09-09-2008, 10:13 AM
I think the issue of penal treatment vs rehabilitation for sex offenders has been studied thoroughly enough to establish that these people are incorrigible. The quotation below illustrates the typical findings of such studies.
Some offenders were sexually abused as children themselves. They came to identify with their violators, and rationalize their behaviour as normal, although they may not describe it as such in conversation with others. They are highly manipulative, lack insight and are not motivated to change.
While I agree that most people are capable of change and deserve a second chance, I think people who rape children constitute a group worthy of exclusion.
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"Hanson and Bussiere (1998) reviewed 61 international studies (N=23,393) of sexual offender recidivism, revealing an overall sexual offense recidivism rate over 4 to 5 years of 13.4%. The authors noted that recidivism rates increase with the length of the follow up period. Finally, Bonta and Hanson (1994) reported that among 315 rapists,extra-familial child molesters and incest offenders, the sexual re-offense rate was 8% after 2 years, increasing to 15% at 5 years, 22% at 10 years and (for the child molesters group) 40% after 25 years. Offenders who selected male victims or unrelated victims were more likely to re-offend, as were those with an established pattern of sexual deviancy as well as general criminality, combined with a failure to comply with post
offense treatment. Hanson (1998) finally noted that these figures may represent under-reporting."
http://72.14.205.104/search?q=cache:igGs...nt=firefox
Some offenders were sexually abused as children themselves. They came to identify with their violators, and rationalize their behaviour as normal, although they may not describe it as such in conversation with others. They are highly manipulative, lack insight and are not motivated to change.
While I agree that most people are capable of change and deserve a second chance, I think people who rape children constitute a group worthy of exclusion.
___________________________________________________________
"Hanson and Bussiere (1998) reviewed 61 international studies (N=23,393) of sexual offender recidivism, revealing an overall sexual offense recidivism rate over 4 to 5 years of 13.4%. The authors noted that recidivism rates increase with the length of the follow up period. Finally, Bonta and Hanson (1994) reported that among 315 rapists,extra-familial child molesters and incest offenders, the sexual re-offense rate was 8% after 2 years, increasing to 15% at 5 years, 22% at 10 years and (for the child molesters group) 40% after 25 years. Offenders who selected male victims or unrelated victims were more likely to re-offend, as were those with an established pattern of sexual deviancy as well as general criminality, combined with a failure to comply with post
offense treatment. Hanson (1998) finally noted that these figures may represent under-reporting."
http://72.14.205.104/search?q=cache:igGs...nt=firefox