Why do child molesters get off light?

[Sean Smith]

I've done some research on the internet (dangerous thing), and found that while the estimates vary alot, the average sentence for people found guilty of molesting children in the United States is solidly in the single digits.  This seems completely bizarre to me.  I can understand (not like, but understand) if there is a low conviciton rate for these crimes, because they might often be relying on the testimony of a traumatized child, which I imagine could be problematic.  

What I don't understand is how, once guilt is determined, these scumbags aren't put away for decades on end?  Actually, I'd prefer execution by slow torture, but I realize that isn't practical.  But I checked the local online sex offender database, and we're PAROLING guys who molested 8-year-olds, apprently becuase their 8 year sentence was TOO LONG.  What the hell?!?  

[Sean Smith]

Not scientific, but I've searched the Texas DPS sex offender database, and it seems like a large proportion of the registered sex offenders in my area guys who molested children 12 & under, and they all got single-digit sentences, even for aggrivated sexual assault on children with single-digit ages.  We aren't talking ambiguous "I thought she was 18, honest!" stuff here.  More like aggrivated sexual assault of a 7 year old girl only warranting a 4 year sentence + parole.

[TarpleyG]

Oh, just wait a few years and it'll be the social norm to bed young children, hetero or homo.  At the rate we're going I can't see how we will not end up there.

To answer your question--I do not know.  I do know that years ago something like this was most likely handled 'internally' by the family of the victim if you get my drift.  Maybe we should go back to that solution.

Greg

[Sean Smith]

Oh, just wait a few years and it'll be the social norm to bed young children, hetero or homo.  At the rate we're going I can't see how we will not end up there.

To answer your question--I do not know.  I do know that years ago something like this was most likely handled 'internally' by the family of the victim if you get my drift.  Maybe we should go back to that solution.

Greg

Vigilantism isn't really a practical alternative anymore, for better or worse.  And I think the more common response in the past was to punish the child or try to cover it up, to spare the family embarrassment.  That's what happened to my relatives who got molested, anyway.

I'm absolutely not endorsing it, but I'm a little surprised that nobody has used these online sex offender databases as a tool for finding child molesters... and killing them off.

[Guest]

Psychology perhaps.

My ex had a double Master's in Psych , and I guess went on to get her PhD. Last I heard she was still working for a Juvi facility. Example-

 A young girl stabs a relative with a pair of scissors because she finally gets tired of the incest. The mom "looks" the other way.  " Family matters are kept private, not released outside the family" .  Goes to trial.  So the girl is released and charges dropped - she then goes to live with family in another state. She was in fear and defended herself.

The "adults" - yes single digits time in the pokey. Early release due to overcrowding. The adults had a psychologits too - " These adult were abused as children, it is NOT their fault they sexually abused the child. They were only doing " learned behavior"  their parents "taught" them. Continues with poor childhood, no opportunities, and all sorts of "it was not the adults fault".

I was at the preceedings. Many folks kept looking at the trees, branches, and the mention of rope came up  a few times...

[P95Carry]

Lot of folks Steve have the last name ''Lynch'' .... but of course ''vigilantiism'' ain't approved of!

[Guest]

Well it seems Psych's are used for  "everything.  Jury selection, to finding out what packaging for kid's fast food meals, kid's cereal, the toy, how to get Geriatrics to spend money on - you name it.

No matter what - there is a "reason" and and everything is "explained and rationalized".  Sex offenders, are "excused" because it is not their fault. Go back far enough and deep enough and something can be found to excuse them. Time ( sentences) are short because the Psych "says"  the person has "served their time" in other ways already - they need no be punished further by being locked up - they need ....help".

*shrug*

[BillBlank]

1. Copping a plea bargain.
2. Seen as an "affliction" and therefore dogooders say that they must be cured. A lot of people here prescribe to the notion of personal responsibility and I'm one of them. Frankly, learned behaviour is a dubious concept at best. I don't beat my partner and nor do I molest minors, despite witnessing and experiencing both as a child, I'm just bitter and twisted and the dreams are horrible.  I do not say lynch them, that would be wrong, if deeply satisfying. Campaign and bombard your local representatives if you want harsher penalties, I do.

[larry_minn]

Sad to say I can see where age of concent dropped to 14 before long.  Or some thing along if age seperation less then 30yrs dropped to 12.  
  There seems to be so dang much incest nowdays.....  REally sad.

[garyk/nm]

My local county Sheriff has a 16 y/o wife and a 2 y/o daughter by her.
Oh, he's about 40.  Think he's going to make any under-age sex arrests? (and he just got re-elected!)

[Sean Smith]

sm,  blaming psychologists for everything is all well and good, but nobody is obligated to BELIEVE any of what they say... neither judges nor juries are obligated to go along with every bit of lame psychobabble thrown at them.  And of course there is the matter of people with psychological training helping to catch the bastards.  There are plenty of lame psych-based excuses used for everything, but juries don't routinely let people off the hook for other crimes based on them.  

Texas, after all, sends more people to death row than any other state, but at the same time is totally sissified when it comes to punishing child molesters.  Sodomizing small boys is about on par, punishment-wise, with growing some pot in your back yard.  Regardless of your stance on the "war on drugs," that is just moronic.  You can complain about the wussiness of the legal system in general, but there seems to be a colossal disconnect all the same when you talk about child sexual abuse.

[Sean Smith]

There seems to be so dang much incest nowdays.....  REally sad.

That's nothing new.  Jokes about rednecks chasing their sisters and first cousins have been around a long time.  Molesting girls with single-digit ages, not so much, though.

[Guest]

Sean,

I understand we cannot blame the Psych's, the Lawyers and such on Everything.  I have spent a lot of time in a courtroom as either a Juror, witness, or just observing. Folks today just flat out "baffle me".  I was foreman on a a brutal rape case. The "accused" was in a coat and tie, clean shaven.  I mean the ER pics of the victim , and her car were quite shocking and graphic.  We had 7 women and 5 men in this Jury. The Victim was 20 yrs old. Lady Juror ages ranged from 22 - 60 yrs of age. So one would "think"  this could represents a sister, a daughter to these ladies.  Honest to goodness, I like to have fell over when in deliberation " He is such a handsome young man [ the accused] I cannot believe he would do such a thing".  *WHAT!*  I mean we could see the scars ( one in particular where the girl had cut him but good with the hunting knife he pulled on her and while fighting best could).

We finally came to terms, and yep the fellow was sentenced - did not get what  we 5 guys and one lady ( the 22 y/o) thought he should have gotten.

Another Case - we flat lost out on that "accused" involving gang rape and kidnapping. ADA said they honestly did not have the time and money to focus on "this case".  I found out later the "accused" was up for a Murder charge. IN the meantime - out on bond - he worked in a very high dollar restaurant, he had a great attorney, this job would show "credibility and repsonsibility".

Sometimes It may just boil down to whom has the money to spent on the best defense.  I really don't understand  where Society gets some of the values and thinking they exhibit today.

Child molester is on the street - in your neighborhood.

Check gets lost in the mail because the ex moves and the daddy gets locked up for late alimony.

You got me.

[Wildalaska]

Keep in mind that only in the past 100 years or so, in Western Culture, was sexaul realtions with minors deemed a crime...

Sex with Michael Jackson would always be a crime no matter what the time period or culture. One should not have sex with things not human

WildjustanasideAlaska

[MicroBalrog]

Sad to say I can see where age of concent dropped to 14 before long.

I believe AoC is 14 in some rather civilized places, like Norway for one. Me? I think it's not such a bad idea as it might seem. Now, rape a 15-you amd I'' be personally getting the rope out.

Two problems exist with this.

1. On one hand, those people are often seen as mentally ill rather than fully responsible. Thus judges tend to be lenient. Is it right? I don't know. I think that if you find yourself unable to cope with the drive to do such things, you should have the moral decency to commit yourself.

I know a person who admitted to me that he is sometimes sexually attracted to. let's say, very young people. That person know such a thing would be immoral and illegal and does not bring his urges to fruition, knowing them to be, well, wrong. If said person would do otherwise, I believe that's when the law should go down on him/her like a wall of bricks.

[Sean Smith]

I believe AoC is 14 in some rather civilized places, like Norway for one.

And some states in the U.S. as well, at least under certain conditions.

http://www.ageofconsent.com/ageofconsent.htm

However, this is a distration from the topic, which is not the gray areas, but adults molesting <12-year-old children and getting laughable punishments for it.

[telewinz]

Sadly, it costs money to house inmates and it boils down to this equation;  child molester 20 years or murderer 20 years, more often than not you can't have both.  The budget for DOC is not a bottomless pit, tax payers say(80%) "lock them up for life" but their wallets remain silent.  Most have some degree of mental illness but its cheaper to house them in a prison rather than a mental ward.

BTW;  the facility where I work "specializes" in housing this type of offender.  Even convicted murderers and thieves hate and will kill them if given the chance.  Lawsuits prevent them from being housed together.

[Waitone]

I've too been researching child-molesters, -killers, amd -abusers.  It does seem to me the sentences are a bit lighter than I'd impose.  (Think crushing, unending, hopeless, no redemption, and so forth).

However, in my research I've determined that society is doing no favors to child-m,k,a's by sending them to prison.  Seems the species is on the bottom of the social totem pole and are subject to uncomfortable lifestyles (by prison standards) and that they are targets of other prisoners who resent the fact that they can see their own children so why be nice to someone who just killed, molested, or abused a child.  Matter of fact I'm hearing life in prison is downright brutal.

But then again, we are talking how the prison system deals with them, not how the judicial system disposes of them.

[Sean Smith]

I think alot of this "molesters get it in prison" line is over-stated and not backed up by much evidence.  I'm afraid it is just wishful thinking that the molester gets molested in prison.

[SteveS]

I work as a children's therapist and have treated hundreds of victims.  In many cases, they were molested by a family member or "family friend."  If you want to see short sentences, this is where they are the worst.  In many cases, they get probation and are mandated to attend counseling.  This always baffled me.  IMHO, someone that molests their own child, someone who is dependant on them for care, is especially despicable.  

If you want to place blame, look to the judges who hand out short sentences and the legislatures that establish the sentences.

[Guest]

Property crimes get much more time than crimes against people. Arson gets more than child molestation. B&E gets more than rape, etc.

[Matthew Carberry]

Are you sure the statistics are adjusted to remove the stat. rape offenders?  18 on 15, that sort of thing?

I would presume there would be much lower sentences for that sort of thing (in many cases just kids being stupid) that could skew the results of the "real" child molestation sentence numbers, which I again would assume to be a lower proportion of the total than the "Romeo and Juliet"-aged offenders.

[Guest]

There should be lower sentences for that, but I cannot think of a single convicted rapist case, 2nd degree or 1st degree, or child molester, who has gotten more than 5 years in prison. May be the area I live in, but I don't think so.

[Guest]

I just looked at the sentencing guidelines for Michigan and there should be harsher sentences for crimes against people, according to that. I don't see it happening, though.

I'm going to do some research and see what I come up with on this.

And don't get me started on drug convictions vs. assault convictions.

[MicroBalrog]

Are you sure the statistics are adjusted to remove the stat. rape offenders?  18 on 15, that sort of thing?

I would presume there would be much lower sentences for that sort of thing (in many cases just kids being stupid) that could skew the results of the "real" child molestation sentence numbers, which I again would assume to be a lower proportion of the total than the "Romeo and Juliet"-aged offenders.

Word.

Here's a story that happened here in the desert

In Israel, the age of consent is 16. Partial legal responsibility starts a bit earlier, 12 IIRC. Well, a certain 14-yo youngster was visiting his equally aged girlfriend at her place. Being that her parents were on vacation, he got himself a bright idea and, er, one thing led to the other. After her parents returned home, the boy was arrested and convicted for statutory rape [Israel has neither juries nor nullification, if you're guilty according to the facts of the law, you're guilty, no discretion, no sanity]. Verdict Three months of juvenile imprisonment. Prohibited to enter IDF combat units.

The girl, of the same age as him, was not charged.

Technically, he's in Israel's child molestation statistics. :-)