Sex offenders face a constant battle as to where they are allowed to live. Twenty two states have distance restrictions varying from 500 to 2,000 feet limiting where offenders are allowed to live, work, or even walk. The purpose of these laws are to observe the impact of residence restrictions on sex offender integration, and to better understand the sex offender’s perceptions of these laws. These laws, however, were put it place before there was research proving that they were effective.
Laws vary in each state. In Iowa, sex offenders are not allowed to live within 2,000 feet of a school or daycare facility. State figures in Iowa show that sex-abuse crime has remained the same, but the number of offenders failing to register has more than doubled. The law is similar in Georgia, but includes various bus stops and churches as well.
Housing restrictions for sex offenders are often so limiting that there may not be any area in the city for the offender to live. Because of these tough limitations, offenders often end up homeless, or being forced to move away from a city where they grew up, or where they have supportive friends or family.
A survey of 135 sex offenders was conducted in Florida, one of the states which passed housing restriction laws for sex offenders. Most of the offenders who took the survey responded by saying that housing restrictions increased isolation, and did not view the housing restrictions as helpful risk management. Some offenders even said that the isolation created by such restrictions may even increase rates of recidivism.
A different study, conducted in Indiana, examined the consequences, both intended and unintended, of residence restrictions on sex offenders. Data was collected from 148 male sex offenders enrolled in four different outpatient counseling centers. Results from this survey indicated that offenders felt housing stability was difficult to establish, employment opportunities were difficult to find, and social support was almost impossible. Young offenders were particularly impacted because Indiana law prevents them from living with family members, and many cannot find affordable housing in the city.
Considering that the majority of sex offenders are unlikely to re-offend, the strict housing restrictions are unnecessary and harmful to offenders and society. Such discriminating laws to housing restrictions may be doing the opposite of what it was intended for, which is increasing negative acts and reducing the chance of successful community adjustment for many sex offenders.
References
USA TODAY “Sex Offender Residency Laws Get a Second Look” February 2007
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-02-25-sex-offender-laws-cover_x.htm
Levenson, J.S., Justice Research and Policy “Sex Offender Residence Restrictions: Unintended Consequences and Community Re-entry” 2007 Criminal Justice Abtracts
Levenson, J.S., Justice Research and Policy. “The impact of sex offender residence restrictions: 1,000 feet from danger or one step from absurd?” 2007 Criminal Justice Abtracts
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Monday, September 21, 2009
Juvenile Sex Offender Treatment
Juvenile sex offenders are a growing problem in the United States. Juvenile sex offenders make up about one quarter of the total number of sex offenders throughout the nation. Though forcible rape, the most serious of sex crimes for juveniles, has decreased since 1997, other crimes have increased. The problem with juvenile offenders isn’t a question of whether it is a problem, but a question of how to address and resolve the problem.
Robert Longo treated adolescent sex offenders in the early 1980s. Offenses of these juveniles ranged from fondling girls a few years younger than themselves, to the brutal rape of young children. As part of treatment, Longo instructed the boys to keep journals of their sexual fantasies (which he read), and to attend meetings similar to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. The boys began by introducing themselves as sex offenders, for example, “I’m Alex, and I’m a sex offender. I sexually offended an 8 year old boy by touching his penis, and making him touch mine.” Studying juvenile sex offenders was new during this time, and Longo later realized that much of his approach was wrong, and that there is no proof in applying adult sex offender treatment programs to juvenile offenders.
One contemporary issue with juvenile offenders is that they are treated the same as adult sex offenders. A well known example is Megan’s Law. Since 1994, federal legislation has required sex offenders to register with the police. In 1996, Megan’s Law went into affect, mandating law enforcement to notify the public about convicted offenders in the community. According to an article from The New York Times, “How Can You Distinguish a Budding Pedophile From a Kid With Real Boundary Problems?”, at least 25 states now apply Megan’s Law to juveniles. That means that on most websites, viewers can find juveniles’ photos, names and addresses. In some cases birthdates and maps to their homes are even available. Juvenile offenders are registered along with serious adult offenders, like pedophiles and adult rapists. One mistake made by a juvenile when he/she was young may alter their entire life, affecting future choices and events in their lives. An example can be made of an eighth grader at a Delaware middle school.
Johnnie (name changed for privacy), arrived at school to find kids pointing and laughing at him. He thought they maybe were laughing at his new haircut, until one kid called him a rapist, and threatened to beat him up. Four years earlier, when Johnnie was 11, he put his hand on his 4-year-old sister’s vagina, over her underwear. Several months later told her to perform oral sex on him. Johnnie’s mother called the police, and he was enrolled in a treatment program, which he completed with honors. According to his grandmother, Johnnie adored his sister; he used to make her pancakes and play wither her, and he even bullied her, like most siblings do. While his actions were by no means appropriate, they may be justified as a curious 11 year old acting on his sexual urges. Johnnie was removed from his home and forced to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life. Because his offense involved mouth to genital contact, in Delaware this crime qualified as second degree rape. In is unfair to put Johnnie in the same category as an adult offender convicted of repeatedly raping little girls, for example. A poor decision of an 11 year should not require a lifetime of embarrassment, bullying, and struggle.
What kinds of treatment programs are right for juveniles? In rare cases with juvenile sex crimes, incarceration may be needed for severe cases, along with treatment during and after incarceration. It is necessary to have post treatment not only for the “offender,” but for the juvenile’s family. Families sometimes do not know how to educate their children on social boundaries, and sometimes cannot pick up on cues that their child may have abnormal sexual urges or tendencies. Juvenile offenders cannot be treated as equals when it comes to sex crimes in the criminal justice system. The treatment of juvenile sex offenders is obviously a problem, and needs to be addressed on all levels. While the best solution for the treatment and rehabilitation of juvenile sex offenders is still unknown, possible treatments are being practiced and studied until a solution is found.
References:
Jones, Maggie. How Can You Distinguish a Budding Pedophile From a Kid With Real Boundary Problems? The New York Times June 2007.
Robert Longo treated adolescent sex offenders in the early 1980s. Offenses of these juveniles ranged from fondling girls a few years younger than themselves, to the brutal rape of young children. As part of treatment, Longo instructed the boys to keep journals of their sexual fantasies (which he read), and to attend meetings similar to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. The boys began by introducing themselves as sex offenders, for example, “I’m Alex, and I’m a sex offender. I sexually offended an 8 year old boy by touching his penis, and making him touch mine.” Studying juvenile sex offenders was new during this time, and Longo later realized that much of his approach was wrong, and that there is no proof in applying adult sex offender treatment programs to juvenile offenders.
One contemporary issue with juvenile offenders is that they are treated the same as adult sex offenders. A well known example is Megan’s Law. Since 1994, federal legislation has required sex offenders to register with the police. In 1996, Megan’s Law went into affect, mandating law enforcement to notify the public about convicted offenders in the community. According to an article from The New York Times, “How Can You Distinguish a Budding Pedophile From a Kid With Real Boundary Problems?”, at least 25 states now apply Megan’s Law to juveniles. That means that on most websites, viewers can find juveniles’ photos, names and addresses. In some cases birthdates and maps to their homes are even available. Juvenile offenders are registered along with serious adult offenders, like pedophiles and adult rapists. One mistake made by a juvenile when he/she was young may alter their entire life, affecting future choices and events in their lives. An example can be made of an eighth grader at a Delaware middle school.
Johnnie (name changed for privacy), arrived at school to find kids pointing and laughing at him. He thought they maybe were laughing at his new haircut, until one kid called him a rapist, and threatened to beat him up. Four years earlier, when Johnnie was 11, he put his hand on his 4-year-old sister’s vagina, over her underwear. Several months later told her to perform oral sex on him. Johnnie’s mother called the police, and he was enrolled in a treatment program, which he completed with honors. According to his grandmother, Johnnie adored his sister; he used to make her pancakes and play wither her, and he even bullied her, like most siblings do. While his actions were by no means appropriate, they may be justified as a curious 11 year old acting on his sexual urges. Johnnie was removed from his home and forced to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life. Because his offense involved mouth to genital contact, in Delaware this crime qualified as second degree rape. In is unfair to put Johnnie in the same category as an adult offender convicted of repeatedly raping little girls, for example. A poor decision of an 11 year should not require a lifetime of embarrassment, bullying, and struggle.
What kinds of treatment programs are right for juveniles? In rare cases with juvenile sex crimes, incarceration may be needed for severe cases, along with treatment during and after incarceration. It is necessary to have post treatment not only for the “offender,” but for the juvenile’s family. Families sometimes do not know how to educate their children on social boundaries, and sometimes cannot pick up on cues that their child may have abnormal sexual urges or tendencies. Juvenile offenders cannot be treated as equals when it comes to sex crimes in the criminal justice system. The treatment of juvenile sex offenders is obviously a problem, and needs to be addressed on all levels. While the best solution for the treatment and rehabilitation of juvenile sex offenders is still unknown, possible treatments are being practiced and studied until a solution is found.
References:
Jones, Maggie. How Can You Distinguish a Budding Pedophile From a Kid With Real Boundary Problems? The New York Times June 2007.
Monday, September 14, 2009
The Time is Now to Address Sex Crimes and their Offenders
It is important to study sex offenders and their crimes in order to get a better understanding of the type of people who commit these crimes, who they are affected by, and what the future holds for these crimes and their predators.
Sex crimes have a tremendous impact on their victims, and even their families. Rape, an often violent and terrifying sex crime, is something that a woman (or man) can never fully recover from. Victims of rape or other sexual assault do not forgot about what has happened to them, and moving on with life can often seem impossible. Victims are scarred with a crime like sexual assault for the rest of their lives. Families and close friends of sex crime victims are almost always affected by these unimaginable crimes. Imagine how hard it might be for you to try to comfort your daughter, or even best friend, after being the victim of sexual assault. There may not be anything that you can say to make that individual feel comforted, or even safe, again.
Sexual predators have been around for many years, and are not a threat that will be disappearing anytime soon. While the future of this area is unclear, various policies and laws have been enacted in many states. California, for example, has Megan’s Law, an online database which requires sex offenders to register every year on their birthday. Some states also have housing restrictions as to where sex offenders can and cannot live, like in certain proximity to schools or community parks. I will address possible solutions in rehabilitation in prisons, and even alternatives to incarceration, like half-way houses.
It is important also to note that not all sex offenders are the same, and not all sex offenders should be treated the same. A case of an 18 year old having consensual sex with his 17 year old girlfriend can turn into a statutory rape charge, therefore forcing the 18 year old to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life. In a case like the one of Jaycee Lee Dugard, however, the suspect, Phillip Garrido had numerous previous violent sexual assault convictions, and was on probation when Dugard was found. Again, not all sex offenders can be treated the same. In both of these cases, the two have to register as offenders under California’s Megan’s Law for the rest of their lives. While most would agree that Phillip Garrido deserves this punishment, and much more In the case of the 18 year old, however, his entire future may be altered due to an act he committed as a teenager.
Crimes like these are ones that desperately need to be addressed. Change needs to be made, and without the discussion and addressing of these issues in sex crimes and there predators, these issues will not be brought to light.
References:
The Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers http://www.atsa.com/ppOffenderFacts.html
ABC News 10
The Associated Press and News10/KXTV –C. Johnson
Copyright 2009
http://www.news10.net/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=66366
Sex crimes have a tremendous impact on their victims, and even their families. Rape, an often violent and terrifying sex crime, is something that a woman (or man) can never fully recover from. Victims of rape or other sexual assault do not forgot about what has happened to them, and moving on with life can often seem impossible. Victims are scarred with a crime like sexual assault for the rest of their lives. Families and close friends of sex crime victims are almost always affected by these unimaginable crimes. Imagine how hard it might be for you to try to comfort your daughter, or even best friend, after being the victim of sexual assault. There may not be anything that you can say to make that individual feel comforted, or even safe, again.
Sexual predators have been around for many years, and are not a threat that will be disappearing anytime soon. While the future of this area is unclear, various policies and laws have been enacted in many states. California, for example, has Megan’s Law, an online database which requires sex offenders to register every year on their birthday. Some states also have housing restrictions as to where sex offenders can and cannot live, like in certain proximity to schools or community parks. I will address possible solutions in rehabilitation in prisons, and even alternatives to incarceration, like half-way houses.
It is important also to note that not all sex offenders are the same, and not all sex offenders should be treated the same. A case of an 18 year old having consensual sex with his 17 year old girlfriend can turn into a statutory rape charge, therefore forcing the 18 year old to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life. In a case like the one of Jaycee Lee Dugard, however, the suspect, Phillip Garrido had numerous previous violent sexual assault convictions, and was on probation when Dugard was found. Again, not all sex offenders can be treated the same. In both of these cases, the two have to register as offenders under California’s Megan’s Law for the rest of their lives. While most would agree that Phillip Garrido deserves this punishment, and much more In the case of the 18 year old, however, his entire future may be altered due to an act he committed as a teenager.
Crimes like these are ones that desperately need to be addressed. Change needs to be made, and without the discussion and addressing of these issues in sex crimes and there predators, these issues will not be brought to light.
References:
The Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers http://www.atsa.com/ppOffenderFacts.html
ABC News 10
The Associated Press and News10/KXTV –C. Johnson
Copyright 2009
http://www.news10.net/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=66366
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