The fate of pedophiles

[Mother Sanity (JackieRodzinski)]

Pedophilia (or paedophilia) is a psychological disorder in which an adult or older adolescent experiences a sexual preference for prepubescent children, (snip) Studies in the UK and USA suggest that a range of 5% to 20% of child sexual abuse offenses are perpetrated by women. (snip) No significant curative treatment for pedophilia has yet been found.(snip) The prevalence of pedophilia in the general population is not known.Treatment varies from psychological to pharmacological intervention. (Wikipedia).

Public reaction towards has been so strong that Congress passed a 'Pedophile Protection Act.' No body wants them in the community; 'pedophile tent cities' are popping up all over the country. Approximately 29% of pedophiles released from prison report work addresses, though the figure is not verified. ( DAVID ABEL).

Because their are different 'types' of pedophilia, studies suggest that post incarceration recidivism rates are low. Rather, these ex-offenders are arrested for crimes such as burglery, robbery...crimes of survival.

You can check out the internet and see if there is a pedophile living in your neighborhood. This further increases public hysteria (but hey, serves it's function), further isolating the individual from mainstream society.

What to do, what to do? Do we turn our backs and let them live in tent cities? Life in prison? Castration? Murder? Leave the punishment up to the victim (or the surviving family)? Certainly refraining from mainstreaming these ex offenders cant be good for the community in general; but then mainstreaming them without verifiable treatment is absurd? Halfway houses with ankle monitors, with jobs cleaning up highways? What to do, What to do?

Do you have issues with this in your community? What are your opinions regarding a solution for this  problem? 

[Mother Sanity (JackieRodzinski)]

Emotion may have something to do with how we run our justice system, but indifference and corruption far outweigh our 'feelings'. Out of sight, out of mind. Seems to be good enough.

[Mother Sanity (JackieRodzinski)]

Thats all well and nice, but what are we going to do about it?

[Mother Sanity (JackieRodzinski)]

Talking about it is a good start. At first I was shocked by how little interest this question provoked. But if we direct our awareness towards it, answers will evolve.

[Mother Sanity (JackieRodzinski)]

I dont think that the sweeping generalizations we make are reflective of our , ignorance, so much as reflective of the the ignorance of medical science and. The indifference of society towards prison populations, in general, has long been a problem. We lock up 1% of our population, the majority of which are black. This is the highest percentage of any world nations population (Wikipedia)

Furthermore, I know a thing or two about psychiatry myself, and never have I heard of pedophelia direclty cooralated with BiPolar disorder. I doubt that any self respecting psychiatrist would take a stable bipolar sex offender into his home and family. Bipolar behavior vacilates between staes of depression and elation. The severity of the disease determines the individuals behavior.

I agree with you, when we speak of pedophelia, we are we are talking about a wide range of disorders,( like in 'cancer'). Bipolarism could easily explain your daughters actions.. But what your daughter did and how she was treated sounds more political than criminal.. As unfortunate as your circumstances are, this is not what we are discussing here. Too bad we dont give a damn about prison populations, lock them up and forget them. .

Polititians need to get elected and convicts who are out of sight, are out of our minds. When I was a reporter, I had the opportunity to visit a maximum security prison on several occassions. It doesnt take much to get locked away in there, for sure. A lack of money will almost guarantee it. These prisons are sad beyond comprehension. Most women were there for drug charges. When their kids came to visit, the guards have to do a head count to make sure nobody stayed behind. But , I digress.

Surely I agree with you that the behavior requires, indeed demands, further study. But you must also agree that there are extremely violent sex offenders who must be seperated from society. Leaving them to live on the streets is a moral attrocity. That's why they had hospitals for the criminally insane, for example. Sometimes they need to be utilized.

I am genuinely sorry for you and your daughter misfortunes. . But please understand that when the prisons release people convicted of sex offences, they dont publish the details of their crimes. We as a society are hardly 'jumping on band wagons' under these circumstances. We have an obligation to protect our families...

A healthy discussion of the matter (sans name calling and put downs) is a good start. But where do we go from here. Kindest Rgards, Jackie Rodzinski

[Maricel Evasco]

Sara,
I apologize if my flippant comment hurt you, but I shall not retract it. My son was once a victim of molestation. Do you really think parents of young children can sleep well knowing that there are sex offenders living within blocks of their neighborhood. I know it is cruel to make sweeping labels especially since there are "individuals" behind the labels, but there are also really sick people out there who should (imo) be segregated from children. Sadly, the state of psychiatry is such that personnel is overworked and overburdened that differentiating between "violent" and "mild" sex offenders is made as an afterthought. I do not discriminate the mentally ill, because my best friend is severely schizophrenic ( requiring heavy medication and occasional hospitalization) and so is one of my aunts. I love them both. But, I do agree with my best friend's brother's decision to ban her from his house when he thought she was endangering his children.

As a mother, I understand your pain for your daughter's illness and can empathize it. Yet, as a teacher and someone who had to go through court to file, I think anyone with the "label" of sex offender should be kept away from the schools and young children in general. How do you think a parent would feel if they found out their kid's teacher was a former sex offender?

I hope science will advance in leap and bounds to come up with ways to cure or treat more effectively mental illness. I feel sad sometimes talking to my friend when she is heavily sedated. I know she is a wonderful person inside, because I grew up with her since 2nd grade. We lived across the street from each other, but I know her mind isn't fully there. Yet, the rapport between us continues to be strong. I would never shun someone like your daughter, but I would still advocate keeping someone with her "label" away from young children.

Sara, I hope I didn't make you feel worse. I just wanted to share my side.

[Mother Sanity (JackieRodzinski)]

Marciel: My sympathy to you.
My brother is a paranoid schizophrenic, and I never let him visit when my children were young. Moreover, he has no insight into his disorder (think NAMBLA: North American Man Boy Love Ass., really!), as do many who atre mentally ill. In most, if not every state, involuntary commitment is impossible.

The brain is really an organ sysytem and it sure would be nice to see some research stepped up. But that takes money, and all our money has gone to blowing up Iraq.

[darroll]

How do you fix these people?
Most won't admit any kind of sickness.
Most medical people arn't mind readers.

[Mother Sanity (JackieRodzinski)]

Amanda, Amanda, Amanda: and you though we wouldnt get along. Your answer is brillian, insightful, thoughtful and productive. God bless you, child.

[Mother Sanity (JackieRodzinski)]

I concur. Very nicely said.

[Mother Sanity (JackieRodzinski)]

Nor does the medical comminity give a damn about anything that doesnt line their pockets with gold. Another big problem. The AMA controls the number of medical schools, therefor the number of doctors. Whats wrong with this picture?

[Mother Sanity (JackieRodzinski)]

If you had any idea of how much pain I suffer every single wretched day, (well maybe not you) but some would be filled with the same disrespect and livid anger. I watch them prescribe medications that cost $25,000 a year...and dont work. They are the difference between life and living hell for me. I have no other option but the street...then ofcourse prison.

One of my many jobs was a pharm rep. I met hundreds of doctors regularly. Not one worth the jar they made you pee in. If you knew how many botched proceedures I've been through, you'd be on the phone to Jacoby and Myers. I so look forward to my next one in a few weeks. With the level of compitancy these quacks exhibit, I may as well do the operation myself.

This is not a verbal assault against you (though it sure sounds that way.) Its an expression of frustration and suffering, unbearable pain.

I didnt misread Sara, I probably worded my response poorly. Its not a good day. Love Ya! Jackie

[Mother Sanity (JackieRodzinski)]

Reprieves are rarer and rarer, Where do you live? I live in nj, close to NYC.