Sex Offenders

Sex Offenders:
Is Jail Successful Rehabilitation?

Chandra Stiggers
Professor Brown
June 21, 2011
Hypothesis:   Does incarcerating a child molester rehabilitate him so that he is able to function normally in the community once he is out of jail to prohibit another sexual crime within society?
Research Method:   Statistic reports from prisons and the Department of Justice Bureau
Conclusion: Placing child molesters in jail alone does not help rehabilitate them back into society successfully.


There are hundreds of child molesters that are incarcerated each year. Of the individuals incarcerated approximately 95% will be released back into the community.   The question is now that they have served their time, are they still a threat to society? Will they repeat their criminal like behaviors and commit a sexual offense in the future? The answer is yes. Jail alone does not rehabilitate child molesters so they can be placed back into society successfully; resulting in a high recidivism rate for sex offenders.
Recidivism is extremely high among child molesters.   The Department of Justice reported that at least 18% to 45% of child molesters who are released from prison will return in a matter of years.   The more violent the crime, the more likelihood the individual is of repeating the crime.   Seventy-five percent are convicted more than once in their lifetime (brynmawr.edu).   Some child molesters are released back into society serving ¼ less than their original prison sentence. With prison overcrowding and budget cuts in our prisons, officials are releasing child molesters back into society earlier than expected.   These are releases are prohibiting   the child molester from finishing their treatment program and are placed back into their communities with their disorders not totally attended too.  
Incarcerating child molesters has been proven to be an unsuccessful punishment method.   Prison is only a minimal solution.   With child molesters there are other... [continues]

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