Weiner gets 21 months for sexting an underage teen... thoughts?

Question

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/25/nyregion/anthony-weiner-sentencing-prison-sexting-teenager.html?mcubz=1

There once was a pervert named Weiner,

Who often would go for a teener

In pref'rence to Huma,

So can we assume a

Good cause for her rancid demeanor?

Answer 1

Hi O'Tink,

Well I am of two minds here...first, I don't believe in *punishing* just for the sake of punishment. The goal is for the offender to change, to not continue injuring others, and I am not sure the 21 months sentence will accomplish that.

On the other hand, it is also very important for the teen to know, and people in general to know, that society will protect them; we will make sure that perpetrators are stopped.

Somewhere in there is a course that could accomplish both of those goals, and I do not feel at all confident that this prison sentence will achieve either of these objectives.

(Our USA justice system MAY be one of the best in the world - or not - but can you tell I don't have much confidence in it?)

Comments

Well, Virginia, Weiner already had had two chances to go straight, but he didn't.

That may be a reflection of that fact that recidivism is very high among child molesters.

So what is to be done to stop it, if not jail, with a much longer term if he's caught again after he gets out (probably within a year)?

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O'Tink, I have more experience in the dynamics of female drug offenders, not so much males in any area - and the process of successful treatment can be VERY different, between the sexes.

But I can tell you that what was working with women addicted to drugs was a concept called THERAPEUTIC COMMUNITY. It happens inside a prison setting, beginning around the year 2000 in ICIW (Iowa Correctional Institute for Women) at least...and the success was remarkable, thorough statistical documentation through a study done by the US Department of Justice.

However, do you notice I am using the PAST TENSE here? Well that is because the program got axed in various rounds of budget cuts...so now the women are again caught in the horrific revolving door of recidivism...

* * *

These kinds of addictive offenses CAN be intercepted and permanently reversed, but it is just not happening...not enough, anyway...we are caught in cycles of punishment, which is thoroughly proven not to work...leaving society ever more unsafe.

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That sounds remarkable, Virginia.  Was the Therapeutic Community something like Alcoholics Anonymous?

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No, I don't think so O'Tink...MUCH more intensive. The TC participants are separated from the rest of the prison population, and virtually day and night they support each other to change those cascading brain engrams that lead back to the offense as a way of coping. Meanwhile, skilled counselors work with participants daily, individually and in groups, to introduce new and more adaptive coping skills.

And what I mean as a 'way of coping,' is that I can tell you with very high predictive accuracy that this abuse happened to Weiner when he was young...the victim becoming the perpetrator. So far, the only way out for these sexual predators is, too often, suicide...and too many of them take that way out, horrified by their own cravings which they cannot escape.

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@ Virginia,

Reminds me of the old Perter Lorre movie, "M".

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O'Tink, I just recently watched this movie for the first time...it's a Fritz Lang classic, I am quite sure? Anyway, if I recall, this was the movie that really established Peter Lorre as an actor, SO convincing; later, he came to the US...

And yes, I loved it just for the reason you mention; apparently, so true to a very dark side of life.

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@ Virginia,

The movie ends with the criminals' tribunal about to kill the protagonist, but the police arrive in the nick of time to save him.  However, I would guess the legal system at that time would almost certainly have imposed the death penalty on him, unless an insanity plea was possible.

Answer 2

I can only support Virginia's well thought conclusions.

Many behavioural studies in medicine and psychology are performed since long, and they do also reveal since long how much education and surroundings can influence health, abilities and futures of children:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3743691/

General info (see also links):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_abuse

Answer 3

I agree with Virginia but I also hope the teens parent's take a little more care on what their daughter does on the Net. Sure, he's a creepy guy but I highly doubt 21 months is going to do him any good or change him in any way and I doubt very much whether he will even do the entire 21 months. Sex offenders don't do very well in any prison and I doubt he will either.

The Internet can be fun and entertaining but it also has many dark sides.

Better education for teens and some more strictness by parents on it's usage would probably do much better in the long run!

Answer 4

Sexting is huge on social networks. Many users on social networks want sexting voluntarily. I know that many young people like sexting. I use socialnumber.com and many users of this social network want sexting. I do not react on their posts and do not send them messages. I saw many Facebookers like sexting when I was using Facebook.

Comments

@ Kninjanin,

It's bad enough when foolish teenagers do this sort of thing, but Weiner is over 50 years old, old enough to know better, so it must be a sick compulsion on his part.