Breaking News: I just read on CNN.com that the supreme court ruled that sex offenders can be held in jail past their sentencing for an indefinite period of time. This concerns me on two fronts:
- What about the falsely accused?
- Who determines how long these people are kept? what good is initial sentencing if it can just be overridden. Certainly opens up a can of worms if you ask me.
Now, with that said, I am all for protecting people against legitimate offenders, especially our children. This is even more so in repeat offender cases. I just pray the supreme court puts some guidelines on this. It scares me to death to think that falsely accused offenders end up in jail, which is bad enough, but then can be held even longer based on what?
What are your thoughts on this? Is this over he edge, or the right thing to protect the true sex offender victims. What about the offenders that have psychological issues? There are some arguments that sex offense is a disorder, just like any other mental disorder. Will these people be helped? Add a comment!
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
this is such a hard issue. I don’t see how they can hold one group of offenders any longer than they would for any other crime. I think it is scary because there are those falsely accused. So how do you weed them out from the true offenders? And if someone is sentenced and serves their time how is it constitutional to hold them longer?
I have been following up on your story. My fiancee has been convicted of sexual assault with his cousins. He was convicted because of the lawyer we had didnt do a thing and the District Attorney hid numerous pages of reports. The old lawyer didnt get them reports, if he did, he didnt share them with the defendent. We were astonished at the material we could of used that would of turned this around. We have a new lawyer now who is demanding all the information. It has taken the Courts 5 months and still not all the material. I feel for what you are going through because we are going thru the same thing. He received 12 years, with 5 in prison and 8 on extended supervision. The girls friends are now coming forward with information on the case with the girls. So hopefully we can turn this around. We have been fighting this for 3 years.
My opinions on this is if the sexual offender is released and does not abide by the rules or does the crime again then yes, they should be in there for more help. There is always a reason why someone does this, could be psychological, could have experienced this crime in there life and may have confessed because they were harassed. I feel if they are going to do this then they should allow the defendant jump the rape shield law. The rape shield law is what is hurting the falsely accused, and they should have the right to express how they were before any of this stuff occured. I am with you on this, and I hope that you can live your life the best you can, and there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. It may not seem like it now, but eventually it will happen. I will pray for you and your family, and pray for the family that has done this to you. I know the pain, the heartache, the shame, the humiliation, the sadness, the anger, the disgust and the reason why they are doing this.
I absolutely totally disagree with this move. People are so blind to the reality of these cases. Think about it. Who do they believe are actually in prison? All who are guilty take the “plea”(this is not saying that all who plea are guilty) and get put back on the streets. Those who are innocent and face down the corrupt system, if it goes wrong, get put in jail. What do you think would be the first requirement to be released after your sentence? To ADMIT you are guilty. If you do not admit to something you didn’t do you are in denial, adverse to treatment and stay in jail.
This has become such a sick twisted witch hunt for the falsely accused on so many levels. My trial date is 1 June and I plan to clear my name and end this nightmare for me and my family.
I picked us the little saying one night while researching and it got me thinking about what I’d do if offered a plea I have read it several times and helps me stay focused on what is important.
“When principles that run against your deepest convictions begin to win the day, that battle is your calling, and peace has become a sin. You must, at the price of your dearest peace, lay your convictions bare before friend and enemy, with all of the fire of your faith”
I pray for all who falsely accused who are enduring this nightmare.
My son just went to prison April 1, 2010 for sexually assaulting his daughters. He is innocent and even the daughters came forward with the truth and told why they had done this to their father. But the DA was on a ‘witch hunt’. Someone else DID molest the girls but at the time they were convinced they were in ‘love’ with this 42 yr old man.
The judge at my sons sentencing said until he took responsibility for his crimes he ‘would not pass the course’. Is he supposed to say he did this horrible crime in order to get himself out of prison. He is also facing a life long sentence of being a registered sex offender.
There ARE innocent people in our prisons…..I am losing my home over the expenses of all this. How can we keep on with the fight??
Mary,
did your son face a jury or did he waive his right to a jury trial?
Sex offenders are a cash cow for the police, the legal system, the domestic violence industry, and all those “non-profit” and government agencies that make money off this scam. Why is it if a 15 year old boy has consensual sex with a 15 year old girl only the boy is arrested and convicted; either both should be guilty, or both innocent. And the sex offenders’ websites are a travesty. I would much rather live next door to a sex offender, the vast majority of whom are non-violent, than a murderer, arsonist, or thief. But I don’t see any murderer websites or lists, do you?
In the ultimate case of idiocy, a young man, convicted of “molesting” a teenage girl who claimes she was 21 (it was consensual) was prohibited from going withing 3000 of a school. He needed to fly frequently for his job. Since the airport was near a school, and the glide path was less than 3000 feet when over the school, the guy could not fly from the local airport as deemed by the judge. Stupid! Moronic!