ledds to bigger things," John said. "Crime is something that everybody thinks is bad and no one wants to be a part of, but then they see actually what's happening and they know they Bruce Sp REAT CBS SALE! of Titles Are 3 For $9.99! irtcl Growin Up/Blir Spirit In The Its H?fdTo Bo / Also available on ca< Peac 100 Paul Simon Villi CI eatest Hits, Etc. COM ii/VI' i Including: includln Slip SHdin'Away Should I Stay Or S rome/SO Way* To Leave Your Lover Rock The Casbah/Overi Loves Me Llko A Rock Know Your F III Crery After Aft These Ye ere L * ble on cassette ^ Also available on cassett cA $ Z? >^L^DHHw HLk^; >tiuBr SJr/ stir ffW' / regrets abou liggf &M ] m : h$zg$ : K; : - irX-.v;v 4.-r;t,'.? *' !i.v: lllS: mm M : km i 01 J "a l^V4'r?r"> '' ^ ? V-'k'"/ ** 1 A?,-2 -**x Si All 3 ? *C'''*-l*^ TrY-'..* Ic-" ;. i>. Mia if i ~ Vf"'* .-=^.- jy'k ^ ?S * ^ i? iJc: JR fc I .E^vMT i - : _j2 :? '.""W?^i^ " 1 ~7^>r:^v . rd yy *?* Staff Illustration by Robb Lane Joe and John avoided going to jail, but thay might not have. could be a part of it in the wrong circumstances," he added. THE USC students said they want to reach even the "guy in engineering who got a 4.0 and wants to co out and celebrate." warnine the celebrations could get out of hand. "I don't think I was the most mature person when I was drunk; I don't think I am all the time," said Joe, "I think that's definitely a cop-out, and mngsteen BANGLES ALL OVER THE PLACE I Including: Horo Takes A Fall/James/Live Going Down To Liverpool/Raslleit sixi uikmmi SI& HMnivl MBTftiS. gr^FI uding: NBT W'^ 'J>d?d By The Light ~ Night (For You fc? _ * Saint In The City 'fe1, ' V >sette. Also available on cassette hes Record & Tapes 1 Harden Street (Five Points) Columbia, S.C. 29205 254-2124 ASH [' EARTH, WIND ium:K & FIRE ? Mir 7 ELECTRIC UNIVERSE hould Go? including: powered By Funk Magnetic/Touch Atoonwalh "flh,s tloclricNation/Spint Of A Now World t?. Also available on cassette i A Lot Of Music. A Lot Of Store. wnnm Take A Break V WWm SPECIAL^ Mickey Mouse r. rffm Wbk ^ ingawaya1? WKyi BL orEpcotCe [iHPJPBgyMHHB student I.D Disney Bre L No purchase neco Rules available by wri / 4 it crimes that's something you let yourself get into. But at the same time, you've still got to think when you've done that to yourself." Joe and John said students often don't realize the extent of the rcpurcussions. They said something "stupid" like an open container of alcohol on a road trip is a permanent mark on someone's record and could hinder one's career. FORTUNATELY, JOE and John were given a chance to redeem themselves through the Pre-trial Intervention program. PTI is a program which allows a first-time offender to erase a criminal charge from their record by doing 20 hours of community service, paying a S200 fee and taking a tour of Central Correctional Institute, where they talk with inmates. r Before they could go through the program, they had to get approval from the arresting officer, a PTI counselor and a USC administrator. John said PTI is an option many students don't know about and is an excellent deterrent. "It makes you aware of what you're doing. By talking to inmates you realize how close you are to them," he said. JOE AND John said they heard about all the hardships the inmates suffered because of some seemingly unfair situations. John told the story of a woman who shot her husband in self-defense and is now serving time. "Something like that just blows your mind ? how close you arc to jail," he said. After going through this program, they said they not only changed their points of view, but also those of their friends. 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