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Rape Rehab

AIR DATE: Thursday, June 26th 2008

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Should there be a life-after-the-crime for rapists?

Right now rape is in the news. Today the Supreme Court decided that sentencing someone to death for raping a child is unconstitutional. And here in the Northwest the case of the "jogging rapist" is in the spotlight again.

The so-called "jogging rapist" is Richard Troy Gillmore. In 1986 he raped 13 year old Tiffany Edens. He broke into her family home and assaulted her in her kitchen. After being convicted two years later he also admitted to sexually assaulting seven other women in the late 1970s and early 1980s. He was not charged for these crimes because they were past the statute of limitations. He was, however, considered a danger to society and has been kept in prison for over 20 years.

Gillmore says he's been rehabilitated and that he's learned how to correct the behviors that led him to commit his crimes. At his parole hearing he said, "people say there's no cure for sex offenses. Whether that's true or not, I don't know. I know there's room for recovery ? I have recovered from this."

But many people, including Gillmore?s victim, Tiffany Edens, don't think that is the case. They want him to stay behind bars.

What do you think? Can a rapist be rehabilitated? Are chemical castration and GPS bracelets enough to secure the safety of society? Or should criminals like Richard Troy Gillmore be committed to prison for life? Is there a life-after-the-crime for sex offenders?

Tagged as: crime · prison · rape · richard gillmore

I feel good about the Supreme Court ruling as they did.

I was falsely accused of rape about two years ago, here in Portland. In my opinion, this is an aspect of rape that gets almost no attention.

I was fortunate that this incident was only heard in the 'court of public opinion', and the law was never involved. However, in the small town that is SE Portland, this still caused me plenty of problems.

Long story short, I met this woman through some mutual friends, had some drinks, and she went home with me. After that, I would see her around town (as well as the boyfriend she was in the process of breaking up with), and it wasn't until 6 months later when I first heard about the allegations of non-consensual sex (to this day I've never heard her exact side).

Being how we had sex several more times in the morning (my roommate heard us), and I didn't drop her off at her car until 1:00 in the afternoon, I have a hard time thinking that she didn't know what she was doing. Sure I bought her a few drinks - guys buy girls drinks - that's how things work.

What hurts me more than anything is how this woman has belittled all women who are actually violated. Women have been victimized in large numbers since the beginning of time, and this girl just spit in all their faces - just so she wouldn't have to tell her boyfriend she went home with me willingly.

This is where the death penalty ruling comes in: In this society if the woman uses the word rape - then its rape. The man doesn't have a 'his side of the story' - that doesn't exist.

Therefore I am now a rapist.

Period.

Chad Balcom — Wed June 25th 9:04p.m.

Six weeks after his release from California?s facility, the perpetrator kidnapped a 24-month old little girl, Amy Sue Seitz.

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helpgodme — Mon Nov. 8th 5:06p.m.

A certain perpetrator of child rape in Missouri and California was in 1974 committed to the Atascadero State Hospital, California?s facility for the criminally insane. Twice previously he had served time in a state hospital and prison in Missouri sex offenses against children. Before his commitment to Atascadero, he was suspected of child molestation and killing in Illinois. At Atascadero, a psychologist reported that this perpetrator was ?a chronic, habitual child molester whose patterns are almost impossible to change.? Despite this horrific record, the perpetrator was released from custody as no longer posing a danger. Mental health experts opined that any risk was acceptable.

Six weeks after his release from California?s facility, the perpetrator kidnapped a 24-month old little girl, Amy Sue Seitz. He raped her. He tortured her by ripping her nipples from her living body using vise grips, a type of pliers capable of 2,000 pounds of pressure. Amy Sue Seitz had massive brain hemorrhages, extensive skull fractures, and had been punched in the face. These injuries did not kill her. The cause of death was manual strangulation. Before his apprehension for Amy Sue Seitz? kidnap and murder, the perpetrator was arrested and convicted of two child molestations which also occurred after his release from Atascadero as ?cured.?

The perpetrator had been able to convince his keepers and mental health professionals that he was not a significant danger to the community. The antisocial personality is like a chameleon, able to present to society any facet which society wants to see and capable of immense cunning and manipulation. Even after the perpetrator mentioned above had been convicted of this heinous murder and sentenced to death, well-meaning and na�ve people sent him, on Death Row, photographs of their minor children so that he could make paintings of the children.

I don?t know Gilmore, but I know about this type of criminal. Gilmore is 48 years old. The perpetrator mentioned above was 43 years old. The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior. Remember Amy Sue Seitz.

Charles Roberts — Thu June 26th 1:49a.m.

Well, honestly, I'm rather ashamed that we as a state have a statute of limitations on rape that kept the other cases from being brought. I have met women who were assaulted many years after the fact and don?t recall them having gotten over it at some given length of time... Why especially do we limit anything on an admitted repeat offender? The message we give these violated women is that they should just get over it... after all, they weren?t murdered. We give women enough lesser person treatment, but I suspect that you would never want your own mother, sister, or wife blown off like that.

Can a sex offender be rehabilitated? The old fashioned way of getting a positive answer (presuming the rapist wasn't hung or otherwise put to death when caught) was the permanent way of removing testosterone from their system: I understand that throughout recorded history there are no reported cases of rape by eunuchs. Perhaps we have some means available that is less invasive but equally complete at killing off the offender?s physical means of naturally producing this chemical... short of that, I am afraid I have to side with letting him serve his sentence.

We live in a society that has many sources portraying women as little more than self-propelled sex toys. How does someone propose to cope with this tide of messages when he has already proven by past actions that he can horribly elevate his personal gratification to an overriding right to have sex with whomever he chooses... over her objections? Do you want to be the one who has to tell his next victim, ?sorry, we thought he had learned to cope properly?? I sure don?t...

tpohara — Thu June 26th 8:19a.m.

I agree that there should be no statute of limitations on rape and I wonder why there is one. Especially on child rape.

Tom D Ford — Thu June 26th 1:13p.m.

Gilmour says he is rehabilitated. He feels confident about himself, etc. So what happens if he does Rape again? I assume he goes back to jail, but do we let him out again and again so he can inflict pain for his pleasure on more women and girls who are helpless against him?

wandapease — Thu June 26th 12:10p.m.

Note the nuances in Gilmore's statement. He says he "thinks" he's ready to test himself to see if he's as rehabilitated as he feels.

Don't some states allow rapists and child molesters the option for medical castration as a way of controlling their urges and allow them to be released, thereby saving taxpayer's money and free up jail space?

ethno42 — Thu June 26th 12:36p.m.

I'll keep it short.
If you're a serial rapist you need to be locked up for life (preferably in a cell with a 250 lb guy named Bubba who thinks you're cute).
I do agree with the Supreme Court ruling, mainly for the same reason I oppose the death penalty - it's too easy. People who otherwise deserve death should suffer their natural life span without freedom.

John in Salem — Thu June 26th 12:45p.m.

Am I to understand that the rational for releasing sex offenders into society, knowing that one in twenty will rape a child or woman again is because we can't afford to keep them in prison? Who made that decision?

dcarder — Thu June 26th 12:48p.m.

I don't think they should be alloud to escape with just a few years of jail , rapists , thay need best drug rehab and to realize how they have changed the life od their victims.

doctore — Wed July 28th 9:58a.m.

I'm concerned with Gilmore's statement regarding his release, needing to see if he is "well" when out of the safe confines of prison. Unless I misunderstood, Gilmore was saying that he needed to be on the outside, in the presence of women and girls, to 'test' his wellness. I don't think anyone wants to take the chance with their daughter that he is NOT well.

reneen — Thu June 26th 12:49p.m.

My disabled daughter was sexually assaulted at the age of 9 by her cousin who was 14 years old. We notified the police and the crime was investigated. The perpitrator admited the crime through a letter to us which he called his "little problem". He has never ever felt sorry.

I spoke to the DA a few years ago to see if the perpitrator had undergone any type of therapy. He explained that the mother was no help and their was nothing they could do. He did explain that most sex offenders never get better.

If he would have been 15 years old he would have recieved more punishment.

In later years my family has been black listed from family functions including a recent funeral of my wifes stepdad. Since they would rather invite the perpitrator to family events then us.

When a sex crime happens no one cares about the victom. Its almost as it was their fault. Now I am happy to have no contact with my inlaws since they have bad moral judgement, but I feel there is no accountability in society in general.

JBeeez — Thu June 26th 12:51p.m.

As a victim of a serial rapist there is no excuse for ever considering releasing this kind of criminal back into society. I don't trust the justice system to monitor this man, they do not have the man power. Offender especially repeating offenders are very good at avoiding detection therefore, would find evading monitoring relatively easy.

opbsustainingcirclemem — Thu June 26th 12:56p.m.

Your program is excellent. However, it should be pointed out that the sex offenders are very closely watched upon release--for the rest of their lives. To say that all sex offenders "get away" after serving their sentence is just not correct. They must register, must be fingerprinted, must be photographed, and in some circumstances, and are often (rightly or wrongly) the names that come up whenever a sex crime is perpetrated near their home. Many have lost jobs or have been forced to move not because they have done anything wrong, but because it is disclosed that they have this background. They have a lifelong label that will never go away.

DKSand — Thu June 26th 1p.m.

I am a mental health professional and a victim of child sexual assault. I lived with a sexually abusive stepfather from ages 9-13. He once took me alone on a road trip during the summer prior to my 7th grade year without my mother's permission.

I have worked with victims of sexual assault and some with offenders nearing completion of their treatment. The psychological reports that show that Mr. Gilmore is still a danger have considered his personality and most likely personality disorders which do not generally change. The behavioral programs he has completed are commendable, but someone with his pattern, as noted by the the psychological reports, is not cured and can only abstain with constant, rigorous, 24-hour a day supervision. There is no fool-proof system that will contain a sex offender that has a strong drive to reoffend.

It is my opinion that it was unconscionable for the parole board to decrease his sentence, changing it from the judge's intended length and terms. It is also my opinion that Mr. Gillmore should be incarcerated as long as possible according to sentencing guidelines. Many sex offenders are able, in other areas of life, to behave as model citizens while retaining their propensity for reoffending. A serial rapist, such as Mr. Gilmore, who may wish to truly help anyone can use any knowledge he has gained by writing or otherwise sharing with the world ways that potential victims can protect themselves from people like himself.

I am sorry that Ms. Edens has had her rape experience and applaud Ms. Edens for her courage, compassion and clear understanding that Mr. Gilmore and others like him pose real threats to other potential victims.

abrown — Thu June 26th 1p.m.

Sex offenders are never cured, like an alcoholic, but may be treated to learn self control. This is a choice and not a guarantee that they will comply with treatment requirements. My husband has been a certified sex offender treatment provider in Oregon and Washington for many years and is currently a polygraph examiner. He is currently working on his doctorate in Criminal Justice. The recidivism rates are not exactly accurate. You have to realize this rate demonstrates the number that have been CAUGHT in another crime. My husband's opinion is that we don't know how many are perpetrating crimes without being caught. It is disappointing to see our justice system not following the sentence sanctioned by the judge.

Victoria Masters — Thu June 26th 1:02p.m.

I would like to offer my congratulations on courageously sharing her story live on air to Tiffany. One could tell how hard it still is to share that horrible incident. She is authentic and true to herself and to the viewers how it robbed her of her innocence and how she has struggled with other issues because of it.
Never think lightely of the impact you make on this world by sharing your story, your feelings and beliefs on this situation. I concur that it is probably highly unlikely that there is any chance of a cure to these predators. I would also like to say thank you to Steve Doell for talking. I live in the community where his daughter was murdered and since I walk that neighbor hood, I always think of her and how his life has changed because of that. I think it is also a good thing that Tiffany reminds us that is possilbe to have this happen to any of us.
Thank you for this program this morning. I stopped in my car, and did not proceed with my errand this morning, I was so pulled in by her interview. Thanks for a terrific job.

Evie

evsing — Thu June 26th 1:19p.m.

I always wonder what religion a rapist was raised in, and if it was a sexually repressive religion, if that contributed to their crime.

I suspect that religions of fear and intimidation create many of the psychological dysfunctions that psychologists and psychiatrists and society for that matter, have to deal with.

On other words, I suspect that Conservative Religions damage people and they ought to be studied as a probable root cause of those psychological damages.

Tom D Ford — Thu June 26th 1:21p.m.

TO Tiffany, Thank you for coming out so courageously. May I thank you for helping me through my ordeal back in the day? Please contact me- chelleyboyer at gmail. I am so filled with shame about the past..., Love Michelle

Michelle Laufman Boyer — Thu June 26th 2:25p.m.

Prison rehab is an essential part of eradicating drug addiction, 90 percent of consumers being inmates or former inmates , I think that some Catholic drug rehab  programs should be enforced and developed for inmates , especially for those that resist treatment.

doctore — Tue Oct. 26th 10:12a.m.

I don't agree with those persons who consume drugs and when some want to Buy Phentermine the border patrols doesn't understand that this is not a drug ,but it's good that they do their job like this .

miruca — Wed Nov. 17th 1:28a.m.

We need a job to support us in our life. This mean that you must do a better thing in your life to make people know that youre qualified with all you have in life.  You need to hqave skill ans ability too. Adults Love To Shop

JoshBlue — Sat Nov. 27th 9:08a.m.

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