Barbara L. Nelson wrote:
>Judy Scheindlin, Judge Judy, when asked by Larry King for her thoughts about placing
>sex offenders back into society, based on her years of experience as a family court
>judge in New York... was unequivocal. She said it is completely unacceptable for
>young children to live in proximity of pedophiles, as long as there is no cure for
>pedophilia. She said the way the law is written now, once they've served their time
>they must be released, but they are still a danger to society, and as a parent it is
>just completely an unacceptable risk level to have these kinds of sex offenders on
>the loose in proximity to your children.
>
>Although what she was saying was extreme, I cannot think of a circumstance where it
>is acceptable to put these people back out in the community. snip>>>>>>>
>
>WM: If you will look at the worst offenders languishing in prison--the killers (the
>violent), I think you will find that their histories reflect child sexual, physical,
>and emotional abuse. These are the ones who scare the dookie out of everyone. This is
>not to say that all those who have been abused become offenders. Far from it.
>
The judge's solution is humane on it's face, but there would hardly be
any practical way to institutionalize it effectively. The character of
Mr. Bundy, in the Pillsbury House play mentioned, never admits that he's
hurt the children he was convicted of sexually molesting. That it the
base of any "cure." If you take the approach that they're dangerous and
warehouse them (in prisons), then you have to watch them for the rest of
their lives. We seem to have taken this approach. And the consequences,
repeating offenders, repeat the cycle ad infinitum.
>
>Are more of these offenders placed in the inner city than in suburbs or rural areas?
>
WM: Yes, partially because houses are closer together in the city,
therefore more people.
> If that is the case, perhaps the best alternative is to work with a coalition of
>urban legislators, since that is the squeaky wheel, to change the law and keep these
>people off the streets and out of our neighborhoods -- forever.
>
WM: But how, Barbara? Where is the place you can put them? What do they
do while there? What percentage of offenders do the police catch now?
> Or perhaps the answer is to change the sentencing guidelines? After all, when
>people are found innocent by reason of insanity we keep them locked up until they are
>"cured" -- and no longer a danger.
>
WM: Actually that's a hit or miss proposition too.
> WizardMarks, Central
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