Source: manchesterjournal.com 2/3/23
BENNINGTON — There’s a case making its way through the halls of the Bennington Superior Courthouse that touches on all the things that our criminal justice system is designed to accomplish.
The case hinges on what happens to people convicted of crimes who serve their time and stay out of trouble. It begs certain questions: When has someone paid enough for a crime committed long ago? What if years pass and that 17-year-old kid becomes a husband and father of young children, a productive member of society, and moves on with his life without any further trouble with the law? In essence, when do we as a society finally declare someone rehabilitated?
As far as the Us government is concerned, especially if youre convicted of a sexual crime, youre never rehabilitated. You can be offense free post confinement for 30, 40, 50 years and youre still looked at as some type of threat even though your last offense could have been in the 70s of all things. Thats because the injustice system here is all about money and not about actually helping people correct past mistakes to move on with their lives.
The Truth:
I agree with the majority of your points. However, as to your last comment (“Thats because the injustice system here is all about money”) I disagree. The system, in respect to RSO’s, is motivated by sheer vindictiveness and retribution. To a far lesser extent, it is motivated by money, which may be just a ‘byproduct’ of this cruel scheme.
The government, through legislators, prosecutors, law enforcment personnel, and many within the judicial system (judges, probation officers, law clerks), have been conditioned (through emotional rhetoric, sensationalized media accounts, and pretentious religious zeal) to act and react with vengence and retribution towards members of our community. They torture logic so as to justify their indefensible laws, cruel behaviors, and even crueler court decisions. (example: U.S. Supreme Court decision, re “Frightening and High”, McKune v. Lile, 536 U. S. 24, 34 (2002), followed by Smith v. Doe, 538 US 84 – Supreme Court (2003).
It’s very interesting that this site chose to cover a story coming out of Vermont. That’s the only place in the country where sex offender registration has a definitive end in State law. However since Barr’s recent rule implementation I’m not certain if that’s still the case. We need updates.
I don’t care about redemption, atonement, forgiveness or acceptance..
I just want my PERSONAL INFO OFF THE DAMN INTERNET.
That is 99% of my problems.