THE PENALTY for the sexual abuse of children should not be increased simply because the belief with little verification that a harsh penalty will dissuade child sex offenders from their crimes is commonly held.
This misconception is strengthened by psychologists who practise puerile psychology and believe that all sex offenders are mentally 'sick' persons.
Believing that all behaviours can be explained by or corrected through behaviour, they overlook morality and genetics as a possible set of influences, hence the prescription that therapy or long imprisonment will rehabilitate criminals. It must be no surprise that this prescription has not worked, since the diagnosis was incorrect.
A new turn
The punishment of and remedy for sex offenders must take a scientific turn instead of increasing the punishment. It should not be left in the hands of counsellors, but should be placed in the test tubes of scientists and in the syringes of doctors. Why? Because crimes are more genetically motivated than we know or are willing to accept.
In the same way, I am often moved by a force to pen a poem when my rational mind wishes not to, in this same way, a sex offender may be overpowered by an unfathomable impulse to sexually abuse children.
I must not be misunderstood to be saying child sex offenders are born, because they are not. However, I do believe that babies are born genetically wired with the inclination to be, or do certain things. The child sexual offender may be as pathological as a compulsive liar or the impulsive poet. If genetics increases the probability for some people to do 'wrongs' it should be our duty to help them.
With the acceptance of this possibility, we must accept that even the worst sex offender is capable of change and deserves a second chance. And since sexual offenders who go to jail when released generally commit more heinous crimes, this shows the weakness of the retributive punishment of the jail system that eventually works against us. Besides, most punishments carried out on criminals are simply a cathartic response to the crime they have committed and give them an undue control over our emotions and our ability to be as rational as possible.
Meeting
society's needs
The penalty for the sexual abuse of children should not be increased. Punishments should be regulated to meet the different needs of society. For instance, some of these child sex offenders could be placed in secure clinics where they could be chemically castrated (a lowering of testosterone level) which lowers aggression and sex drive. This must be done with the help of medical doctors, not merely psychologists or 'gurus.
GFK thethornbird_gang@
hotmail.com
