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<P><STRONG>I think most of us expect treatment or rehab to be part of any sentencing order when the goal is to reintroduce the offender back into society. . . hopefully to be a productive member. However, I think the majority of people would expect treatment to take place behind the four walls where the individual is incarcerated. This is what I have found people to believe.</STRONG></P>
<P><STRONG>Mark Solomon had an excellent post last month about the lack of funding for mental health programs. . . . </STRONG></P>
<P><STRONG>I guess Sitler is an example of the type of thing communities can expect when those funds are no longer available.</STRONG></P>
<P><STRONG>Ellen A. Roskovich</STRONG><BR><BR></P></DIV>
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<DIV></DIV>From: <I>"Saundra Lund" <sslund@roadrunner.com></I><BR>To: <I>"'Ellen Roskovich'" <gussie443@hotmail.com>,<vision2020@moscow.com></I><BR>CC: <I>"'Paul Rumelhart'" <godshatter@yahoo.com>,"'Shirley Ringo'" <ringoshirl@moscow.com>,"'Tom Trail'" <ttrail@moscow.com>,<Gary@hideandfur.com></I><BR>Subject: <I>RE: [Vision2020] Sitler case</I><BR>Date: <I>Sun, 1 Jul 2007 15:26:58 -0700</I><BR>>Hi Ellen,<BR>><BR>>I couldn't agree with you more!!! I was absolutely *horrified* when I found<BR>>out that convicted & incarcerated sex offenders (not just pedophiles but<BR>>also rapists, etc) are let out unsupervised to get themselves to & from<BR>>"treatment."<BR>><BR>>I don't know about other states, but Rep. Trail informed me that this<BR>>practice
happens throughout Idaho. If I correctly understand (and someone<BR>>please correct me if I'm wrong), it happens because "treatment" or "therapy"<BR>>or whatever you want to call it is ordered as a part of the sentencing.<BR>>Thus, our law enforcement/detention personnel have no choice but to follow<BR>>the sentencing order.<BR>><BR>>Sunil, I think, presented the argument that since these offenders will<BR>>eventually make it back out into society, he thinks it's a good thing that<BR>>treatment starts while the offenders are incarcerated.<BR>><BR>>And, I can't say that I disagree with his argument, although I have *grave*<BR>>reservations about the effectiveness of treatment for serial pedophiles.<BR>><BR>>HOWEVER, I absolutely reject any notion that *incarcerated* sex offenders<BR>>should be released from jail unsupervised to get
themselves to and from<BR>>treatment.<BR>><BR>>I don't know why more of us aren't aware of this aspect of sentencing in<BR>>Idaho -- speaking for myself, this is the kind of knowledge I think we all<BR>>need to have so the practice can be CHANGED. I think those who work in The<BR>>System are probably shocked when they first learn of the practice, but then<BR>>I suppose they become used to it and perhaps assume that everyone knows<BR>>about it.<BR>><BR>>Perhaps there's some paternalism present within The System that thinks that<BR>>what we don't know won't hurt us, but I disagree. On the one hand, I guess<BR>>there haven't been any major *known* problems to date (I don't know how long<BR>>the practice has been ongoing), but on the other hand, I think the potential<BR>>incredibly dire consequences of the practice far outweigh
any perceived<BR>>benefit. Plus, I have to add I'm a *lot* less confident of the CJ system<BR>>after learning that Sitler's residence with its close proximity not only to<BR>>a park but also to a daycare full of Sitler's "victims of choice" was a<BR>>residence apparently "approved" in ignorance :-(<BR>><BR>>As for why this practice isn't reported by the newspapers locally, I don't<BR>>know, but it's a d*mn shame journalism in this area has become *so<BR>>pathetic*! I think I mentioned that the Daily News used to publish a couple<BR>>of times a year (IIRC) photos, addresses, & offenses of convicted sex<BR>>offenders. I don't know why they stopped providing that valuable public<BR>>service, but I suppose we shouldn't be surprised given the disappointing<BR>>overall decline in quality of the
newspaper.<BR>><BR>>Paul Rumelhart, I think, wrote:<BR>>"The system may be broken, but it's the system we have."<BR>><BR>>Clearly, it's the system we currently have, but as citizens, I think we have<BR>>an *obligation* to fix the breaks in the system we become aware of. If<BR>>nothing else, the Steven James Sitler case has brought to light several<BR>>breaks in the system that *must* be fixed!<BR>><BR>><BR>>Saundra Lund<BR>>Moscow, ID<BR>><BR>>The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do<BR>>nothing.<BR>>- Edmund Burke<BR>><BR>>***** Original material contained herein is Copyright 2007 through life plus<BR>>70 years, Saundra Lund. Do not copy, forward, excerpt, or reproduce outside<BR>>the Vision 2020 forum without the express written permission of
the<BR>>author.*****<BR>><BR>><BR>>-----Original Message-----<BR>>From: vision2020-bounces@moscow.com [mailto:vision2020-bounces@moscow.com]<BR>>On Behalf Of Ellen Roskovich<BR>>Sent: Sunday, July 01, 2007 1:53 PM<BR>>To: vision2020@moscow.com<BR>>Subject: [Vision2020] Sitler case<BR>><BR>>There are many little aspects of the Sitler case that have bothered me for<BR>>over a year now. And since his release, he certainly hasn't had a stellar<BR>>track record what with finding himself back in court on a probation<BR>>violation within a matter of weeks. This is the guy who was allowed out of<BR>>jail several times a week, unsupervised, to travel in his own vehicle to<BR>>other communities, in order to get therapy.<BR>><BR>>This is not just about Sitler, either. It bothers me that this form
of<BR>>punishment, treatment, whatever it is, could be common practice all over. .<BR>>.this community, this state, other states, do we even know? It bothers me<BR>>that people are not aware that this is common practice in at least this<BR>>area. I've had friends shocked when I've mentioned this to them. It isn't<BR>>a well known fact, and this forum is the only place I've seen it mentioned<BR>>at all. Why aren't those in charge letting the public know through various<BR>>forms of media? At least parents could show their kids a picture. . . if<BR>>there was one. In Sitler's case there wasn't even a picture. . . he was<BR>>just set loose. I find all of this very unsettling.<BR>><BR>>And this latest escapade of voyeurism creeps me out. The binoculars prove<BR>>that he
planned this out before executing the deed. He was prepared.<BR>><BR>>Ellen A. Roskovich<BR>><BR>><BR>><BR>>________________________________<BR>><BR>>Picture this – share your photos and you could win big!<BR>><http://g.msn.com/8HMAENUS/2740??PS=47575><BR>><BR>><BR></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></div><br clear=all><hr> <a href="http://g.msn.com/8HMBENUS/2746??PS=47575" target="_top">Don’t miss your chance to WIN $10,000 and other great prizes from Microsoft Office Live</a> </html>