I have an open mind Nick, not blindly supporting everything the ACLU does. Can you cite a <b>specific example</b> where the ACLU pushed to grant pedophiles any rights beyond those guaranteed by the Constitution?
A minimum sentence of 25 years is kind of steep. IMO, 10 years would be enough. Still, this is better than 60 day that one may get in progressive Vermont for raping a little girl. The judge said he no longer believes in punishment and is more concerned about rehabilitation.
BTW, isn't the repeat offender rate dangerously high in pedophiles? Why let them out <b>ever</b>? Seriously, in clear cut cases of child molestation, <b>life imprisonment</b> should become the standard- at least until science can come up with a way to guarantee that the pedophile will never molest another child if freed. Also, if they want TV, exercise & social activities while locked up, let them <b>work for it</b>. Work full time catching other pedophiles on the net, or rot in solitary. They know how other perverts think better than any cop, and could do a far better job in finding them.
The repeat offender rate is almost 100%. They should be locked up for life period no questions asked. The child's life is destroyed in most cases and these judges just don't get it. Any judge who decides on an easy sentence or probation and the offender repeats should be subject to rape himself.
Because people here just like to post information that is complely drempt up like nearly 100% of sex offenders reoffend I thought I would actually look up the numbers on recidivism in sex crimes. This is straight from the DOJ http://www.csom.org/pubs/mythsfacts.html Persons who commit sex offenses are not a homogeneous group, but instead fall into several different categories. As a result, research has identified significant differences in reoffense patterns from one category to another. Looking at reconviction rates alone, one large-scale analysis (Hanson and Bussiere, 1998) reported the following differences: # child molesters had a 13% reconviction rate for sexual offenses and a 37% reconviction rate for new, non-sex offenses over a five year period; and # rapists had a 19% reconviction rate for sexual offenses and a 46% reconviction rate for new, non-sexual offenses over a five year period. Another study found reconviction rates for child molesters to be 20% and for rapists to be approximately 23% (Quinsey, Rice, and Harris, 1995). Individual characteristics of the crimes further distinguish recidivism rates. For instance, victim gender and relation to the offender have been found to impact recidivism rates. In a 1995 study, researchers found that offenders who had extrafamilial female victims had a recidivism rate of 18% and those who had extrafamilial male victims recidivated at a rate of 35%. This same study found a recidivism rate for incest offenders to be approximately 9% (Quinsey, Rice, and Harris, 1995).
Some of still having fun painting the world in black and white?? I beat the crap out of a pedophile once, and I'm a "lib". How can that be?
If the ACLU "tests" the law in order for perverts to have more "freedom" and "liberty" to commit crimes, then no, I do not want to remain within the scope of the law. "Freedom" and "liberty" is a good thing, but not for criminals. Once, they commit a crime, they lose their rights to "liberty". If you have ever had your 11 year old daugter molested you might think the same way I do. Especially when the ass is now running free and might show up again and kill her this time to cover up the crime this time. Or he might do it to another young girl. These guys need to be put away. They are dangerous, sick people. And they are getting worse as time goes by.
So those accused of child molestation do not have the right to legal representation? They have no right to a fair trial? Are we to presume their guilt instead of their innocence? Maybe we should just bring back lynch mobs? Don't get me wrong; I'm not defending child molesters. However, there are those that find themselves in pretty sticky situations in life and are unjustly accused for one reason or the other. unruly children don't make false accusations to get even at adults? Ex-wives from hell don't fill their children full of venom and motivation to "get even"? All neighborhood children love all their neighbors and would never harbor animosity and hatred to tell lies about the "mean old man" that doesn't like them? Teenagers never lie or seek vengeance when they feel they are unfairly disciplined? Trashy gold-digging adults never use their children as tools in legal cases, right? Lord help you if you find yourself on the wrong end of such situations when the cops, prosecutors and judges have the same attitude you do about legal representation and legal rights. Hell, even having to just endure the legal process would be enough to ruin your life. So I imagine that if you were falsely accused, acquitted of your alleged crimes, and set free, you would simply become another example of how the ACLU is in the business of getting child molesters off the hook?