megladon8
07-17-2008, 12:32 PM
I'll try to make the story fairly brief, so we can get to discussion...
So, a man from a town not too far outside Ottawa was arrested and convicted for sexually assaulting a 16 year old girl.
He served his full jail sentence (not sure exactly how long it was), then spent more than a year in a psychiatric hospital, until he was deemed fit to re-enter society. He also agreed to continue undergoing regular psychiatric care.
However, when he tried to re-enter society by moving into another small town, the media made a huge frenzy, and he was practically chased out of town by angry citizens.
Now he is trying to move into Ottawa, and the same thing is happening. All day today at work, the newscasts were reporting:
-His full name
-The address he is planning to move into
-The place he will be working
And in the newspapers, they are showing pictures of him.
Now, let me preface this by saying that I understand the horrors of sex crimes, and I know that this is a crime which can ruin the life of a child, woman, family and friends forever. I also understand that, of all crimes, sex crimes tend to have the most repeat offenders.
But...
In my most humble opinion, if the man is not already a repeat offender, since he completed his jail time and psychiatric care, isn't this the point where society is supposed to forgive him?
The way I always understood it, isn't the whole point of a finite jail sentence that, when you come out the door after serving your time, you have paid your debt? You are forgiven in the eyes of society and the law?
I fully endorse that these people should have "tabs" kept on them by the law, and close attention paid...but isn't reporting their full name, address and place of work going too far?
I think it is wrong that we are so unwilling to accept someone who is genuinely trying to change/has changed.
So, a man from a town not too far outside Ottawa was arrested and convicted for sexually assaulting a 16 year old girl.
He served his full jail sentence (not sure exactly how long it was), then spent more than a year in a psychiatric hospital, until he was deemed fit to re-enter society. He also agreed to continue undergoing regular psychiatric care.
However, when he tried to re-enter society by moving into another small town, the media made a huge frenzy, and he was practically chased out of town by angry citizens.
Now he is trying to move into Ottawa, and the same thing is happening. All day today at work, the newscasts were reporting:
-His full name
-The address he is planning to move into
-The place he will be working
And in the newspapers, they are showing pictures of him.
Now, let me preface this by saying that I understand the horrors of sex crimes, and I know that this is a crime which can ruin the life of a child, woman, family and friends forever. I also understand that, of all crimes, sex crimes tend to have the most repeat offenders.
But...
In my most humble opinion, if the man is not already a repeat offender, since he completed his jail time and psychiatric care, isn't this the point where society is supposed to forgive him?
The way I always understood it, isn't the whole point of a finite jail sentence that, when you come out the door after serving your time, you have paid your debt? You are forgiven in the eyes of society and the law?
I fully endorse that these people should have "tabs" kept on them by the law, and close attention paid...but isn't reporting their full name, address and place of work going too far?
I think it is wrong that we are so unwilling to accept someone who is genuinely trying to change/has changed.