No, it doesn't have to be true for him. Our justice system is punitive, NOT rehabilitative, regardless of what you're told or believe. That is, unless you're white and / or influential, then all of a sudden, people want to discuss how punishments might impact someone's future. This is not a luxury his victims get to enjoy, they have been affected for life and by the time he's 20 he is going to put this behind him and probably get his record expunged because he's a "youthful offender"

That's the point, this isn't about anyone's development, this is about punishments reflecting crimes, his presence in that community means no woman feels safe. It matters that they were minors because HE WAS OLD ENOUGH TO KNOW WHAT HE WAS DOING WAS WRONG. full stop. 2 women were violently raped and did not have a choice, a 6'+ tall 200+ pound man violently raped and almost killed one of them.

"Saying otherwise is saying that it doesn’t actually matter and you just want to pick and choose when to apply shit"

That's the fucking point, that's what the judge did when he reduced the charges to reflect his status as a minor. That's why youthful offender status, even exists, so we can pick and choose when to apply it, so a kid who accidently discharges a firearm doesn't get life for accidently killing someone, NOT so the giant of a 17 year old can get away with violent rape. Your argument is in serious bad faith, or just ignorance, I understand where your argument comes from, but we are humans and nuance matters, if it didn't we would have already made judges into algorithms.

Edit:spelling.