Sex offenders attack women and are not just regular criminals

Sex offenders should not be treated like other criminals, suggests Stephen Hume of the Vancouver Sun. This is because bank robbers and fraud artists do not set out to hurt their victims as sex offenders do. He spells it out perfectly:  “The way current  law responds to violent sexual assaults – graduating penalties according to perceived severity which seems mired in the 19th century notion that equated women with property damaged in the offense – provides inadequate options for the protection of the public, by which we mean women and children.” He suggests (and I agree) that rather than viewing them as criminals (who need jail terms) we might need to treat them as people with incurable mental disorders or as dangerous offenders. This way they are not out on the streets after getting out of jail, as many are.

Sadly. (Source: Vancouver Sun 5 December, 2011) http://www.vancouversun.com

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