kbl--As I said, I agree. At the time, I was just glad to be done (or so I thought) and to have the validation of the convictions. Trust me, I did lie in bed and think "one day per child"? It didn't jive with the comments the judge made or the seriousness of the convictions. I think that the judge truly thought that this teen would work with the treatment plan (and our family had already been very clear that that was what we wanted).
At the time, I had no idea that the teen was actually a pedophile (or what a pedophile really was) and would surely keep re-offending. I've researched a lot and learned a lot in the last 12 years. If I knew then what I know now, I probably wouldn't have been so accepting.
The bottom line is that the judge threatened the teen with lock-up and he made good on it. He gave him a little more than three months to admit and go through his polygraphs (which he failed). Then, the judge essentially said, "OK, outta the pool."
Had it been my son, you can be sure he'd have been working off his butt in treatment and family-designed community service (I'm good at that!!). There's something not right in that family, however, IMO, and the teen was supported strongly in his denial (and still is). He made no progress whatsoever and the judge jailed him. He had years while he was sitting in the OYA to work on treatment, but he never did.
I want you to know that I now recognize the importance of long sentences. That's why I'm here, in many ways. When I linked up with Crime Victims United, I made it very clear that my politics were as liberal as they get but I'm tough on crime and conservative with my parenting.
This will probably knock your socks off and is a never ending sense of hilarity to my friends and family but I've been on the Lars Larson show. Hard to believe, if you know Lars. He was actually very kind and gentle with me even if he did refer to my "hippie political leanings". That should show you just how far I'll go to change the laws that protect victims!! I'm far more comfortable in a Senate Committee room or hugging a tree.
http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070605/NEWS/706050316/-1/rss01
I want people to know how the victims/survivors experience this system. It's been a steep learning curve from the very first day, let me tell you.
PS And if you tease me about Lars, I won't answer. I'll flat out ignore the post. LOL