Okieboy

Define "redeemable."

Saidme,
the Oxford Dictionary of Current English defines Redeemable as the adjective version for redeem.  The verb redeem can mean 1) Make up for the faults or bad aspects of, 2) save from sin or evil, 3) fulfill (a promise), or 4) regain possession of (something) in exchange for payment.

I like meaning number four.  If a person is "redeemable", then by going through the hoops of the system for their "payment" (therapy, probation or jail time, and court costs and fees) in exchange they are eventually given back their position of freedom in society.
If a person is "unredeemable" then no matter what they could ever possibly do they would not be allowed back in the general population of society.  Their crimes were too severe to allow "redemption".

Lets look at my case.  I committed indecent exposure.  I have served my three years of probation, I have not re-offended, I have paid my court costs and fees, and now after my probation I consider myself redeemed.
I am now, again a valid, functioning, positive member of society.  I am no longer a danger to anyone.
I have regained back the priviledges taken away from me by probation (the right to drink alchohol and stay out past curfew and live without a probation officer looking over my shoulder).
If I should ever re-offend, then by all means lock me away for the rest of my natural life.  I deserve it.  That is how positive I am that I will never re-offend.

-Okieboy

>>>do you really believe that a person that could fantasize about a young child and then carry out the act, could not be criminally mentally insane?

You are asking a very valid and observant question.  There are two answers to it.  Yes and No.  There are two types of people who commit these crimes.  The criminally insane and the person who is merely using cognitive distortions and can be taught to think properly again through therapy.  The first step in Modern Cognitive Behavorial therapy is to recognize which kind of person the individual is.  If it is assessed that they are criminally insane, then the recommendation is sent to the courts that they not enter probation or therapy and be sent to an institution.  If they are treatable then they are given the chance at treatment and redemption.

By assuming that all people who commit an act like say child molestation are automatically criminally insane and untreatable goes against what the top scientific minds in this country are saying.  
That would be like saying everyone who commits murder is criminally insane and should never be let out of jail.
Let me ask you this PeterFonda.  Say you had an Uncle who committed murder in a fit of jealous rage after finding his wife in bed with another man.  After serving fifty years in prison and being let out again would you let that Uncle around your family?
Say your father killed a man or woman in a DUI incident and went to jail for thirty years and was let out a broken, changed man.  Would you let your father visit your family?
If you answer is yes to either of those questions, is murder no less of a crime than child molestation?

Not every child molestation is merely because a criminally insane individual is sexually aroused by children and can never be cured of that thinking.  Some men as a result of extreme stress factors and extreme cognitive distortions let themselves start thinking a certain way and allowing behaviors to follow that are deviant.  Here is an example.
Joe Schmoe is fired from his job.
His wife nags at him constantly.
He goes home and looks at porn on the computer.
He starts looking at hot teen stripper sites.
He starts fantasizing and masturbating over sixteen year old girls on the hot teen stripper site.
His life gets even more stressed when his wife starts fighting with him.  He doesn't know how to deal with the stress...he is somewhat of a moron.
So he decideds to go out and get him some sixteen-year-old hotty like he sees on the internet.
He sees some little fourteen-to-seventeen year old girl at a park and approaches her.
Angry at his wife, angry at the world, and stressed out of his mind, and horny from the internet porn he rapes the girl.

Is this man criminally insane, or merely responding to his environmental stressors in a cognitively distorted manner?

I'm not saying that this man shouldn't go to jail for a very long time.  I am merely pointing out that he is not "insane".  He hears no voices, he sees no hallucinations, he has no actiosn that label him criminally insane.  He is just a fool who has made a very, very bad decision and who has very, very distorted thinking.  Hopefully, after fourty years of intense cognitive behavorial therapy and hard time he will come to realize what the cognitive distortions were that led up to his behavior.
If he got out of jail after that one offense and could tell me his deviant cycle, explain what his cognitive distortions were, tell me his plan of action and coping methods so that he doesn't slip back into his cycle of deviant behavior, then yes, I would let him around my family.

Sorry for the long answer to a short question you asked.

-OkieBoy

Not to move away from the subject here(much), given that a first time offender that has never offended any minor....that means virtual.......if I take the 5th on the poly, what is the best/average/worst they can/will do?

Fear of a pseudoscience? Yep. If they could read my mind.....it would fine. They "status quo" like to twist the real meaning into THE MEANING (as they see it).

Comments?

Aldo

Situation is that no where in my probation does it state that a poly graph is required. They embedded that in the sex offender course of which I'm an intrerstate transfer from Okla to Texas. The additional paper work that stated that was pushed on my after the court decision. The probation office set me back to the court(without my lawyer) to sign the "2nd" form that required the additional testing. Again, nowhere did it say poly graph. So, what's my options here?

Aldo

Thing is I did live in Texas, it was an Oklahoma sting. I did not ask for transfer, that was where I live.

Aldo

Huxley,
I know what you're saying, but under the law it is still a "transfer". The conviction is in Oklahoma, thus any sentence handed down is presumed to be served in that state. Since you lived in Texas, the transfer was somewhat "automatic", but the law still looks at it as having been at your request. After all, you could have taken up residence in Oklahoma and served your sentence there.
You can't sit for the polygraph and plead the 5th on various questions. The examiner will stop the test immediately and send you packing with a "failed to cooperate" note in your file. That will get you kicked out of treatment, etc.
I assume by your comment that you got involved in some type of "discussion" with an "underage person" in a chatroom who turned out to be some perverted cop, or you obtained some child pornography via e-mail?