Child Molesters

[olpluvr]

The Problem: Can child molesters be rehabilitated?

Most people would say that it is impossible for them to be treated. If you were to ask anyone walking down the street about this subject, they would most likely agree that pedophiles should be locked up forever. If this is the case, then why do many get out of prison, why do they even get the

Comments

[xratedouroboros]

Probably no one is responding to this because no one is willing to make the case that convicted felons who have served their debt to society should, at that point, be treated like normal people.

If anyone did, you can bet the countering anecdotes would not be about an 18 year old getting caught after prom with his 16 year old girlfriend in the backseat. It would be about the most insanely indefensible acts imaginable. Except the Law makes no distinctions. Uncle Al who stuck it to his 14 year old niece and the teenager caught heavy petting his underage date both end up Registered Sex Offenders with "Lewd and Lascivious Acts with a Child" on their record. How many self-righteous busybodies that skim the sex offenders database for someone to harrass this weekend do you think are going to go ask either child molester about what they actually did

Re: Sources and Thinking Outside the Box

[xratedouroboros]

No.

Depending on the circumstances, death or life-in-prison may be excessive punishment for "playing with little boys and girls."

And there are other circumstances where death doesn't seem sufficient.
Seems most people let this second case color their entire opinion on the matter, which is a bit of a disservice to rational discussion.

Re: Sources and Thinking Outside the Box

[nuke_mercenary]

an I agreed with you that there are alway exceptions to every law. I did not say lets abolish trials and kill them on the spot or lock them away for life. I said those who harm children sexualy, who are deemed guilty by law should be castrated and thrown away for the rest of there life.

No matter how many unique circumstances you come up with. There will always be the typical pervert who goes out with the intent of harming children and THESE people out of all of them should get the harsh end of the law.

Re: Sources and Thinking Outside the Box

[xratedouroboros]

"The typical pervert" you say?

Look at the recidivism data. The typical pervert responds well to rehabilitation. It's counter-productive to lock up people who can be successfully reformed.

Similarly, it's counter-productive to try to reform people who cannot be changed.

Further, it's counter-productive to approach all situations of perversion as if it is the second type.

Cases

[olpluvr]

It seems you are giving many isolated scenarios to back up your opinion. Many of these claims (done by other people on this site) are generalizations. In a way that proves that one specific theory cannot work in practice and I think that's what you're striving to achieve.

But in real-life, there are no 2 exact molestation cases because of a variety of variables. You are poking holes at nuke_mercenary's accusations/ conclusions, but what is your conclusion from reading this thread and why?

Re: Sources and Thinking Outside the Box

[ferret_angels]

Thank you for answering my questions. Again, I didn't mean for them to come across as being rude, I was just wondering if they were clearly your views, or you were just argueing the other side.
I think that the two topics that were used so far were ones that most people are one-sided about. I'm sure that with topics to come, there will be more debating, and you won't be the only one going against the majority.

Debating

[olpluvr]

I also feel that it is great to see both viewpoints and that is what I'm trying to present in the posts. However, I may not be completely successful, so the comments help elaborate the whole issue being discussed.

Lawyers obviously get paid for what they do. I can guarantee that many defense lawyers don't want to defend a case because they know what a person did was wrong. We can use the fitting example of the child molestor who denies the allegations, but is obviously guilty (material evidence, witnesses, etc.) and the lawyer is only doing his/her job to win the case.

I would love to see people's actual opinions, whether or not people are being forthcoming wiht their "views" on this site, but I must say it is a relief that gateways to the mind are being opened and people are seeing 2 sides to every story. Great job to everyone and I can't wait to see what is to come in future posts!

PS- It would be nice to see something along the lines of "I believe this, but what about this scenario...", but of course that isn't being forced

Re: Sources and Thinking Outside the Box

[ferret_angels]

I agree, it certainly is!!
I was just wondering if he or she actually believed in what they were writing, or if they were just doing it to "argue".

Re: Sources and Thinking Outside the Box

[xratedouroboros]

How about people that don't ever get caught?
Or the people that haven't done anything yet?

Neither one of them will be helpfully branded as a sex offender by the police. Surely no one will argue that they're less dangereous because they haven't been identified.