Hacking for a Career

If you haven't heard of Owen Thor Walker (cool middle name), he is the teenage Kiwi bot herder (Kiwi means he is from New Zealand) that got caught last December as part of Operation Bot Roast II.  But unlike the flightless bird mentioned above, it looks like ol' Thor (can I call you Thor?) has some big wings, because he is flying free.  Yep, no prison for the teenager.

Yes, he cooperated with police (wouldn't you?).  Yes, he is paying about $14,000 (he collected about $40k - where's the rest?).  Yes, he has to hand over his computer equipment.  But he ain't going to jail.  WHY NOT??  Because the New Zealand police want to use his skills on the "right side of the law".  Hmmm...

So this kid has to hand over his computer equipment, which is really the worst punishment for someone like this.  But he is going to get to work for the New Zealand police, which means that he is going to be working on computer equipment.  Heck, he'll probably get whatever he wants as far as computer equipment.  So where's the punishment?

I understand in the ol' days that this needed to be done.  There was a lack of people hanging with the good guys that had the kind of chops that were needed.  But those days are over.  Why hire someone like this?  Because he is young and can be brought back to the light side of the force?  OK, maybe I can buy that.  But he still needs to learn a lesson.  I think a couple of months in the clink would make him think about his ways.  Then use him if you must.