[Vision2020] A personal invitation to Mr. Schwaller

Tue May 29 19:51:43 PDT 2007

Here's where Crabtree and I might agree:

There ought be a website in the county (perhaps, pages in the county or city website) showing a map pinpointing all the locations where all convicted child sex offenders live.  By clicking on each noted point, those interested could pull up the exact address, a photo, a catalog of there offenses (omitting victim names).

The DN and LMT could run similar information each time an offender moves into the area or changes location within the county.

Do such seems like a simple, inexpensive way to help give parents information so that they can protect their children.

On the other hand I am sure that Crabtree knows why Sitler and Wilson are getting extra attention.  If not, he can start here:
http://www.tomandrodna.com/CR_2005_02027/
by reading the letter from the Cultmaster and then the plea agreement.

And then consider:

I am glad that the Daily News has finally decided to pay some attention to the Sitler case other than their previously published whines of Douglas Wilson and Roy Atwood about the harm to NSA and other facets of the Christless Church Cult without a word of the effect on the real victims, the children who were the psychically mutilated objects of Sitler's debauchery.

It is too bad, however, that the Daily News did not publish legitimate, timely, and relevant news about Sitler's case while it was under adjudication.  Public opinion may have changed the outcome and may have made further tragedies more unlikely.

The article in last weekend's edition contained some excellent information about the effects of lax sentencing in cases of pedophilia.  I cite it below my signature for your renewed consideration.

The was another piece of information that was disturbing and angering in the news article:

'[Prosecutor William] Thompson said every sentence is unique, but "the majority (of sex offenders) go into probation right off the bat."' 
Citizens of Latah County have a legitimate expectation that the locally elected prosecutor and other public officials be a little more concerned about the community and its children than doing what others do.  Thompson's statement attempting to justify his role in the Sitler case is of the "Monkey see, monkey do" mentality.  Justifying just behavior because little Johnny does it is simply not acceptable. 

I am greatly saddened, angered, and disturbed that, if true, the majority of serial pedophiles go into probation right off the bat.   However, Latah County citizens do not want such to happen here, where as taxpayers and voters we have a small voice in the conduct of the criminal justice system, and, more importantly, have a real concern for the children of our community.

In the Sitler case, we are not dealing with a one-time offender or even one of lesser impact:

From:   Case No. Cr-2005-02027, RULE 11 PLEA AGREEMENT

2.         The State agrees that it will not recommend a sentence greater than a judgment of conviction with the court retaining jurisdiction. The prosecuting attorney has been made aware by counsel for the defendant that the volume and extent of acts by the defendant are greater than the investigator's documentation. The prosecuting attorney has also been made aware by counsel for the defendant that similar acts occurred in connection with minors now residing in other states. The State agrees that it will not charge Steven James Sitler with any other crimes of a similar nature to Lewd Conduct with a Minor Under Sixteen Years of Age based on facts he discloses in connection with this case.

Dear Mr. Thompson:

I have reviewed the Rule II Plea Agreement in State v. Steven Sitler, Cause [sic] No. CR-2005-02027, specifically paragraphs 2 and 3.   I find that both paragraphs accurately stale my position in this matter, wherein no charges will be pursued concerning disclosed Stevens County victims for crimes similar to Lewd Conduct with a Minor Under Sixteen Years of Age.

/s/

John G. Wetle

Prosecuting Attorney for Stevens County

From:   Letter to Judge Stegner from a victim's parents

Steven has admitted to several incidents of sexual perversion. We personally only know of the full details of his molestation of our daughter, Elizabeth. When she was only two years old, Steven offered to take her downstairs and watch her while the adults were talking upstairs. At that time he forced her to kiss his erect penis. It was painful enough to be told of the perversion that Steven committed against Elizabeth yet now we have watched for the last six months as an admitted child molester has been living in the comforts of his parent's home, whiling away the days that should be spent in jail.

In addition to repeated defiling of very young children in their formative years and most likely damaging them for life, Sitler kept a trophy photographic website which included some of his victims.  Pathological.

Repeat: With Sitler we are not dealing with a one-time offender or even one of lesser impact!

Being repetitive even more:

"However, the reality is that predicting whether a particular offender will re-offend or not re-offend is very risky business.  It seems to me to be very, very risky business when the offenses are numerous, over a long period of time, over wide areas, and where the offender kept a photographic trophy website including some of his victims."

Hence, although the Daily News editorial was welcome, it was quite milquetoast.  The depravity and number of the offenses were not made plain as neither were the names of local officials who produced the sentencing decision nor the role that the extremely unqualified, hypocritical, but persuasive Douglas Wilson played.

Here is another problem not yet discussed on V 2020 as far as I remember:

By giving Sitler an early release and by allowing Sitler to avoid doing any hard time, the court may have done Sitler himself a great disservice.  

It is certainly not clear that his brief period of treatment has been effective, and it is far from clear that the short, soft incarceration has had a sufficient amount of deterrence value to prevent Sitler's pedophilic urges from escaping control.  In other words, it is very likely that Sitler could have benefited from a longer and harder incarceration and continued treatment while incarcerated.

At any rate, the community and its children would be at lesser risk.

Wayne A. Fox
1009 Karen Lane
PO Box 9421
Moscow, ID  83843

(208) 882-7975
waf at moscow.com

Sue Fellon, executive director of the Idaho Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence, said the time sex offenders serve ultimately depends on the severity of the case and the sentence that was handed down.

"When someone gets a life sentence and only does a little over a year, treatment certainly cannot be monitored during that short of time," she said. "I think the jury's still out on (whether) treatment helps everybody."

She said there is no guarantee treatment will keep those convicted of sex offenses from re-offending.

"Pedophiles choose a child and are seeking power and control," Fellon said. "(They) made a choice, nobody makes them do it."

She said pedophiles usually aren't the type to cause problems in prison and generally are well-behaved, which may help some get out early for good behavior.

Fellon said there's a message sent to victims when offenders are released early.

"Victims of sex abuse and assault often choose not to report and go through all this," she said. "This is another threat on the pile. (Sitler) gets a slap on the hand; you'd get more prison time if you got a couple of DUIs."

She said the system is there to help the victim, but offenders often are treated with more compassion.

Fellon said it's the victims who end up serving the life sentence because they must live with the crime for the rest of their lives.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Ellen Roskovich 
To: sslund at roadrunner.com ; vision2020 at moscow.com 
Sent: Thursday, May 17, 2007 9:28 PM
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] OUR VIEW: Time to revisit sex offender sentencing

Saundra, I read that yesterday evening and thought it wasn't enough information, because nowhere does it mention exactly what you brought up. . . that the convicted molester was allowed out of jail unsupervised for therapy for a year.  The newspaper needs to make that point really clear to the public because I'd be willing to bet most of Latah County doesn't have a clue.

Yesterday, on CNN, they were reporting about a little girl back east who fought off an attacker after school. Family members held him down until the authorities picked him up.  It was reported as an attempted kidnapping.  He was out on the streets the next day.

So, it looks like the way authorities/courts handle child preditors is a problem in many communities across America.

Ellen Roskovich 

----- Original Message ----- 
From: g. crabtree 
To: keely emerinemix ; Glenn Schwaller ; Bob Herodotus ; vision2020 at moscow.com 
Sent: Tuesday, May 29, 2007 2:31 PM
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] A personal invitation to Mr. Schwaller

It's rather difficult to take all the indignation and self righteousness expressed by a certain element on this list as seriously as one might otherwise. Why is Sitler singled out for all the condemnation (not that he doesn't deserve every ounce of it) when there has there been nary a peep when it comes to others who have committed the very same (or worse) crime in this county and also still reside here. Where is your "legitimate fears" when it comes to Michael Ashcraft, Christopher Busting, and Mike Brazington? Why are you not so vocally "concerned" about Robert Buckingham, Frank Burkgart, and Harvey Hamilton? What about the likelihood of reoffense for Michael Hardway, Dennis Hendrix, Wayne Jacobs, Knute Klingler, and Kevin Osterberg? Could it be that they get no Vision 2020 scrutiny and castigation because to do so would not further an agenda? I'm afraid that the pious blather that comes from History Daddy and his little band of likeminded friends would be far easier to stomach were it not so blatantly just another cynical means to an end.

g
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: keely emerinemix 
  To: Glenn Schwaller ; Bob Herodotus ; vision2020 at moscow.com 
  Sent: Tuesday, May 29, 2007 7:52 AM
  Subject: Re: [Vision2020] A personal invitation to Mr. Schwaller

  Somewhere between five and 98 percent of all Visionaires who read the post below detect an undercurrent of  snarling, manly arrogance.  I'm guessing that the two percent were raising their Sabbath glasses to him.

  Either way, his attempts to mask his disdain for his questioner by quoting the gamut of statistics that might address the Sitler situation fell flat.  I'm afraid indifference to the genuine concern expressed by other Visionaires and disdain for them for expressing it leaked out like a robust Syrah in cloudy, cracked stemware.

  I'll try it the simple, albeit shrill and insistent, manner Schwaller by now knows me for:

  Can you possibly grasp the anger this community has toward Sitler and those who dealt with him, and can you understand the legitimate fears of those concerned that he's out of jail?  

  keely

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Date: Mon, 28 May 2007 14:18:47 -0700
    From: vpschwaller at gmail.com
    To: bherodotus at yahoo.com; vision2020 at moscow.com
    Subject: Re: [Vision2020] A personal invitation to Mr. Schwaller

    Visionaries and Mr Herodotus,

    Thank you for the invitation to "return" but I never really left.  I was simply a bit busy over the past few days taking advantage of the weather break to plant the begonias, nasturtiums, and geraniums.

    I'll attempt to answer your questions, but I do so assuming you are being genuine and not disingenuous in your query.  I mention this only because another visionary has questioned "the truth about (your) opinions", that this individual "Doesn't believe I'll do that" (accept the truth of my opinions), "thank you very much.", then proceeds to demand the answer to 3 additional questions.

    So, on to your questions.  These are important, timely questions that deserve answers.  However, I don't believe I can give you full nor adequate answers to any of them.  I don't know that definitive answers exist, however one can find just about any answer one wants to fit one's position.  That being said:

    "1. Can you please tell us the recidivism rate for serial pedophiles?"

    I don't believe a thorough statistical study has been done for over 10 years.  So keeping that in mind, according to the U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Statistics, within 3 years of release from incarceration, a little more than 5 percent of sex offenders were rearrested for another sex crime.  If one looks at ALL crimes committed, about 40 percent of sex offenders were rearrested for other offenses.

    Within this three year period, 3.5 percent of convicted sex offenders were convicted again for a sex crime, 24 percent convicted for new crimes, and about 40 percent are imprisoned again because of a parole or probation violation.

    However, if you're Joan Opyr, in an article she published not quite a year ago, she quotes a 75% recidivism rate.

    The USDJ study also looked at the relationship between offenders and victims and reported that overall, 46 percent of the victims were a family member.  A 2005 study by the National Crime Victimization Survey reports that 73 percent of sexual assaults were known by the victim: 38 percent were a friend or acquaintance, 28 percent were involved in an "intimate" relationship, and 7 percent were another relative.    

    An NPR story in 2005 offered a 98 percent recidivism rate over a 25 year period, with a 60 percent likelihood of offending again within 5 years under the best treatment available., there is a 60% occurrence of re-offence within five years. The story also mentions that the offender in most sexual abuse cases is a family member or friend of the family  (97 percent for victims under the age of 6, and 95 percent of those between the ages 6 and 12).

    So, somewhere between 5 and 95 percent?

    "2. Can you please share with us the average number of children that repeat offenders violate before their discovery?"

    Again, I have no concrete statistics.  There is apparently some information on Mr Sitler's repeated violations before he was discovered (I'm sure Mr Hansen can give you that number off the top of his head).  The numbers seem to run from one to dozens over decades for catholic priests.  And in Portugal, a driver and gardener was accused of molesting children at the school where he was worked.  After questioning and examining more than 600 children, over 125 were reported to have been victimized by this individual.

    So, somewhere between 1 and more than 125? 

    "3,  Can you please describe for us a worst-case scenario for the children of Moscow (number of victims, age of victims, types of abuse, etc.), if Mr. Sitler resumes his pattern of serial predation?"

    Quite frankly, I sense an undercurrent of sarcasm in this last question, but hey . . .

    Maybe you can ask me how many polar bears, perched on their ever-diminishing slab of ice, are going to starve tonight?

    Well, obviously I can't give you the answers you would like to hear.  I doubt even Mr Sitler himself would know, given the worst possible case, what would be the answers to those questions.  However, if you refer back to the replies to Question 1, you may find some answers of sorts in there.

    I'd like to think I have the community's, but perhaps not that of starving polar bear's, interests at heart.

    Schwaller

    "You can always see it commin', but you can never stop it."
      --Michael Timmins

    On 5/28/07, Bob Herodotus <bherodotus at yahoo.com > wrote: 
      Visionaries and Mr. Schwaller,

      I personally invite Mr. Schwaller to return to this forum because I for one found his posts both provocative and enlightening. Hard facts about serial pedophiles are difficult to ascertain and I commend him for sharing his knowledge of this unseemly subject with us so that we as a community can be better prepared to address a predator in our midst.

      With this in mind, I have a couple of questions for Mr. Schwaller.

      1. Can you please tell us the recidivism rate for serial pedophiles?

      2. Can you please share with us the average number of children that repeat offenders violate before their discovery?

      3. Finally, given your familiarity with Steven Sitler's case file, can you please describe for us a worst-case scenario for the children of Moscow (number of victims, age of victims, types of abuse, etc.), if Mr. Sitler resumes his pattern of serial predation?

      I believe that these are reasonable questions for a community to ask and I believe that you have our community's best interests at heart.

      Thank you,

      Herodotus

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