Families of SOs Community Group
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I was scanning the Internet on the subject of civil commitment discussions on the DS forum and I ran across a comment made by a DS member here that simply compelled me to write this thread. The forum link that I reference is below.
The DS member commented that there is a difference between SO registration and SO civil commitment and they are correct, but not in ways they argue or think. Admittedly, it is one of the reasons that I am no longer a frequent poster here,
While we are all joined at the hip because of the laws that give us common ground, I see great division among the two groups on the belief that -- there is us "the registered sex offenders" and then -- there is them "the civilly committed sex offenders" to note two separate classes divided from each other.
The DS member commented that it was their belief that civil commitment is based on a mental defect, yet, this depends largely upon the individual State laws and court rulings in that State. For example, a sex offender in Missouri who has ONLY an addiction to alcohol can be civilly committed - likewise a sex offender in Missouri who is diagnosed with a personality disorder can be civilly committed.
The DS member also, and incorrectly, assumed that civil commitment is temporary. In Missouri it is a death sentence because once you go in, the only way you come out is in a body bag. Thus far, there have been 88 men who have died while in civil commitment here in Missouri. So, no. It is not temporary by any stretch of the wildest imagination.
Is there a difference between RSO's and CCSO's? Absolutely. One class gets to live in society while the other class is forced to die in captivity.
http://www.dailystrength.org/groups/families-of-sex-offenders/discussions/messages/16241578
The DS member commented that there is a difference between SO registration and SO civil commitment and they are correct, but not in ways they argue or think. Admittedly, it is one of the reasons that I am no longer a frequent poster here,
While we are all joined at the hip because of the laws that give us common ground, I see great division among the two groups on the belief that -- there is us "the registered sex offenders" and then -- there is them "the civilly committed sex offenders" to note two separate classes divided from each other.
The DS member commented that it was their belief that civil commitment is based on a mental defect, yet, this depends largely upon the individual State laws and court rulings in that State. For example, a sex offender in Missouri who has ONLY an addiction to alcohol can be civilly committed - likewise a sex offender in Missouri who is diagnosed with a personality disorder can be civilly committed.
The DS member also, and incorrectly, assumed that civil commitment is temporary. In Missouri it is a death sentence because once you go in, the only way you come out is in a body bag. Thus far, there have been 88 men who have died while in civil commitment here in Missouri. So, no. It is not temporary by any stretch of the wildest imagination.
Is there a difference between RSO's and CCSO's? Absolutely. One class gets to live in society while the other class is forced to die in captivity.
http://www.dailystrength.org/groups/families-of-sex-offenders/discussions/messages/16241578
1. Out of sight - out of mind. SO's who are civilly committed are not visible and because of this, people do not think about them and the plights they deal with every day. And because of this, they do not see nor do they understand the issues.
2. Popularity of issues. To the largest extent it is the family members of RSO's who have made the registry issue popular and by popular I mean bringing a voice to the table because they are affected directly as they too have to deal with registry restrictions.
3. Discriminatory attitudes. Sad to say, but reality is that people with mental illness and those regarded as having such typically take the back seat in things because of the discriminatory attitudes in society, the media, and in government.
You are right Donna - the potential for civil commitment is no longer a maybe and it is not reserved only for the worst of the worst, as evident by what is going on in Missouri, and where one State crosses that line other States are sure to follow sooner or later.
http://tinyurl.com/nj9pzce