[Vision2020] Sitler case

Saundra Lund sslund at roadrunner.com
Sun Jul 1 15:26:58 PDT 2007


Hi Ellen,

I couldn't agree with you more!!!  I was absolutely *horrified* when I found
out that convicted & incarcerated sex offenders (not just pedophiles but
also rapists, etc) are let out unsupervised to get themselves to & from
"treatment."

I don't know about other states, but Rep. Trail informed me that this
practice happens throughout Idaho.  If I correctly understand (and someone
please correct me if I'm wrong), it happens because "treatment" or "therapy"
or whatever you want to call it is ordered as a part of the sentencing.
Thus, our law enforcement/detention personnel have no choice but to follow
the sentencing order.

Sunil, I think, presented the argument that since these offenders will
eventually make it back out into society, he thinks it's a good thing that
treatment starts while the offenders are incarcerated.

And, I can't say that I disagree with his argument, although I have *grave*
reservations about the effectiveness of treatment for serial pedophiles.

HOWEVER, I absolutely reject any notion that *incarcerated* sex offenders
should be released from jail unsupervised to get themselves to and from
treatment.

I don't know why more of us aren't aware of this aspect of sentencing in
Idaho -- speaking for myself, this is the kind of knowledge I think we all
need to have so the practice can be CHANGED.  I think those who work in The
System are probably shocked when they first learn of the practice, but then
I suppose they become used to it and perhaps assume that everyone knows
about it.

Perhaps there's some paternalism present within The System that thinks that
what we don't know won't hurt us, but I disagree.  On the one hand, I guess
there haven't been any major *known* problems to date (I don't know how long
the practice has been ongoing), but on the other hand, I think the potential
incredibly dire consequences of the practice far outweigh any perceived
benefit.  Plus, I have to add I'm a *lot* less confident of the CJ system
after learning that Sitler's residence with its close proximity not only to
a park but also to a daycare full of Sitler's "victims of choice" was a
residence apparently "approved" in ignorance  :-(  

As for why this practice isn't reported by the newspapers locally, I don't
know, but it's a d*mn shame journalism in this area has become *so
pathetic*!  I think I mentioned that the Daily News used to publish a couple
of times a year (IIRC) photos, addresses, & offenses of convicted sex
offenders.  I don't know why they stopped providing that valuable public
service, but I suppose we shouldn't be surprised given the disappointing
overall decline in quality of the newspaper.

Paul Rumelhart, I think, wrote:
"The system may be broken, but it's the system we have."

Clearly, it's the system we currently have, but as citizens, I think we have
an *obligation* to fix the breaks in the system we become aware of.  If
nothing else, the Steven James Sitler case has brought to light several
breaks in the system that *must* be fixed!


Saundra Lund
Moscow, ID

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do
nothing.
- Edmund Burke

***** Original material contained herein is Copyright 2007 through life plus
70 years, Saundra Lund.  Do not copy, forward, excerpt, or reproduce outside
the Vision 2020 forum without the express written permission of the
author.*****


-----Original Message-----
From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com [mailto:vision2020-bounces at moscow.com]
On Behalf Of Ellen Roskovich
Sent: Sunday, July 01, 2007 1:53 PM
To: vision2020 at moscow.com
Subject: [Vision2020] Sitler case

There are many little aspects of the Sitler case that have bothered me for
over a year now.  And since his release, he certainly hasn't had a stellar
track record what with finding himself back in court on a probation
violation within a matter of weeks.  This is the guy who was allowed out of
jail several times a week, unsupervised, to travel in his own vehicle to
other communities, in order to get therapy. 
 
This is not just about Sitler, either.  It bothers me that this form of
punishment, treatment, whatever it is, could be common practice all over. .
.this community,  this state, other states, do we even know?  It bothers me
that people are not aware that this is common practice in at least this
area.  I've had friends shocked when I've mentioned this to them.  It isn't
a well known fact, and this forum is the only place I've seen it mentioned
at all.  Why aren't those in charge letting the public know through various
forms of media?  At least parents could show their kids a picture. . . if
there was one.  In Sitler's case there wasn't even a picture. . . he was
just set loose. I find all of this very unsettling.
 
And this latest escapade of voyeurism creeps me out.  The binoculars prove
that he planned this out before executing the deed.  He was prepared.
 
Ellen A. Roskovich
 
 

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