Fri, 16 Feb 2018

Treatment Programs


According to the United States Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2.5% of freed rapists were arrested for the same category offense. This figure pales in comparison with the 13.4% of released robbers. Furthermore, research also shows that the treatment programs done in prison reduce such figures even more by 15%. While post-prison programs reduce it by 30%.



Life Outside Bars for Sex Offenders


The sentence for sex offenders does not stop after getting released. A sex offender is required to register in the sex offender database for a certain period of time depending on the offense they have committed. Certain restrictions are given for released sex offenders after they are released. Some of these restrictions are:

  • No contact with any victims:
    This is pretty obvious, even for other offenses.

  • No contact with any minors:
    Because minors are more susceptible to undue influence and force, minors are not allowed to be let alone or near sex offenders. Minors are the usual prey of sex offenders.

  • No alcohol-use:
    Alcohol facilitates sex offenses. It can cause arousal in a lot of men. Because of this, sex offenders are prohibited from drinking any type of alcohol after their release. Furthermore, alcohol removes any inhibitions of a person. It makes a person bolder which could lead to the commission of a crime.

  • No drug-use:
    Drugs work pretty much like alcohol. It is understandable to prohibit its use among sex offenders.

  • No access to the internet:
    Sex offenders cannot have access to the internet. Moreover, they cannot even own computers, as per the Washington State Department of Corrections. It may seem medieval however, it will lessen the chances of a sex offender to find preys on any victims online.

  • Restrictions with regard to movement across the state:
    In states like Wisconsin, sex offenders are required to wear a GPS tracker. Some states impose that the sex offenders wear it for the rest of their lives. It may seem like an efficient way to keep them in check, however, these devices can become such nuisance for them.

    In a study conducted by the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism, some of these devices are faulty. They often transmit wrong signals which can cause the offender to be sent back to jail. One former sex offender said that he is even afraid to go into his bathroom in fears that the GPS tracker might send off the wrong signals. He is afraid that the police might show up on his door any moment.

    photo - offenders

  • Restrictions with even where they are allowed to live and work:
    Aside from restrictions with regard to movement, offenders can also have a difficult time to find a place to live and work. Sex offenders have to comply with very stringent residency requirements. For example, the state of California prohibits people with sex offenses cannot reside in any place 2,000 feet from schools and parks.

    Another example is the residency requirement in the state of Georgia. Sex offenders cannot live 1,000 feet from any place "where minors congregate".

    With such strict requirements, sex offenders find it hard to look for a place to live and/or work.

  • Undergo lie detector tests:
    A former sex offender also has to undergo polygraph tests every now and then. Through this test, it would be easier for authorities to find out if the offender has sexually harassed anyone again. However, some question this. Polygraph tests or lie detector tests are not always accurate. It is also rather easy to cheat.

    In fact, a case involving an Indiana Little League coach showed how the coach taught around a hundred people how to cheat on said test. Among the 100 were nine (9) sex offenders.

  • Disclose their criminal record to their new partners: In the state of Washington, former sex offenders are legally enforced to disclose to their partners their criminal records and sexual histories before having sex for the first time. Furthermore, they also have to brief their parole officers with regard to their romantic relationships.

  • Chemical Castration: Chemical Castration is the process wherein the libido of a person is reduced through the use of chemicals. Unlike surgical castration, it does not involve any removal of sexual organs. Neither is it a form of sterilization.

    The usual drugs used for chemical castration are Bicalutamide, Degarelix, Estrogen, Flutamide, Goserelin, Histrelin Acetate, Ketoconazole, Ketoconazole, Medroxyprogesterone, Nilutamide and Triptorelin.

    Some of the side effects a man who underwent chemical castration are the following: reduced sex drive, reduced sexual arousal, and reduced sexual fantasies. Some also experience gynecomastia or enlargement the mammary glands. Long term exposure can potentially cause osteoporosis and cardiovascular diseases.

    For women, the sexual effects are the same. But it can also deflate the breasts and enlarge the size of the nipples. Aside from that, it can discolor the lips, reduce muscle mass, reduce body hair and shrink bone mass.

    It is a very radical requirement for sexual offenders. It was first adopted in California in 1996. It was imposed as one of the punishments for child molesters. Aside from California, seven (7) other states are also considering of enforcing it. The said states are the following: Wisconsin, Texas, Oregon, Montana, Louisiana, Iowa and Georgia.


Sex Offenders Have It Hard


Individuals who had had trouble with the law usually have it hard even after serving time in prison. Sex offenders, especially, have it harder. The State puts a lot of effort in ensuring the safety of its citizens, this includes the offender. It also takes into consideration the safety and reformation of the sex offender.



Read:
In Alabama Sex Toys Can Lead You to Jail
The Strangest Sex Laws in the USA
Criminal Records Can Keep People Unemployed for Life
Decreasing Crime Rate in the United States
Crime In The United States vs Other Countries
People Search And Criminal Records
Find People's Criminal History
Searching For Crime Rates The Right Way
Nearly 70 million Americans Have A Criminal Record
"I Plead the Fifth" - The Right to Remain Silent