Ed. note: Poli Psy columnist Judith Levine wrote this post.
“Vermont on edge as officials warn boys aged 12-13 to be on alert as pedophile rapist is getting out of jail on Friday.” That’s the headline in … the UK’s Daily Mail.
The release of Timothy Szad — convicted in 2000 of snatching, handcuffing and sexually assaulting a 13-year-old boy — is apparently world news.
It’s also the usual story of press sensationalism, popular hysteria and counterproductive policy.
On July 15, the police announced that Szad would be released on July 26 from the Southern State Correctional Facility in Springfield, Vt., after serving his maximum sentence. The notification said Szad completed sex-offender treatment in prison but warned that he is at high risk for committing another crime.
This risk assessment is based on a formula assigning points based on the offender’s age, social and criminal history, the victim’s sex and other factors.
On July 16, WCAX reported that Springfield, where Szad was to live with his parents, was “on alert.”
July 17 the Eagle Times of Claremont, N.H., posted Szad’s physical characteristics. Cafemom.com, a national forum, warned mothers of Szad’s release.
Every news item basically said: Lock up your blond, blue-eyed 12- and 13-year-old boys. They all drew similar comments: “sickening,” “scary,” “They should all be castrated.”
After Fox44 television posted Szad’s sex-offender registry listing on Facebook, someone put up a photo of a truck emblazoned with a decal reading “Save a Deer. Hunt a Pedophile.”
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The notification of his release was absolutely necessary…as is knowing where he is going to live. One of the few things this government is specifically mandated to provide for is the protection of it’s citizens. If Szad is “likely” to reoffend and abuse someones child then absolutely the public should be told. If that makes it harder for Mr. Szad, then tough. Your actions have consequences and he’s lucky that’s all he has to worry about…
Thank you for this reasoned and considered report. It’s the first one that is not driven by emotion instead of an assessment of the facts about recidivism.
Ms Levine is absolutely correct. The assessment tool is just that a tool. It provides those who will supervise the individual with benchmarks to guide their work. Being on the sex-offender registry is not being free. If we are going to lock up all those who might offend, we’d better start building one really large jail.
Who is supervising them?
I only with that Levine’s column had gone on to mention that most child sex offenders are actually family members, and many often go unprosecuted. So, hey, they’re living among us everywhere right now: You are hereby notified.
Sex offenders have civil rights too, and to persecute and imprison them even after they’ve served a sentence is a mockery of our legal system and its Constitutional principles.
Judith Levine disgusts me.
Ms. Levine, being on the sexual offender list does NOT make any limitations for your work, your living quarters, or where you travel in the State of Vermont. That is 100% false. All it does is require you to register your current address within 24 hours of moving. You can register as ‘homeless’ and hang out in a schoolyard for Christ’s sake! Vermont’s laws for pedophiles are woefully lax. Pedophilia MAY (and that is highly debated) be helped by therapy. But the fact is MANY repeat.
Ms. Levine is not only wrong as she opines in this particular blog, she has falsely – and shamefully – listed opinions as facts, much like the lovely Governor Rick Perry still does.
According to a study done by the Washington State Institute on Public Policy, recidivism rates among sex offenders varies greatly, with rapists being at the high end, pedophiles in the middle and those convicted of incest having the lowest incidents of recidivism. So to say across the board that “sex offenders have the lowest recidivism rate of any offender” is false, prejudicial and shamefully ill-informed.
Secondly, this same study goes on to say that sex offenders with criminal histories typically have a higher rate of recidivism than first-time offenders, and certain sex offenders, such as child molesters, “may reoffend many years after an initial sex offense. For these sex offenders, deviant sexual behavior may be a life-long problem.”
In regard to treatment, the same study states: “While some studies have shown that particular treatment programs are associated with lower recidivism rates in certain types of sex offenders, there is a lack of solid scientific evidence (from controlled experimental studies) that clearly proves treatment programs reduce sex offender recidivism.” Therefore, Ms. Levine’s blanket statement that “sex offender treatment reduces offender recidivism is not only false, it’s irresponsible.
My advice to Ms. Levine: get your facts straight, then get your head on straight. Not only does Vermont need to catch up with the times and understand that certain types of criminals need harsher punishment, sex offenders are also dangerous, particularly to women and children, and it is absolutely our right to know where they are.
And I certainly hope for her sake she doesn’t meet one of the offenders she so heartily champions in a dark alley some night.
Whoever wrote this is an IDIOT. Szad has NO RESTRICTIONS and the medication he is taking could make him WORSE… He is living minutes walking to the biggest High School in the county, which has plenty of Cross County running trails, not to mention his neighbors all have children. Pastor Pete is NOT saying we are safe, infact Pastor Pete is saying Szad could snap and become a MONSTER!!! AH!
“Under federal and state law, Szad had to register within 24 hours as a sex offender. Registered offenders must comply with severe limits on where they may live, work or travel.” -written by someone who clearly does not understand Szads case.
Dennis VIncent, some bible thumper… Sheriff Marcoux stated Szad is supervised “majority or the time” From what we understand via Pastor Pete, there are other SEX OFFENDERS that work for Pastor Pete who baby sit Szad as well.
i have to say to this woman do you have children? if so I hope you would protect them the same way as this community is trying to protect theirs. This person is free. He has no restrictions as to where he can go or do except to once a year register unless he moves them he has three days. Maybe you should 1. check your facts as many of them are wrong 2. maybe you should have gone to the town meeting before you started to run your mouth you would have had the right facts. This man is dangerous to our children. And you said he had limits on where he can live then why is he a mile from the high school loaded with 12 – 13 year old boys that are his prey.
This is untrue. Under federal and state law, Szad had to register within 24 hours as a sex offender. Registered offenders must comply with severe limits on where they may live, work or travel. If they don’t report every new address, car purchase or other change in their living situation, they risk re-imprisonment. THIS IS NOT ACCURATE IN THE CASE OF SZAD. While some sex offenders have conditions of release, Szad does not. He has served his time (and might I add his sentence would of been longer if the parents decided to subject their child to testify but decided (rightfully so) not to put their child who has some developmental delays through such a horrendous process. Szad can live 2 feet from a school with no ramifications (btw he lives approximately a mile from the largest school in lamoille county and minutes away from other schools in the area. SO to state that Szad has limits is grossly inaccurate, hence the reason why the county is questioning the judgment of others who are in “control” of this situation. It is accurate to state that there are other sex offenders in the area, Szad is not the first and he will not be the last, however, circumstances are vastly different in regards to Szad. The fact that the Church at Prison feels Szad needs to be monitored 24/7 suggests to myself and others that they do not feel he is at a place where he can be trusted in the community. Certainly you can feel as though this is sensationalism at its best as mass hysteria that is not justified, but I would challenge you to come to this town and voice that “opinion” to the hundreds of parents that are concerned. When it comes to the safety of our children, I choose to look at it as being a proactive instead of reactive parent (might I add if it were the latter, that would mean another child has been assaulted.)
Not sure which country you have been living in but I can assure you pushing for tougher laws in regards to sex offenders who are deemed high risk will not be topic that makes a mockery of our legal system as you stated in your response. This country has already done that on their own by sentencing individuals who commit petty crimes to harsher prison sentences than someone who has kidnaps and/or sexually victimizes another human being (CHILDREN) Let’s refresh our memories: Brooke Bennette – uncle was already a known and registered sex offender was allowed to do whatever he wanted “I mean hey he served his time after all, that is the stance you are taking” Went on to not only sexually assault his niece but ended up murdering her as well- Then we good ole’ Judge Ed (who is suppose to be a representative of our legal system) who sentenced a man days not YEARS BUT DAYS for sexually abusing a child over and over again…. But yes I would be worried about how this case in particular with Szad would make a mockery of our legal system…. Trust me those that represent that system are doing a fine job at it on their own.
Judith Levine Must be a real hit at cocktail parties. Mr. Szad should have already had a needle stuck in his arm, not having someone like Levine splitting hairs on his “rights”
What church does Mr szad attend in hyde park Vermont so people are aware to stay away?