“All convicted sexual offenders should be required to participate in a mandatory treatment program prior to their release,” was one of the recommendations contained in the Parliamentary Joint Select Committee Sex Offender Register report. Full Article
I read this article and the attached report with mixed feelings. The negative feelings I have are related to the fact that another country believes it is necessary to “register” individuals convicted of a sex offense. This is especially troubling in that the country’s decision appears to be based upon myths that originated here in the United States. The one positive feeling I have is that they will provide counseling to registrants while they are incarcerated, something most states fail to do and leave until the registrant has been released.
@Janice – What always confused me is that there’s nothing to be legally gained by participation in counseling. Many other programs that you participate as part of your sentence usually means you get time off your credits, even having your sentence then later vacated and such. But for RC’s, you’re forced into a program that all too often then have to pay out of pocket, and at the end of the day it accounts for zero in regards getting of the registry. Someone who has to be dragged through the program kicking and screaming and someone who does it all and then some, results in the same thing at the end of it all as far as your legal life is concerned. I’m seen a lot of guys in our program who coasted as much as possible while others busted their butt really trying to absorb everything and really turn their life around. Something like that should be rewarded. It should be a carrot on a stick.
I also find it troubling that so many other countries are following the United States in this area. Can people/countries not think for themselves?
As for having an incentive for completing the state mandated treatment, Missouri Governor Mike Parson signed SB655 on July 13th, which establishes a tiered system. Tier 1 is 15 years on the registry with a reduction of five years if the person does the mandated treatment. I am thrilled that this has passed; however, I still believe the registry needs to be abolished.
What’s the point of counseling if nothing we will ever do post registration will amount to anything?
We could seek counseling for the rest of our lives and it will never make a single difference to those on the outside looking in. They’ll still throw rocks at our houses, key our cars, come to our door to threaten us, call the police to harass us, find us at work to continue making our lives hell just to name a few examples.
I agree that therapy cost me money and it is boring as hell…. I got lucky because I wrote an email not to give me unnecessary assignments and I rather have one on one counseling instead of group.
I been on it for 4 months now and almost done here. I have high hopes getting off this registry early.
Yeah that pseudo science therapy is a joke. Go in there just to comply with whatever the gov wants. I bet 99% of the people that do therapy are coerced into it which helps very few if any at all. Luckily after two meeting my parole agent discontinued my crap becuase he knew o knew what a joke it was. Sitting around a bunch of people whining and talking about sexually abusing young children is not good therapy and it is as sick as the attaching whatever to your you know what. My opinion, everyone has one.
What I seem to find lacking over and over in this article and many others pushing for harsher restrictions is when reaching a conclusion they all seem to focus only around the actual registrant and main victim(s). What gets left out is the point of view of the silent victims. The families of the registrant that many refer to over and over as just collateral damage. Perhaps if parents, grandparents, brother, sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins, children and even spouses of the registrant who are tremendously suffering and daily live through this vast range of laws, restrictions and torment are willing and their voices can be heard on how these types of laws and restrictions have affected their lives when they have done nothing wrong, perhaps in time it would open a door to another side that is hardly ever reflected upon.
It says if a prison sentence under 30 months reg is for 10 yrs, and a sentence over 30 months , lifetime reg.