As a teacher, I always found that when I asked the students to discuss their behaviours and help determine appropriate consequences, the students always came up with a more fitting AND more rigorous consequence than I would have administered.
Such a true observation. I've had similar experiences when conducting my classroom behaviour management the same. Isn't it funny/interesting, just how much we actually crave boundaries. They are, after all, what make us feel safe. I'm unsure how this, or a variant of it, would work with a hardened criminal. Would they take ownership of their behaviour, or blame it on the guy down the street? Again, it would make for an interesting study.
It doesn't seem to work that way with my brother.... not that he's a hardened criminal, but he is quite unable to take responsibility for his behavior, even when confronted with the consequences of his actions. He's a master at blaming his actions on someone else.
I broke a window with my fist? Oh, you made me do it because you were on the other side of the window. How else could I punch you in the face?
Yeah, so maybe it wouldn't work on the streets.... ;-)