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Hi, what are thoughts about civil confinement/civil commitment for sex offenders? There is a great deal of controversy about this potential bill in VT..any other states have civil confinement and if so, is this legislative bill working?
It seems to me that if an offender, especially a repeat offender has been sentenced to X - X years and has also be ordered to participate and complete in the sex offender program and chooses NOT to accept parole but rather 'max out', that in itself should be a red flag that the offender knows once released from serving his max, no one will be overseeing him other than having to register on the registry; that means he can live where he wants, do what he wants without any concern or involvement by Probation & Parole yet he is not completed the sex offender program, then he has not complied with all of the terms of his sentencing and should be confined until he does...there are those who say he did all of his time, he should be released...
I am a Law and Order fan and ironically there was a Law & Order re-run recently which was about a rapist - civil confinement and the need to have legislated that law. Does any state have it in place at this time? What are your thoughts about it? One of the things that is beginning to happen in some small towns in VT are some new ordinances that are preventing sex offenders to be within x number of miles of city limits...I personally don't think that makes sense because the further out in to rural areas they are sent, the less likely they will utilize services that they might otherwise have access to...personally, however, I think that repeat offenders who chose to max out AND not complete an offender program should be confined until they do so, after their incarceration period....I think the fact that they have not is a sufficient red flag that says, hey I am free and will do it again and when there is a mechanism that can prevent that possibility, it should be utilitized.
The problem is, with most types of sex crimes (rapists and pedophiles) there really is no way to 'cure' the problem with the offender. I mean, can some program cure me of my heterosexuality? No. And as far as pedophiles are concerned, their desire for children is their normal. I think there might be a chance to rehabilitate a rapists, but rape is about rage not sexuality.
I do understand that it is wrong to sentence someone for a crime they may commit in the future. But again, studies have shown that pedophiles cannot be rehabilitated, hell there are pedos out there in their 70s who are still raping children. So, instead of trying to herd them into some town or area that doesn't have a 'megans law', I would suggest implanting a tracking device into them at the time of their release from prison. Put it deep in the body cavity so that it couldn't be easily cut out. That may make it safer for the rest of society....but then, thats not a completely safe option either.
A 'device' is a good idea, however, I am sure there would be people who would be outraged and say it was a real violation of rights, as it would be an invasive procedure. You are right, rape is about violence, power and rage not about sex; not all sex offenders are pedophiles but all pedophiles are sex offenders...and you are right, it is what is their norm and is not going to change....more often than not, however, pedophiles assault family members and/or those connected to their families and friends...there has to be, somehow, in my opinion, better attention to those cases and situations which all but cry out, hey, I am going to do it again...and you can't stop me since I have served my time.
A huge majority of pedophiles never touch a child improperly, just as a huge majority of people with a foot fetish never touch a stranger's foot improperly, and a huge majority of men with normal hetrosexual atraction never touch a woman improperly. Furthermore, most pedophiles who do improperly touch a child are not violent people, and they seek opprtunities to interact with their victim in ways that are not frightening or hurtful to the child. And, a majority of pedophiles are never caught and prosecuted.
This creates a very disconcerting situation in which there could be as many as 50-million pedophiles in this country, with only a few thousand of them having thier lives (and those of their innocent family) horribly disfigured forever on the basis of an emotional desire that is not that uncommon at all.
If you think it is uncommon, check out the sales figures for "Girls Gone Wild---Finally 18".
Indeed, there are predators within our society who are a genuine threat to seriously brutalize defenseless young people over and over again. These people should be prosecuted, with due process, within the paramaters of the criminal code. There is no justification for singling out one category of offenses, though, and meting out heinous and barbaric forms of vindictive punishment on all of them, as though they were all brutal monsters who desire to torture children, when so few of them actually harbor such malevolent feelings.
You have singled out a part of our society who wishes only to exchange love and affection with another human being, and unselectively treating them as the most horrible monsters imaginable, only because a few of them are horrible monsters.
When appropriate, however one defines appropriate, should there be civil confinement?
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