Dan is in jail
susskinsdrew
Registrant
Hello,
I just got home from the final hearing in the case against Dan (my son's perpetrator). Finally, no more court proceedings and no more having to see him or his parents.
I was forewarned that he would likely be going home today. In fact, his probation officer wanted the Judge to consider the time he spent in outpatient treatment prior to his inpatient treatment as time spent, therefore not even recommending the standard 6-month outpatient treatment program (upon release), but any treatment decided upon by his parents!
I pleaded with the Judge to stiffen the sentence that he needed to actually PAY for his crimes, not just through being in a lock-up treatment facility, but by being incarcerated. The Judge not only allowed me to speak, but listened as well. It was the same Judge that initially heard the case and she remembered it (and me) and said reading further disclosure by Dan mandated a much harsher sentence and that she would give Dan, "...one day for each time he confessed to harming that poor little boy." So, that adds up to 90 days. She also told him that he needed to relieve his conscious and tell the other victim's parents about his abuse towards them so that those little boys can get the help they much need and deserve.
I know the County's Victim Advocate (she's supposed to work for ME) was getting tired of my insistence at each hearing to speak. Today, she told me that going against the probation officer's recommendations is almost never done and that he would have gone home if it weren't for me speaking. To put him in jail for 90 days was, in her eyes, unheard of. Still, even though I am very happy that he will spend time in an actual jail (he will be getting treatment while there), it still isn't enough. That is just something I will have to come to terms with in time.
I know that in some fashion, I will forever try to champion victim's rights and campaign for stiffer sex offender sentences, especially as it pertains to juveniles. I feel a small sense of closure here, so perhaps more happiness and more of a sense of "normalcy" will return to our lives.
I am choosing not to allow this to destroy me or my son D, but that doesn't mean there aren't still bad days every now and again. I'm just glad that there are no more hearings to anticipate, which has been a major source of anxiety, sadness and anger.
Thanks again and take care of you and yours.
Susan
I just got home from the final hearing in the case against Dan (my son's perpetrator). Finally, no more court proceedings and no more having to see him or his parents.
I was forewarned that he would likely be going home today. In fact, his probation officer wanted the Judge to consider the time he spent in outpatient treatment prior to his inpatient treatment as time spent, therefore not even recommending the standard 6-month outpatient treatment program (upon release), but any treatment decided upon by his parents!
I pleaded with the Judge to stiffen the sentence that he needed to actually PAY for his crimes, not just through being in a lock-up treatment facility, but by being incarcerated. The Judge not only allowed me to speak, but listened as well. It was the same Judge that initially heard the case and she remembered it (and me) and said reading further disclosure by Dan mandated a much harsher sentence and that she would give Dan, "...one day for each time he confessed to harming that poor little boy." So, that adds up to 90 days. She also told him that he needed to relieve his conscious and tell the other victim's parents about his abuse towards them so that those little boys can get the help they much need and deserve.
I know the County's Victim Advocate (she's supposed to work for ME) was getting tired of my insistence at each hearing to speak. Today, she told me that going against the probation officer's recommendations is almost never done and that he would have gone home if it weren't for me speaking. To put him in jail for 90 days was, in her eyes, unheard of. Still, even though I am very happy that he will spend time in an actual jail (he will be getting treatment while there), it still isn't enough. That is just something I will have to come to terms with in time.
I know that in some fashion, I will forever try to champion victim's rights and campaign for stiffer sex offender sentences, especially as it pertains to juveniles. I feel a small sense of closure here, so perhaps more happiness and more of a sense of "normalcy" will return to our lives.
I am choosing not to allow this to destroy me or my son D, but that doesn't mean there aren't still bad days every now and again. I'm just glad that there are no more hearings to anticipate, which has been a major source of anxiety, sadness and anger.
Thanks again and take care of you and yours.
Susan
