Oklahoma’s Department of Public Safety was ordered by legislation to begin the process on November 1, 2007. [See top section of p.20] This is one practice that while well-intentioned could have what could have unintended consequences. Under our system of juris prudence, while there are consequences for violations of the law, once a sentence has been served the convicted person should not be further punished. It may be just a matter of degree, but I foresee serious bodily harm, up to and including death, being perpetrated on sex offenders having to show their identification in some situations. We do not officially sanction the use of beating & torture or execution for sex crimes.
In 1991, children 12 years old and under committed 35 murders and nearly 5000 aggravated assaults. Six of the murders and more than 1000 of the assaults were by children under the age of 10. ( ) Now you may think those numbers aren’t very significant but what if it happened to your child or in your neighborhood. You would want to know that something was being done about
Sex Offenders Should Be Monitored Thousands of people are sexually abused every year, but “fewer than five percent of sex offenders are ever apprehended” (Salter2). Contrary to popular belief, sexual offenders are highly intelligent. Many have been known to premeditate and to use deceptive techniques to get what they want. So, how is anyone supposed to really know if sex offenders are civil enough to be in society with no supervision? Sexual offenders should be monitored for the rest of their lives because statistics show that they are likely to repeat their first offense, to ensure the safety of society, and there are alternative treatments.
For example, relating in a way and communicating with a victim that was raped, beaten, or neglected. It is important for the advocate to know how to act towards each victim of any type of crime. It is vital that victim advocates are great listeners. When something bad happens to an individual they don't want to feel like they are talking to someone who doesn't care. The victim want and need to feel like they are safe.
Abuse in the Family: The role of religion. In A.L. Horton & J.A. Williams, Abuse and religion: When praying isn’t enough. (pp.
Abuse and neglect in the home is a leading cause of death for children age 4 and younger. Most physical abuse fatalities are committed by fathers and other male caretakers, although the great majority of parenting and child abuse prevention programs are targeted to women. Family violence is strongly correlated with child abuse fatalities; about 50 percent of homes with adult violence also involve child abuse and neglect. The pathology spills over class and economic condition. The cycle of abuse is difficult to interrupt; abused children often, as adults, become abusers themselves.
For example, in the article “Should All Convicted Sex Offenders Be Required to Register?” by Josh Farley, the sex offender here was required to register as one for the sexual/mutual relationship he had with a minor while in his 30s. Okay, the child was under 18, but he is not to blame for a sexual relationship that both parties agreed to at the time. I hate to say it, but unfortunately a lot of children make these “grown-up” decisions without understanding the consequences, and to get them out of “trouble” they blame the “other guy”, which in most cases, like this one, the “other guy” is the one who pays because of what laws state. Even though the child knew what was going on and wanted to engage in a sexual relationship with this man, the adult gets charged because the child didn’t want to take responsibility so they used the easy way out and played victim. Of course one may argue, she was 15 and didn’t know what she was doing.
The article expounds on some key statistics that suggest that young people are 36 more times to commit suicide in an adult prison than a juvenile facility. It also speaks to the outcome of young people who survive an adult facility. They return to society as damaged and dangerous people and are more likely to commit violent crimes and add to the recidivism rate. This article reinforces my opinion and advocates my stance on children in jails with adults. A quote from the article that puts it in perspective says, “The rush to criminalize children has set the country on a dangerous path.
Guilty or Not Guilty Imagine two high school lovers; one of them is sixteen and one of them in eighteen. They engage in sexual activity, not really knowing the consequences that the law has against that. One of the parents finds out and reports him to the police station saying that her daughter was raped, knowing that she consensually agreed to have sex with him. The court holds a trial for him and is then found guilty of statutory rape. He is now twenty five years old and happily married to his high school sweetheart, whose mother convicted him of rape.
Each year, an estimated 3 to 10 million children witness assaults against a parent by an intimate partner. (Straus, 1992) Domestic violence does not discriminate across lines of race, culture, nationality or gender. It occurs at the same rate in both homosexual and heterosexual relationships (Mills et al., 2000). The experience of family violence can be among the most disturbing for children because both victims and aggressors are the adults who care for them and who are most closely attached to them. For many of these children, violence interrupts their experience of consistent safety and care, and creates an environment of uncertainty and helplessness.