Hot Topic (9/25): Should sex-offenders be held even after they serve their time?

[Cafe GroupAdmin]

 

Massive amount of child porn found at McNeil Island facility

Seven sex predators charged

By LEVI PULKKINEN
SEATTLEPI.COM STAFF

STEILACOOM -- Hoping to "send a message" to sexual predators housed on McNeil Island, federal authorities have issued indictments against seven offenders at the state-run facility accused of possessing thousands of sexually explicit photos of children.

Authorities allege that seven convicted sex offenders confined by court order at the Department of Social and Health Services-run Special Commitment Center had been caught with child pornography loaded on their personal computers since the investigation was launched in 2005. Most of the men were found in possession of hundreds of such files; one man, federal prosecutors claim, had thousands of images.

Each of the men accused -- including three convicted of sex crimes in King County -- had been indefinitely confined at the island facility after completing prison sentences for their crimes. Under state law, prosecutors can ask that offenders found to be sexually violent predators be held until state evaluators deem them fit for release; 276 men remain confined on the island, while 16 have been placed in less restrictive settings.

U.S. Attorney for Western Washington Jeffery Sullivan announced the fruits of the investigation Thursday alongside the superintendant of the Special Commitment Center, Kelly Cunningham.

"I was asked by someone, 'Why is the federal government doing this? All these men are confined indefinitely,'" Sullivan said. "The answer is simple: Child pornography is sexual exploitation of children."

Investigators have yet to determine how the pornography came to be smuggled to the McNeil Island facility, Sullivan said.

Pursuant to a court order, offenders on the island are allowed computers while being denied access to the Internet. Sullivan said some of the material was likely hand-delivered or sent by mail.

Asked whether the new allegations undercut claims that sex predators can be rehabilitated, Cunningham noted that three offenders have been found suitable to be freed into the community. Candidly, though, he said the charges were not a surprise.

"Some of the individuals aren't serious about their treatment," Cunningham said. "Some of them aren't serious about getting out."

Created by the state Legislature in 1990 following several notorious sex crimes by recently released offenders, the Special Commitment Center faced constitutional challenge almost immediately after its formation. A federal jury and, on several occasions, U.S. District Judge William Dwyer found that the state wasn't providing sufficient treatment to offenders on at the facility. Instead, attorneys for the offenders successfully argued, the state was using the center simply to keep criminals who had served their time incarcerated.

Under court order, state authorities modified the program to include additional treatment and real opportunities for release. The federal supervision was dropped in March 2007 when a federal judge found the center no longer ran afoul of the Constitution.

Speaking Thursday, Cunningham said several court-imposed restrictions -- such as the requirement that offenders be allowed computers, and that their mail not be opened -- have hampered the ability of staff at the site to look for contraband.

"I feel it's a big problem for the institution," he said. "We don't have much discretion as it stands right now."

Four of the men currently accused saw their computers seized in the past year, one as recently as July. Thursday's indictments follow charges against three other residents of the facility, two of whom were accused of possessing child pornography.

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What do you think about these sort of "Special Commitment Centers" where notorious sex offenders can be held after serving their sentences?   Do you think its unconstitutional to hold people after they serve their time?

Does the requirement that offenders be allowed computers (but not internet) and that their mail not be opened seem reasonable to you?

How should serial sex offenders be treated?

 

[athenax3]

I think those convicted of raping or molesting young children should be executed. I do not believe in rehabilitation for them, nor do I think they deserve a second chance. There are no second chances for the children they've raped-

Honestly, I don't care if it's unconstitutional, unchristian like, or anything else, they deserve whatever treatment they get- I have no compassion, sympathy nor concern for child predators- they can keep them locked in a refridgerator indefinitely for all I care.

And they should not be allowed to even have access to computers at all, at any time.

[angie2719]

Quoting athenax3:

I think those convicted of raping or molesting young children should be executed. I do not believe in rehabilitation for them, nor do I think they deserve a second chance. There are no second chances for the children they've raped-

Honestly, I don't care if it's unconstitutional, unchristian like, or anything else, they deserve whatever treatment they get- I have no compassion, sympathy nor concern for child predators- they can keep them locked in a refridgerator indefinitely for all I care.

And they should not be allowed to even have access to computers at all, at any time.

I agree with you!!!!!

[chaitea_mom]

Quoting athenax3:

I think those convicted of raping or molesting young children should be executed. I do not believe in rehabilitation for them, nor do I think they deserve a second chance. There are no second chances for the children they've raped-

Honestly, I don't care if it's unconstitutional, unchristian like, or anything else, they deserve whatever treatment they get- I have no compassion, sympathy nor concern for child predators- they can keep them locked in a refridgerator indefinitely for all I care.

And they should not be allowed to even have access to computers at all, at any time.

ITA and I wish they had more of these "islands".

[TeenerBeener75]

My daughter was molested at 4 years of age, and the offender was sentenced to 38 years in prison.  I don't know what I will do when he gets out, although I don't think he will.  I don't like the thought of sex offenders being out in public...even though there are extreme degrees.

 

[showmeborn]

Quoting athenax3:

I think those convicted of raping or molesting young children should be executed. I do not believe in rehabilitation for them, nor do I think they deserve a second chance. There are no second chances for the children they've raped-

Honestly, I don't care if it's unconstitutional, unchristian like, or anything else, they deserve whatever treatment they get- I have no compassion, sympathy nor concern for child predators- they can keep them locked in a refridgerator indefinitely for all I care.

And they should not be allowed to even have access to computers at all, at any time.

I disagree. I think they should be castrated! If they can't use their stuff right they have no business having it! Not just the testicles, no, cut everything off and make them pee out of a bag! Then they need to live life like that!

My ex father in law was a prison guard a long time ago. He said when a child molester would come into the prison they would put him with the biggest, gayest man in the prison, and ignore the screams! 

[luckcharm]

Quoting showmeborn:

 

Quoting athenax3:

I think those convicted of raping or molesting young children should be executed. I do not believe in rehabilitation for them, nor do I think they deserve a second chance. There are no second chances for the children they've raped-

Honestly, I don't care if it's unconstitutional, unchristian like, or anything else, they deserve whatever treatment they get- I have no compassion, sympathy nor concern for child predators- they can keep them locked in a refridgerator indefinitely for all I care.

And they should not be allowed to even have access to computers at all, at any time.

I disagree. I think they should be castrated! If they can't use their stuff right they have no business having it! Not just the testicles, no, cut everything off and make them pee out of a bag! Then they need to live life like that!

My ex father in law was a prison guard a long time ago. He said when a child molester would come into the prison they would put him with the biggest, gayest man in the prison, and ignore the screams! 

Not all child predators have sex with the child... some of them film others with the children or things along those lines.   Castration would only stop one "type" of predator.

[luckcharm]

 

What do you think about these sort of "Special Commitment Centers" where notorious sex offenders can be held after serving their sentences? I think it is a good idea 

Do you think its unconstitutional to hold people after they serve their time?  No,  I don't think it is unconstitutional.   A lot of people when getting out of jail are moved to halfway houses or rehab or something along those lines.  I don't see it as being any different from that.

Does the requirement that offenders be allowed computers (but not internet) and that their mail not be opened seem reasonable to you?  I think not allowing them access to the internet is a good move and think that their mail should be screened.   These people are their to be taught to enter main stream world again.  If you can't judge how they are reacting with the main stream world through letters it makes it harder to know if they are progressing to that point.

How should serial sex offenders be treated?

I think a serial sex offender should be permanently locked up.  I don't believe they should ever be let out.    If we are talking about SERIAL sex offenders then those are offenders who have repeatedly done this and their will be no changing who they are.    But,  it would need to be an actual sex offender,  not those people who are the list because they paid a prostitute or paraded around nude or something like that.

 

[Angelina859]

Quoting athenax3:

I think those convicted of raping or molesting young children should be executed. I do not believe in rehabilitation for them, nor do I think they deserve a second chance. There are no second chances for the children they've raped-

Honestly, I don't care if it's unconstitutional, unchristian like, or anything else, they deserve whatever treatment they get- I have no compassion, sympathy nor concern for child predators- they can keep them locked in a refridgerator indefinitely for all I care.

And they should not be allowed to even have access to computers at all, at any time.

Amen

As for access to computers, let's put heavy protection locks on them..like the kinds they use in elementary schools so they're limited as to what they can do. Perhaps no internet at all.

[la_bella_vita]

Quoting athenax3:

I think those convicted of raping or molesting young children should be executed. I do not believe in rehabilitation for them, nor do I think they deserve a second chance. There are no second chances for the children they've raped-

Honestly, I don't care if it's unconstitutional, unchristian like, or anything else, they deserve whatever treatment they get- I have no compassion, sympathy nor concern for child predators- they can keep them locked in a refridgerator indefinitely for all I care.

And they should not be allowed to even have access to computers at all, at any time.

I agree

[StephAnne04]

Ok this topic has always been hard for me.

As a mother, I agree with the rest of you. If someone touched my little girl I would kill. There would be no compassion.

As someone who is studying psychology...well that's different.

In some of these cases, its their brain. They can't help it. The urges are there. Now does this excuse them from actually touching or molesting children? HELL NO. But if they can find some way to control themselves, then yes I could see rehabilitation. I would put restrictions on them, though. Like they couldn't be anywhere around children. But them in the woods or something.

However, when people like this act on their urges, thats different. They should be punished just like any other criminal. When you encroach on anyone person's (especially a CHILD's) rights, then there's a problem.

I don't know. I'm on the fence on this one honestly.