Jerry Hendrickson 10/29/09

Child Molestation

Insufficient Punishment, Insufficient Child Protection



Being a normal adult male, I was surfing the internet one day for pictures of nude women. Along the way, I clicked on a link that changed me profoundly. Suddenly, right in my face were pictures of grown men having sex with girls so young they had no breasts or pubic hair. I have been dedicated to putting an end to child molestation ever since.

The insufficient punishment of child sexual predators amounts to little more than a slap on the wrist. These most evil of all criminals often do no time in jail, escaping with only probation. The mandatory prison sentencing for this felony in New York State is 1 ½ -4 years for class E, 2-7 years for class D, 3 ½-15 years for class C, and 5-25 years for class B. Here is a contradiction; Sentences for class D and E offenses can include no jail time at all, only probation. Unfortunately parole eligibility is at the judge's discretion. Child molesters are usually model prisoners because they prey on the weak. There are no children in prison. For this reason they go before the parole board as well behaved prisoners in good standing. The parole board then sets them free to once again violate our innocent children.
The punishment for repeat offenders is even more troubling. Of the pedophiles released from prison, 5.3% are arrested within 3 years for once again molesting a child. This proves that they will molest a child despite having been imprisoned for that very crime. The criminal justice system still goes easy on them. Depending on the felony classifications of the first and second offenses, a repeat offender can be
sentenced to between 4 years and life imprisonment. As is also the case with first time offenders, parole eligibility is dependent on the judge's discretion. It is a complete travesty of justice for these monsters to be repeatedly set loose upon our children. Our legal system is letting us down.
Thanks to New York State sex offender registry laws we can see how easy it is for a child molester case by case. Bernard Campbell of Hornell, N.Y. was convicted of violently molesting two young girls, ages 9 and 13years. He actually had sexual intercourse with these girls. He was sentenced to 1 day to 4 years imprisonment. This man lives close enough to the Hornell Public Library that I could throw a stone from
the library and hit his house. Children go to and from the library every day within easy reach of this monster. Timothy Pearl, also of Hornell, N.Y. was convicted of raping a 13 year old girl. He was sentenced to only 6 months in jail and 5 years probation. I challenge each of you to check the sex offender registry yourself. You will see that the bad guys are not being punished heavily enough.

The entire criminal justice system is way too easy on sexual molesters of children. In order to better protect children, these monsters need to serve longer prison terms with no parole. Multiple time offenders should never be set free. We know they will do it again. Do me a favor. Close your eyes. Picture an innocent child of five having sex with a grown man. Are you angry now? I hope so.



Note:

Would you like to help me do something about it? "Child Protectors" is an online group that I started two years ago in an effort to save our kids from this horror. You are all welcome to join. http://www.sodahead.com/united-states/child-protectors/group-...

You will need to create an account with sodahead.com to get in.



*Statistics taken from the "U.S. Department of Justice", "Bureau of Justice Statistics" and the "New York State Department of Justice."*