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we can't convict someone for what they may do.. if we start doing that.. the entire population would be on death row.
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My opinion on the matter resolves to that. I'm a strong believer in forgive and forget, and continuing to prosecute (persecute?) someone for previous actions after they've made amends reeks of revenge and not rehabilitation. Violent sex crimes and sex crimes against minors ARE heinous crimes, but I think that their punishment should be clearly laid out, served, and forgiven. This is our establishment for every crime I can think of; why are 'sex crimes' different? Should we prevent people convinced of accidental vehicular manslaughter from ever driving, in the possibility that they'll recommit?
When I was doing research earlier, I came upon a post on someone's blog somewhere in cyberspace, and the person had very valid points:
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Originally Posted by some random person on some webpage somewhere
Hysteria is a funny thing - easy to start but difficult to quell. A common myth about sex offenders are that all these people commit act against children. Of all sex offenders, pedophiles are statistically a minor group. Another common myth is that of recidivism. A recent national study used by the State of New Jersey Dept. of Corrections quoted the recidivism rate of all sex offenders at 8 - 18%.
By contrast, thieves reoffend at a rate of approximately 40%. Murderers also reoffend at a much higher rate than sex offenders. Rape 'victims' recant at a rate up to 50% (meaning THEY LIED), and those are just the ones that admit they lied. Who wants to do that?
Non violent offenders RARELY reoffend, regardless of their sentence (incarceration versus probation).
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When reckless drivers, drunks (DUIs), wife-beaters, bigots and child abusers are prevented from living near the rest of us, then there will be equity.
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