Where are All the Sexual Predators Coming From?
The LA Times recently reported on the explosion of sex offenders in California. The list keeps expanding, but the list of those assigned to deal with these offenders is actually shrinking. A study in December reported about 20,000 sex offenders on parole in California alone showed about 9% with a "high risk of re-offending." Worse, there were 45,000 on the state registry in 1994, but today it's ballooned to 90,000 - the size of a small city. My question is, where are these people coming from?
Is it media coverage? I don't know. Because of budget cuts, California has been cutting back on officers assigned to monitor their activities on the outside. So I doubt it's just better enforcement because those doing the enforcing are shrinking. I'm wondering what it is about our culture that's causing sex crimes to literally explode. Could it be the tidal wave of free, easy to access online porn that available to everyone including kids? Or the easy to access porn on cable TV or the local video rental store?
Or how sexual most of television and general advertising has become? When I was a kid, finding pin-up shots was tough. I remember the Saturday my best friend got caught by his mother while he was trying to buy a Playboy at a drug store. And that stuff was tame by today's standards. It doesn't take a prude or a conservative to believe the mainstreaming of pornography will continue to have catastrophic effects on future generations.
What do you think?
You are absolutely right, Phil. During my teenage years I found myself addicted to that stuff and it still affects me today-in ways that I couldn't even begin to express publicly. Porn is an epidemic that at this point will never be stopped. We can only train our kids at home of the dangers and pray for God's protection.
Well a huge part of it has to do with isolationism on the internet, I think. I know 'cybersex' and even internet stalkers have somewhat waned away, but the secrecy and ease of becoming totally consumed by this stuff in private lives is enormous. People are not held accountable to a typical, balanced lifestyle. Porn, online sexual fantasies, etc. can be fulfilled to such an extent I think people act out in ways that they honestly believe is acceptable in their minds. They are never confronted with reality until it is too late.
Brokenness in sexuality often leads to perpetrators of sex-related crimes. That brokenness is typically a result of unmet needs (care, closeness, protection) in childhood... and heaven knows with every generation we are seeing fewer healthy two-parent families who sacrifice for their kids.
Crimes should have consequences, no question of that. Imho, the lack of fathers is a big part of the answer to your question.
It keeps NBC's Chris Hansen in business doing those "To Catch a Predator" episodes of Dateline.
What is REALLY sad is when the perps being arrested said, "Oh yeah, I thought he looked familiar. I watch that show."
Should be a weekly series, IMHO...
--Within this veil of toil and sin My head grows bald but not my chin http://blog.dwacon.com
They come from a numbr of places. But I know for sure lots of these guys do time and never receive any type of psychological counseling. Thus the cycle is never broken. I wrote a blog called Modern Day lepers Few weeks ago after I heard a story bout sex offenders being forced to live in tents by the beach. Read it if you get a chance: http://makeyourslikemine.blogspot.com
I agree with the responses thus far and would like to add that in most states "sexual offender" is a broad term used by the states,public and some media that can apply to males and females convicted of any kind of sex related crime--there are varying degrees. Not all of the acts are of an addictive nature and certianly not all involve children. Media on multiple levels is inundated with sex, you can't even watch a commercial without a 'sexy' woman laying all over the car etc. We are in a "If it feels good do it and anything goes" society where moral decline is a buzzword. California has bene highlightede in recent news, it would be interesting to see where other states fall in relation to this. No matter where you live an offender may be your neighbor.
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