OFFENDERS: No cause for attack

It appears, Mr. Silva, that you are a strong victims’ rights advocate, and that’s a good thing, but you are merely just one of many who have taken up that righteous cause. What I question is your motive for the personal attack on me for wanting to start a very small support group for former sex offenders? Why would that bother you so much? As far as I know, there is no other support group for former sex offenders anywhere in this area, or even in the country. Why would this not be news deserving front-page coverage? And while some might condone vigilantism as long as it targets former S.O.s, it’s obvious that The Press is NOT aligned with that group. As a former law enforcement officer yourself, I would think you would be pleased with that — not dismayed.

My comment about S.O. recidivism was based on a study by the U.S. Justice Dept. that tracked 272,111 prisoners who were released from prisons in 15 states in 1994. They were tracked for three years, and it was determined (by the Justice Dept., not me) that the rearrest rate for another sex crime among the 9,691 S.O.s was 5.3 percent, and the reconviction rate for another sex crime was 3.5 percent. Whichever rate you choose to use, it still means that 95 percent are not reoffending sexually. I declared the source of my statistic, but your comment of 7-35 percent recidivism appears to be without a source as you fail to name one.

The Sex Offender Registration/Notification Act (SORNA) has completely ostracized us from your world, Mr. Silva, and with the coldness and unforgiveness that seems to permeate your world, I’m not sure that any of us would ever again want to rejoin it anyway. I urge you to continue your advocacy for victims’ rights, George, but don’t begrudge us an opportunity to find socialization among ourselves.

BILL JOHNSON

Rathdrum