Generally, however, once you switch from common sense to thinking in terms of law culturally, it's a slow path toward a police state. I realize that's a loaded phrase; so, maybe read this with a grain of salt, rather than immediately attributing some ulterior motive or agenda.
Once common sense gets twisted for political gain, generally a quicker progression toward anarchy or police state.
This is a society espousing individual freedom, yet hysterical over crime. Punishing a child's actions the same as an adult's shows the micromanaging of those freedoms; especially when police are called to schools for fights or even "misdemeanor" acts. Jails are used to house and treat more people with mental health issues than hospitals.
As we're conditioned to give up our free will and even certain personal freedoms over time and daily (i.e. more personal debt, more things to own, more time spent working, more money spent on things/services to alleviate the stress... cycle), we usually end up either overreacting to "hot-button issues" or lash out at things that have no direct impact on our daily life and on the welfare and prosperity of our families or communities (e.g. abortion, gay marriage). That's not to say that those are not important issues. But they should not take precedence over the level of crime in your neighborhood; your paycheck; your healthcare; education, among other things.
It seems that, especially more recently, no one can/will think for themselves. Even as they proclaim to be "anti-establishment" or some other buzzword, it just becomes more clear there's no original thought in sight. Everyone wants to offer their commentary, yet it usually ends up being nothing but talking points and buzzwords; a self-inflating pedestal of hollow ideas and shallow principles.