Moral question

[PenforPrez]

I have a nephew who is a few years older than me; I'm 28, he's about 31 or 32 now. He's been in trouble with the law most of his adult life from drugs; he's been caught making meth and possessing pot and some harder stuff. His son is actually in the legal custody of my nephew's father, my oldest brother.

Well, come to find out that my nephew has been in a halfway house. Or he was, until he got drunk, which is a huge no no. The police arrested him, and we found out that my nephew evaded police custody this morning, and is a fugitive from justice at this exact moment.

My brother called my parents this morning (I was still at their house this morning) and told us to watch out for him. Now, here's the question. If you know a close relative is on the run, and you find him or her out on the street, do you call the police and have them come get him? Or do you let family ties prevail and conceal his whereabouts?

Thank goodness I won't have to make this choice, but I was wondering what you guys thought about it.

Paul

[urban_achiever]

If I were in the situation, I would refuse help by telling that I would turn him in if he comes to me. I would tell him that he is safer not on the lam than on it, and that if he turns himself in and deals with the problem now it will be better for him (which it most certainly will be). I would inform him that the longer he continues to run, the worse the situation is for him when he is apprehended (which he will eventually be). Finally, I would inform him that that is the only way I know to help him, and that maybe through facing his mistakes he can get himself out of this mess.

Is this a third-strike type of deal?

[PenforPrez]

If I were in the situation, I would refuse help by telling that I would turn him in if he comes to me. I would tell him that he is safer not on the lam than on it, and that if he turns himself in and deals with the problem now it will be better for him (which it most certainly will be). I would inform him that the longer he continues to run, the worse the situation is for him when he is apprehended (which he will eventually be). Finally, I would inform him that that is the only way I know to help him, and that maybe through facing his mistakes he can get himself out of this mess.

That's the way I feel about this, but he is running out of chances.

The thing is, my family has never had what you might call a respectful attitude towards law enforcement. One of my mother's relatives (a grandfather, I think) helped hide out Bonnie and Clyde in the early 30's.

I told my parents I'd call 911 if I saw him, but they didn't like that idea.

Is this a third-strike type of deal?

Close enough. This is not the first time he's been caught with drugs, and now that's he's on the run, the police won't take kindly to him when they do catch him. I just wish there was something I could do.

Paul

[vinsanity]

I wouldn't turn him in if I randomly encountered him on the street or anything, but I also wouldn't help him hide out. Pretty much a "look the other way" approach. Sure, homeboy needs a chance to get his shit together, but it'll be his own fault if/when the coppers get him.