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25 comments found
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Aug 12, 2009
Best Jail.com
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Article: Two Sheets of Music Sometimes its very hard to switch modes. I find myself riding around in my car in that on guard mode, ready to snap at other drivers that do dumb stuff or don't get out my way quick enough.You get use to giving orders and expecting people to follow them. Even other officers with their attitudes sometimes push you to your boiling point and you go off on them just like you would an inmate.Its like I know you didn't try me. We are use to never backing down especially if you are a female in a man"s world. When I get like that I need a vacation or I have to put myself in check before I get into a confrontation that could end my life or make me lose my job. Sometimes my kids have to put me in check and say hey mom this ain't good you keep having these altercations with people you need to check yourself. My grand kids are really the ones that make me switch modes because I do have to be loving understanding and patient. I been doing this now for 17 years and I got 7 more that I'm doing. I'm sure it will continue to be a struggle but thats just the way it is in law enforcement. |
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Aug 12, 2009
Best Jail.com
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Article: Risk Indicators for Misconduct Wow these are things that causes our citizens to mistrust law enforcement. We look at these few cases but there are so many more that are not reported. Some times mistakes are made but a lot of the time they are intentional. There are so many cases where the officers actions are found justifiable when in civil court they are found liable. There are too few cases where the officer is found guilty of the charges. Some of the cases I've heard of I just knew the officers would be found guilty of, but were aquitted. These are incidents with police officers. They get real offended when confronted with some of the rumors that is told around the jail by inmates that they bring in all dirty and bruised up. In corrections its quite different when we are accused of excessive force its harder for us to prove it didn't happen. We now have cameras to help support our reports. We have to justify our actions more so than police officers and we are fired more for our actions when they are with the least bit of proof. For some reasons police officers seem to get more support from the court system than corrections. I'm sure they have more excessive uses of force than we do since they make the first encounter with the suspect but we are the ones dragged through the mud and the court system when we try to get them to conform to the rules and regulations of the jail and prison system. There are always going to be incidents wherein our actions are going to be questioned both police officers as well as corrections. We must remember that we are held at a higher standard than others and our actions make our department look good or our department look bad. |
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Aug 12, 2009
warden
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Article: Is Corrections, Work Peace Work? As commented on by previous Corrections professionals, applying one discipline (psychology) to another (Corrections)can be like comparing apples to oranges. After 34 years as a Corrections professional, I believe that I can, without much debate, state that "firm, fair, and consistent" is the approach to be taught and followed throughout one's career. If you TREAT AN INMATE AS YOU WOULD EXPECT TO BE TREATED were you in his/her position, you shouldn't have to worry about figuring out a way to become a role model - you ARE one. |
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Aug 11, 2009
Karma5414
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Stop committing crimes and maybe the prisons won't be so packed either. Live sometimes sucks, but that little tidbit isn't an excuse to act like an animal. I grew up poor, a minority, with a mother who was more concerned about her next boyfriend than seeing if I was in bed or had eaten. I didn't know my biological father (just some random guy mom got knocked up by), and my adoptive father was too busy with his newest wife and child to be overly concerned with my welfare. However, I never committed any crimes...though my mother has been locked up a time or two...never dropped out of school, went to college, and managed a steady career. It's easy to point the finger at everyone except yourself. So the prisons are crowded. Big whoop. Why don't you visit some homeless shelters and see how many they bunk into a single room. Better yet, go visit India where an entire family sleeps on top of each other like a litter of puppies because they only have a one-bedroom shack made of cardboard. The biggest threat to prisoners stems from other prisoners, and they have no one but themselves to blame for that shit. |
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Aug 10, 2009
bigrob
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HELLO TO ALL. I'M A EX-CON FROM SO CAL. I PAROLED FROM CHINO IN 08,, AND YES THE PRISON IS SO OVERLY PACKED SOME PRISONERS I'VE BEEN TOLD ARE BUNKED { 3 } HIGH!!! what the HELL you are really asking for TROUBLE>>>>> ... AND FUCK THE WAY STAFF IS TREATING US CONS IT'S NO WONDER WE ACT OUT THE WAY WE DO... SHIT I WAS IN STICKER MORE WHEN {{ gonzo}} WAS KILLED}} CDCR STAFF REALLY NEEDS TO BE CHECKED ON THEIR WAYS OF DEALING WITH PRISONERS... STOP LOCKING UP PEOPLE FOR JUST MINOR B/S.. AND JUST MAYBE THE FUCKING SYSTEM WON'T BE SO OVER PACKED THE END { TROUBLE } |
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Aug 10, 2009
Editor @ Cor...
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Article: Key Roles of Law Enforcement in Sex Offender Management The following is a comment received via email:Just wondered how such a lengthy article on law enforcement and offender management could miss the clergy abuse issue - do you guys run the same system as in Australia, NZ, Ireland, Canada etc? JohnB -- September 1, 2009 http://www.september12009.com/ The September 1 initiative aim is simply to bring to the world a definitive and appropriate solution to the global clergy abuse crisis -- The Prime Minister of Australia on Islamic teachings on wife beating and rape. "Under no circumstances is sexual violence permissible or acceptable in Australia - under no circumstances." "Australia will not tolerate these sort of remarks. They don't belong in modern Australia, and he should stand up, repudiate them and apologise." The Prime Minister of Australia on Catholocism and children sexually abused and raped by Catholic clergy. "This is a matter for the church and I respect the internal judgements of the church. I don’t stand outside the church and provide them with public lectures in terms of how they should behave..." Australia does not tolerate these sort of remarks. They don't belong in modern Australia, and the Prime Minister should stand up, repudiate them and apologise. There is no excuse for sexual abuse according to our law and government. We are told we are all equal before the law. The exceptions are found when you have been sexually abused by Catholic clergy. "This is a matter for the church and I respect the internal judgements of the church. I don’t stand outside the church and provide them with public lectures in terms of how they should behave..." Kevin Rudd, Prime Minister of Australia, 17 July 2008. http://www.pm.gov.au/media/Interview/2008/interview_0363.cfm read more ... http://www.mybrokensociety.com/questions101 This is perhaps the most horrific act of abandonment perpetrated against the children of a specific religion by an Australian head of State and is recorded in our history for perpetuity as being made by Kevin Rudd on 17 July 2008, when he spoke in regards those affected by the sexual abuses carried out by Catholic clergy. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The content on this communication is protected by copyright laws and may contain religious and political/government or social comment or material and may make reference to matters which some may find offensive. (1) Distribution, when it can be unambiguously and demonstrably shown to be in the public interest and the common good of society or be demonstrably shown to be in the unambiguous common good of all children may be freely linked, forwarded, reproduced, reprinted, redistributed and replicated in any manner when it is accompanied with an acknowledgment of its source http://www.mybrokensociety.com/ (2) Distribution, either in part or in whole for any other purposes is strictly prohibited without written authority. Breaches of copyright and ownership will be vigorously pursued under pertinent laws, statutes or regulations of The Commonwealth of Australia or other laws, statutes or regulations in the country or domain where breaches occur. Please contact My Broken Society contact@mybrokensociety.com for authorisation if you wish to distribute copyright protected material under (2) above providing full contact details and a description of the purpose for which copyrighted material is to be used. The author, their heirs and their successors shall be the final arbiter(s) of any disputed publication, distribution or usage; their decision shall be final. -- |
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Aug 07, 2009
Yesenia Acosta
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Article: Shock it to me I had just a simple question to ask: How old does an adolescent has to be to enter boot camp. |
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Aug 07, 2009
Best Jail.com
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Article: Is Corrections, Work Peace Work? Just the idea of you saying "PEACE" is offensive to me. Maybe you need to be a victim or someone close to you one, and you will have a different opinion of inmates. You are a intern and you are caught up in your new field of study "Pyschology" where you think you can help everyone. I am a Psycohlogy major also and believe me listening to a person tell their life story amd feeling sorry for them don't make them change it only makes you weak. I know Psychologist that have worked in this setting for years would disagree with you because they themselves have been manipulated by inmates.Inmates feel that its their job to try an manipulate us and its our job to stop them. When you've walked in our shoes who have been in Corrections for 15 years or more then you can talk about the "Peace" that you think we should restore to inmates. Try telling the "VICTIMS" about this peace you think we owe these inmates. Everybody is responsible for their own actions and decisions "GOD" gave us all free will and its your choice to make what you want to do with it. I really don't see how they allowed you to post this article. A year as a intern does not give you the experience to make these assumptions about our job and how we should do it. Make sure you get you a job in a nice little office because in Corrections the inmates will eat you alive...... |
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Aug 06, 2009
Neal
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Article: In Harm’s Way My heart goes out to Vic and his family. I am one of a number of corrections professionals who can relate. On December 4, 2002, I was held hostage at knifepoint by a cocaine-addicted, mentally-disordered, noncompliant probationer who had just been advised that revocation was being contemplated. While unharmed, the incident, which lasted 90 minutes, left me a changed person, some of which was actually for the better. I learned that safety and security is important, and it will always be a primary focus of the job. I also learned that the quality of interactions, the respect and pro-social modeling that you extend to others, helps keep you safe. Lastly, I learned that until we do a better job of understanding what truly makes offenders tick, and work with them to address their issues, we will continue to put ourselves at risk. |
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Aug 06, 2009
Neal
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Article: Is Corrections, Work Peace Work? Job 1 is to model every day, in every work setting, the kind of thinking and behavior you want from others. They then either choose to emmulate that modeling or reject it. They either reap the rewards of making good choices, or suffer the sanctions that accompany bad choices. |
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Aug 06, 2009
Neal
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Article: Two Sheets of Music This is one of the unspoken factors that drives good people from the field. You go home beat, often discouraged, still in protective mode, keyed up from a day in corrections, and then your family needs you to be emotionally available for them. It's hard to turn off what you have been involved in all day. I think if we had a sense that what we were doing was really making a difference, it would be easier to let go of it at the end of the day. The other issue that makes leting go hard is that the job never seems to stop. There is always the possibility of getting a phone call sometime during the night, something has hit the fan, and you are back in work mode. It slowly chips away at you. I found that my best way to cope was to immerse myself in things that have absolutely nothing to do with crime or corrections when I got home, which includes turning off the TV, with its constant stream of violence, cop shows, murder mysteries, etc. Certainly don't need any more of that! |
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Aug 05, 2009
Kellie
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Article: Is Corrections, Work Peace Work? While I see your point of view.....Your point is very dangerous!!! I am sorry to say this but here it is - I am paid to distrust everything that an inmate does or says. There you go......fight amongst yourselves on that one. It is their job to manipulate and my job to stop the manipulation. With all due respect....one year in corrections is not enough to make these statements. Give me 10 years in the pits and then tell me about inmates that are not at peace with themselves. I would never and I mean never tell anyone to see inmates as their peers. Social workers, Mental Health workers, and a few other groups that I can think of may very well feel that is the best way to deal with inmates. However, this is a very deadly mind set for Corrections staff. I have no peer relationship with any inmate in my facility and never will. I may appear to have ongoing relationships of that type with inmates, but that is how I get my job done. I am not unfriendly, rude, cruel or unprofessional. I am sure of my place at work. There is a food chain that is (to be simple here)in working order in my head. I am at the top (of course my bosses are on the top) of the food chain and is rolls down from there. I know this may sound totally non-PC of me, but you don't last over 20 years in this field by making inmates your peers for the sake of peace. I expect that each inmate will be responsible for their behavior and I hold them to that standard. Just because you are in jail does not mean you can behave any way you want. It is pretty cut and dry. While there are always gray areas and I allow for those, if you want to dance, you must pay the band.....period!!!! I don't think that staff should be tasked with teaching adults how to behave. I am not any inmates mommy and I treat each inmate as if they have the ability to be a decent individual. If they show me that this concept is beyond them, then I deal with them accordingly. I don't have time to be "Emily Post" or "Miss Manners" for them. Just like school teachers should not be tasked with raising your children because the parents are to busy......sorry it is not my top concern. Making sure they do not kill another staff or inmate and going home are my concerns. Firm/Fair/Consistent - the role model that I project is the one that comes to work everyday, pays my bills, behaves professionally. I have no other responsibility to the inmates. Off my soap box! You caught me on one of those days in which I just cannot tolerate the attempted "softening" of my job. It is deadly to those of us in the trenches. I cannot afford to do my job with rose colored glasses. |
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Aug 05, 2009
vividemarko
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Article: Is Corrections, Work Peace Work? I agree with Chuck. We must remain firm, fair and consistant. It is too much to listen to. Treat everyone with respect and be consistant. |
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Aug 05, 2009
Sgt. NO
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Article: Two Sheets of Music This is so true. I've been in this business for 16+ years. I've seen many good poeple get into trouble because,the line between work and home becomes blurred. When famliy memebers noticed the change in me, I took heed to the warning. Now.I de-escalate myself on the way home form work each day. For those who are finding it hard to keep work and home seperated, one thing that helps me is music. Music is a universal language, it can relax the mind and put things into perspective. Of course, I'm not as trusting of people I don't know,When we go into a resturant I still have to see who's coming and going(It drives my wife crazy). But that's the nature of this business, always aware of your surroundings. I do enjoy my time away from work and time with my family. Family time is the most important part of the day, that's one aspect of my life that I cannot nor will not give up. |
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Aug 04, 2009
john
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Article: Is Corrections, Work Peace Work? I like the image of the onion with the person in the middle. It all begins and ends with the individual. If an individual does not have peace then there will be no peace in the family and so on. But the real question that is not asked or answered in this article is, what kind of peace are we talking about? My view is that if an individual does not know who he or she is and what life is about, real peace is not possible. Statistically we know that around 95% of violent offenders were abused as children in some way. For many of the returning veterans who have been used to violence and war, it is proving hard to adjust to civilian life and we hear that many of them are ending up in prisons around the country. So what I am saying is that violence is something that is actually encouraged in some areas, and of course in some sports too. I heard someone say recently that a 'civilized person would never harm another person'. So what does that say about the kind of society we live in? Are we in fact "civilized"? What does it say about us when we incarcerate thousands of non-violent offenders and warehouse them for long periods with little or no opportunity for rehabilitation or even meaningful work? Are we really civilized? Real peace can only be experienced as a feeling by an individual. When someone feels peace, everything is put into its rightful place and harmony and balance ensue.. Even if someone in the past committed a horrible crime, they still have the ability to feel real peace. Isn't that amazing! and thank God for that. There's always hope! So in the context I have described above, individuals have the responsibility to find peace within themselves. That kind of peace automatically emanates out to the rest of the world. That is the real peace. Keeping dangerous people locked up is of course an important responsibility but does it have anything to do with the real peace I have attempted to describe? No, I don't think so. You can try and fake peace and act the way you believe a peaceful person is supposed to act, but on any given day that mask is going to slip, and that is why some people lose it and get angry and frustrated. Let's face it, if you work in a prison, you are in prison! The main difference between you and the offenders is that you get to go home each day and they don't. It is not a nice environment and being in it is going to take its toll on your health even if you are the most thick skinned of people. Please take care of yourselves folks. It is important to have fun and enjoy your life, and of course find real peace. |
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Aug 03, 2009
IllPhillyPhan
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Article: Prison population declines It's easy to skew the numbers. The Iowa DOC runs people up for parole and work releases whether they are deserving or not. Additionally, probation and parole have been advised to not violate anyone short of a new felony. Their numbers are self-serving, of course they are going to be favorable to the DOC. |
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Jul 31, 2009
ChronoTrigger
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Sounds a lot more like harassment to me. After all, cops aren't androids and let their feelings override good judgment. Many of those charged with registering or checking on *ex offenders treat them like crap. And I guess the fact that thousands of registrants never re-offend isn't newsworthy? *ex offender facts @ www.oncefallen.com |
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Jul 30, 2009
Cooneytunes
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Great article, especially for the new hire or (THE ROOKIE)...Every inmate has a sad story, and will try and get you with it. It's OK to feel empathty...but don't get symphthetic or he'll snow you from hear to enternity day in and day out. Ofc. TP Cooney In. Dept of Correction |
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Jul 30, 2009
not-the-enemy
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Mr. Barnhart, I have been in the position of the "armchair quarterback" for the past 12 years as an investigator who conducted investigations inside of our state's juvenile correctional centers, first as a local DSS child abuse investigator and currently as a special agent for our state Dept of Juvenile Justice. i conduct administrative and criminal investigations of allegations that arise. Whereas I have never worked as an officer, I do not impose judgements on an officer's actions as much as trying to get answers from them to understand why they made particular decisions in any given circumstance. What I have found in my experiences of hundreds of investigations is that in a large percentage of cases, officers either ignored or missed a lot of the "green light" indicators that you have referenced. Ignored would probably make up the majority. Because these signals were missed or disregarded, the situation at times escalates to a physical incident where the use of force becomes unavoidable. Secondly, policies, procedures and training seem to "disappear" in these situations in how the officers address/handle situations, such as calling for assistance or notifying supervisors as a situation escalates. Restraint techniques become questionable and documentation, well that's a whole page by itself. This is not the case in all investigations but enough to be a concern. During my investigations my focus and task is to gather the information and report the facts to the facility superintendent for them to use as needed. Or in some circumstances to the Commonwealth Attorney for prosecutorial opinion on whether to file criminal charges. In either situation, I work to make sure that the decision maker will have the most accurate information as possible so that whatever decisions are made, hopefully, it is a just decision based on the facts of the situation without bias. In addition to investigations, I also do training with new and seasoned officers on our role and the importance of following policies, good documentation, and avoiding confrontations that are avoidable. I also talk with officers sometimes,during and after interviews/investigation about what i see as areas of concern regarding actions/decisions hoping it may educate or at least have them thinking critically to possibly avoid the same problems. A few officers over the years have asked me if I have ever worked "behind the gates" and somehow smugly imply and conclude that I do not possess the heart or the skills to their job. Whereas as i possess both, I try to convince all officers that I am "not-the-enemy", but I have a function to do. If they are innocent when an allegation is made, they should be glad when i show up because I'm working to find the truth of what happened. If they are not innocent, well, expect my investigation to find that too. I can't speak for all investigators but I do want those officers out there to know that not all investigators are "out to get you". A lot of us are objective and fair in how we conduct investigations. The closer officers stick to training and policy, the better the chances of favorable outcomes. I have been involved in preparing cases for litigation for civil suit as the result of an officer's actions, and I can tell you, the attorneys that represent the complainants are going to hold the agency and officers to the policy and training manuals word for word. I understand the theory of force, the application and that techniques are not always done perfectly in a realistic situation (i do have training and experience doing them), but in court: if the manual says it---they expect it to be done as the manual says it. So I applaud you guys for the work that you do, and respect you for doing it as well, just try hard not to end up across the other side of the table from us if you can. Good luck and stay safe. |
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Jul 29, 2009
Chuck
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Article: Is Corrections, Work Peace Work? I am the Fire and Safety Manager and Department head over Sanitation at a Correctional Facility. I have been here about a year and a half and I find myself repeating the mantra they taught us in the beginning: "Be firm, fair and consistent." I have seen what can happen to those that forget that adage and try to be friends, mentors or pals with inmates. My best friend cannot work in a correctional setting again because she lost sight of the responsibility inherent in that saying. For those that are on the front lines day after day, it is sometimes too much to listen to "their (inmates) concerns and their side of the story." That entails two things: 1)Believing what they say, and 2) seeing or treating them as peers. I feel that you can do neither and maintain the proper relationship between staff and offender. Staying firm, fair and consistent entails the respect that you talk about and respect is a necessity for dealing with inmates. However, once you try to view the world through an offender's eyes, you lose the objectivity that is necessary to survive in the real world of Corrections. |
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Jul 27, 2009
slaute
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Article: Fact Sheet: What You Need to Know About Sex Offenders ChronoTrigger - Treatment or Abuse? I say barbaric abuse! Read on... Sex Offender "Treatment" Programs for juveniles as young as 12, including cases of "consensual sexual activity among peers", include: Plethysmographs - a metalized ring is strapped around a “male” juvenile’s genitals (there is no such devise for females) and they are forced to listen to/watch pornography including deviant sexual activity such as violent rape! This barbaric and abusive device and recordings are designed to measure any signs of arousal and the juvenile is then forced to try and masturbate afterwards. Masturbatory Satiation – juvenile males as young as 12 are forced to masturbate over and over and over while listening to/viewing pornographic images/recordings, including deviant sexual activity such as violent rape. Arousal Reconditioning – Originally developed in the early to mid-1900s to convert homosexuals to heterosexuals. Attempts to eliminate sexual feelings by pairing them with boredom, pain, or unpleasantness. In effect, assumes that sexuality can be changed through “punishment” such as electric shock therapy. Parents, warn your sons!! What you may think is normal underage sexual activity left to parents to correct and teach is currently grounds for felony sex offender convictions, registration as a sex offender for life as young as 14, and forced sex offender "treatment"!! |
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Jul 27, 2009
slaute
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Article: Fact Sheet: What You Need to Know About Sex Offenders No offense intended to victims and their families of violent sexual assaults, but the “statutory” sex laws in all states are insane and kids/teens are being prosecuted at an alarming rate under the very laws enacted to protect them from violent predators. I am not condoning pre-teen and teenage sexual promiscuity, but think back to when you were kids/teens and you played games such as truth-or-dare, doctor, seven-minutes-in-heaven, spin the bottle, or went 'parking'. What was once 'petting' and normal sexual exploration between consenting underage teens is now grounds for life time registration as a sex offender. For those old enough to remember Woodstock…yes, that’s right, all sex offenders under today’s insane laws. Statistically over 95% of all youth could be convicted and registered as sex offenders for life! How many of our young boys and teens will we allow to be incarcerated, subjected to barbaric and abusive treatment (see Plethysmographs, arousal reconditioning, cognitive restructuring of juveniles) and then forced to register as Sex Offenders for the rest of their lives before we bring an end to this insanity? The current and potential legislation regarding this entire subject is seriously lacking any real protection of our children from violent predatory sex offenders. In fact more and more underage children are the ones who are being prosecuted and convicted at an alarming rate under the very laws enacted to 'protect them.' |
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Jul 27, 2009
ChronoTrigger
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Article: Fact Sheet: What You Need to Know About Sex Offenders The article had a lot of good points but there IS more to recidivism than a simple number. Re-offense can also depend on the type of offense committed. Treatment is not always taken into account either. I would have liked to have seen more analysis of public registries and community notification. Studies have shown high levels of vigilante violence directed at *ex offenders and their families [see -- http://www.oncefallen.com/registriesrevisited.html -]. See more @ www.oncefallen.com. I DO like much of what this article states about the need for treatment. |
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Jul 27, 2009
Benoliwal
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Article: Fact Sheet: What You Need to Know About Sex Offenders The 10 to 24% is typically what is pushed about. The 24% actually comes from a Canadian study of some time ago, and is one that is typically stated here in Colorado. Overall sex offender repeat sex offense is in the DOJ ballpark. Repeat sexual offenses depending on the sex offense type and the type of offender very well could be in the 24% range on the low end but is not indicative of the population of person's carrying the label of sex offender, or carrying the label of registered sex offender. The reason I am writing is that I want to give thanks and appreciation for the information that is shown. I detect no bias. The information is clearly and simply stated and is for the most very factual. |
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Jul 27, 2009
JackieH
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Article: Fact Sheet: What You Need to Know About Sex Offenders I want to first thank you for saying what you did about the residency laws and employment. These 2 things make it impossible for these people to make it after they do thier time. I know that where I live there are bus stops on every road or walking distance form a home. That means there is absolutely no place were a ex sex offender can live. I am a mom of a 21 year old sex offender. He was 15 & 17 at the time these offenses were committed and now it's coming close for him to come home. In order for him to be released he needs not just 1 address where he can possible live but several. And at this time since I've always rented I can not think of a place that will be ok. Between the landlords and the residency laws. And he needs family. Having support from family and others is very important also. But if he can't live with his family, he will have less support. One more thing is if a sex offender can go 20 years with out reoffending than why do we have to continue to put the money that is necessary towards keeping track of these people? Thank you for letting me share my concerns. |
