Feeling bad for my perp
I see it this way. Newborn babies are not pedophiles or murderers or robbers. They are born innocent. Something happens along the way to some of them and it makes them do evil things. I personally don't believe in the "nature" theory; that people are born evil; I honestly think that criminals are a product of their environment.
Therefore, all people, even perps, are born innocent, and, despite what they may become later, I can't forget that for at least one time in their lives, the perps were as innocent as I was when I was born.
The real crime is not so much what the individual perps are doing. It is the horrific cycle of abuse that keeps turning innocent, happy babies into criminals and abusers. Somehow we must stop this cycle. And I don't think the answer to stopping it is hate and anger. Like the movie says, anger leads to the Dark Side. Anger and abuse are what turned the perps into what they are, and I fear that it would turn me into something I wouldn't like if I allowed anger and hate to rule me.
So when I say I feel sorry for my perp, yes, I am assuming his tears are real. I fully understand that they may not be real and that he might be faking it. However, if they real tears; coming from that hidden shred of an innocent child left within my perp, what do I become if I ignore those tears and continue to hate him? Do we not owe it to ourselves and humanity to reach out to that innocent child, and in failing to do so, do we also fail humanity?
And just as a disclaimer, this does not mean in any way that I condone my perp's crimes. I just feel that instead of harsh punishments, maybe justice might be better served if we tried to reach through and allow the perps the opportunity to rehabilitate themselves, and in so doing, end the cycle of abuse. If the perps are unable to rehabilitate, that I completely support measures such as removing them from public life, as they would pose too much of a threat to children if allowed to be at large.
Therefore, all people, even perps, are born innocent, and, despite what they may become later, I can't forget that for at least one time in their lives, the perps were as innocent as I was when I was born.
The real crime is not so much what the individual perps are doing. It is the horrific cycle of abuse that keeps turning innocent, happy babies into criminals and abusers. Somehow we must stop this cycle. And I don't think the answer to stopping it is hate and anger. Like the movie says, anger leads to the Dark Side. Anger and abuse are what turned the perps into what they are, and I fear that it would turn me into something I wouldn't like if I allowed anger and hate to rule me.
So when I say I feel sorry for my perp, yes, I am assuming his tears are real. I fully understand that they may not be real and that he might be faking it. However, if they real tears; coming from that hidden shred of an innocent child left within my perp, what do I become if I ignore those tears and continue to hate him? Do we not owe it to ourselves and humanity to reach out to that innocent child, and in failing to do so, do we also fail humanity?
And just as a disclaimer, this does not mean in any way that I condone my perp's crimes. I just feel that instead of harsh punishments, maybe justice might be better served if we tried to reach through and allow the perps the opportunity to rehabilitate themselves, and in so doing, end the cycle of abuse. If the perps are unable to rehabilitate, that I completely support measures such as removing them from public life, as they would pose too much of a threat to children if allowed to be at large.