| ONCE FALLEN ANNOTATED TABLE OF CONTENTS Part I: A Once Fallen Hope (The story)
Part II: The AEROSOL Report (Addressing Errors and Raising Objections to Sex Offender Legislation)
Introduction: Fallen hope? I was born as Derek Logue on a cold Chesapeake night in October 1976, and died on an equally cold night on February 20, 2000. I merely died in a figurative sense; in the dark of night, I was taken from my bed, arrested, and charged with a sex crime. Like the chapters of a book, every major milestone in closes an old chapter of a person’s life and lays the foundation for a new journey to come. For some, that milestone is a marriage, a career, dedicating your life to your God or faith, or a major achievement. Every milestone comes with a title, a definition of your life, a second name. Sadly, the milestone that defines my life in the eyes of society is a single regrettable event with a terrible consequence, a criminal act. The title that defines my “second life” is three simple words: REGISTERED SEX OFFENDER Perhaps no other label in our society elicits as much raw emotion as the label, “registered sex offender.” This label evokes images of dirty old men waving candy at little girls to entice them into their cars for sexual pleasure, or the brutal rape-murder of a beautiful, innocent, smiling child. This label carries with it a “social death sentence;” sex offenders considered are the scourge of society, deserving of death, castration, concentration camps, and torture. Laws passed specifically against sex offenders reflect this culture of fear and loathing. There are laws placing us on public registries and cards disclosing our stigma to our neighbors; laws restrict where we live, work, or hang out; laws keep us incarcerated past our sentences, castrate us, and execute us, all in the name of “public safety.” Each new proposal creates a new punishment or expands an existing law, and passes legislature without a second thought, much to the delight of a society seemingly intent on punishment as much, if not more, as public safety. With this label comes the myriad of myths and misconceptions about who I am; society sees me as an untreatable pedophile ready to snatch a child at a moment’s notice. I can even say with confidence many will read this book with the feeling I’m either getting my just desserts or I’m not being punished enough. There is little understanding, and even less sympathy. Without a doubt, sex offenders are the modern-day lepers of society. During this new life of seven years, I have sought the answer to a number of questions. Once a person has fallen from grace, is there ever any hope of reclaiming his lost life? Can a man overcome his past, or his stigma? If life without love can never be whole, when what is life without hope? I have contemplated what it takes for a person to reach the proverbial point of no return. Many times over the years I have teetered on the edge of this point, even seeking the end of my life. After all, at least by my death, I would make people happy. However, in the past seven years of this second life I found not only the answers I sought, but a purpose and a reason to justify living out this second life. To find my answers, I had to experience the totality of my punishment, face my inner demons, and find my place in a society that would rather my body buried than my past. From the day of my arrest to the last letter typed in this book and beyond, I have continued this second life. This body is the same, this birth name is the same, and the events of my first life are a permanent, unchangeable history. But my soul, the person I really am, has changed considerably over the years. I grew from a fearful, immature and selfish child in a man’s body to the man I am today. I have confessed my sins, sought forgiveness, made reparations to the state and the victim’s family, and stood up for my right to reintegrate into society, all things the old me could never do. I am no longer afraid to admit I made a terrible mistake while simultaneously question or protest laws that do nothing to protect children from sexual violence. Virtually everyone seeks the meaning of life; for me, finding common ground between the two sides of this issue is my purpose. In a way it is penance and soul-searching, but more importantly, my purpose is to seek the answers to the root problem of sexual violence. For this reason, I felt the need to write Once Fallen. Once Fallen is, in part, a chronicle of my second life from the day of my arrest to the fight to bury the final token of my former life, the record itself, by way of a pardon. But Once Fallen is not intended to be simply a memoir. I seek to reach both sides of the issue. For the society at large, Once Fallen stands as a case study of how the popular sex offender laws impact actual human beings. For the former offender, Once Fallen is a message of hope. Both sides seek knowledge and wisdom to solve the sexual violence issue, and Once Fallen offers up, at the very least, a guide to help point us all in the right direction. Through many years of personal experience and growth, along with research and education on the subject, I have acquired a vast amount of knowledge on the subject. Thus, the second part of my book is a comprehensive analysis of the root causes of sexual violence and the sex offender laws. If society is serious about preventing sexual violence, we must change our approach to this subject. ROOT CAUSES OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE ARE OFTEN NEGLECTED The root causes of criminal sexual behavior is complex and varies from person to person. My reasons for committing my crime are unique to me. Thus, finding a solution is no small task. However, there is a common and disturbing trend in our approach to sexual violence. Society has tended to neglect the root causes of sexual violence. There are a variety of possible reasons why the prevention model is largely ignored, but the key to prevention lies in addressing certain problems before they become problems. Ironically, before we can even address the root causes of sexual violence, we must shift our approach to the entire issue in the first place. Beginning in the early 1990s, our focus has been on the registered sex offender, those people who have been convicted of committing a sex crime. Every sex offender law passed applies to individuals ex post facto. We have spent billions on registries, GPS devices, civil commitments, and lawsuits defending these laws. However, programs designed to address proper and realistic sexual behavior in our society are largely ignored, neglected, and sorely under funded. A significant reason why root causes of sexual violence is largely ignored lies in America’s obsession with the sex criminal. Virtually every sex offender law in existence has its roots in a sensationalized “stereotypical kidnapping” that usually ended with the murder of the victim; many of the laws are even named for a victim which inspired these laws. Virtually every sex crime garners media attention, and politicians add the obligatory “I’m tough on sex criminals” speech every election year. Humans tend to be extreme by nature; thus, these reactions are typical. However, emotions often cloud sound judgment and facts. In order to seek a feasible solution, we must overcome this obsession. SEX OFFENDER LAWS ARE BASED ON MYTH, NOT FACT We know all the myths by heart: sex offenders have a high recidivism rate; sex offenders cannot be cured; sex offenders are all pedophiles who cannot be cured, etc. However, researchers have found these myths to be myths. Sadly, few people read research papers; many not in the researchers’ field of expertise find research papers dull, wordy, confusing, full of technical jargon, and boring. Thus, their target audience is often limited to others in the researchers’ own field. Getting a politician or a layman to read such reports is like getting a child to eat a bowl of plain- Jane Corn Flakes without sugar or a tiger proclaiming how “g-r-r-reat” they are. A few will consume it, but most would rather trash it than eat it. Sex offender laws were created mainly by people with a noble intention in mind, but emotions, ignorance of the facts, and the human tendency to lean toward extremism hinders the intent of the law. While the facts are analogous to a plain corn flake, the novel sex offender law is the sugar-laden cereal with a famous advertising agent in the box. True authorities on the subject, like John Q. La Fond, Lisa Sample, Eric S. Janus, Jill Levenson, or Corey Rayburn Yung are not household names, while John Walsh, Mark Lunsford, Maureen Kanka, and Patty Wetterling, among others, have become the equivalent of the celebrity on the box, and their emotional message is the sugar that disguises the bitterness of their product. However, the tide has been slowly turning slowly but surely. The cereal analogy is appropriate in many ways, not only in its initial production, but in the change of the product over the years. The formula for many sugar-laden cereals were changed recently due to concerns that too much sugar and refined was causing obesity and diabetes; the sugar content was reduced, while more whole grain flour was added to the formula. Similarly, many people are discovering that these laws are ineffective and rife with negative consequences. Worse than having virtually no impact on the prevalence of new sex crimes, but it was actually increasing those factors that increase the likelihood of re-offending! Reforms will be slow in coming, as those who created these laws are afraid or stubbornly latching on to their failed formula. Whatever the case, reforms can only occur when we discipline ourselves as we should when dieting, which means putting away the sweet rationalizations of failed systems, and embracing the healthy solution we shunned so much in the past. SEX OFFENDER LAWS: MISSION ACCOMPLISHED? If candidly telling my story serves just one purpose, I want you to understand the complexity and impact of these laws on individuals who have served their time but are bound by these laws. Every day I wake up wondering whether congress has passed a new law with the latest novel approach to dealing with registrants or expounding on an existing law. Each law is progressively intruding to the point I believe we will place “the mark” on our foreheads or right hands. Sex offender laws are a powerful and dangerous tool, but is also prone to deal unintended consequences. Registries have been used by individuals targeting sex offenders for vigilantism. Residency restrictions have driven registrants “underground” or have made them homeless. Various laws have caused registrants to experience emotional and financial instability, which ironically, increases the likelihood of recidivism. While many readers may share the sentiment sex offenders are “getting what they deserve,” there are far-reaching consequences to allowing these laws continue to exist. These laws have succeeded in undoing the progress made by the civil rights movement, creating a degraded class of individuals devoid of many of the same rights and privileges the common folk take for granted. This trend is slowly spreading to other realms; the reactions to 9-11 is similar in many ways to our reactions on sex offender laws. In order to combat the perceived threat of terrorism, our government created the Department of Homeland Security, introduced a color-coded “Terrorism Threat Level,” which has never dropped below yellow since its conception, passed the so-called “Patriot Act,” which granted our government nearly god-like abilities to spy on its own citizens. The media was “embedded” in the “war on terrorism” as the US invaded a country with a weak military and no real proof of “weapons of mass destruction,” toppled a token bad guy, declared “Mission Accomplished,” and imposed our way of life on a foreign nation. Years after the mission was *ahem* accomplished, we are sending more troops every month to this nation, pumping billions into a nation full of valuable resources while running this nation into a debt our grandchildren will be paying off in their old age. What did we really accomplish (besides angering almost the entire world)? Sex offender laws are similar to the 9-11 laws in many ways. The laws were conceived in fear and raw emotion, passed and imposed without question or objection, grabbed a great deal of media attention, and gave society a sense that the mission was accomplished. However, after years of the proclamation the new regime is the omega factor in the evil they were trying to quell, there has been either no change, or things have gotten progressively worse. Now America has come under scrutiny for torturing terror suspects. In the same way, sex offender laws, long considered “civil” and “regulatory,” are causing such severe reactions they are now being considered “criminal” and “punitive” because they cause harm to those under the law. Looking at recent history, particularly the events of post WW1 Germany, allowing the government to degrade the status of one unpopular group of individuals opens the door for government to extend these laws to other groups. Retroactivity, due process, the constitution in general, are all thrown out for the sake of “the children” or “public safety.” If even the least of our citizens are degraded, the possibility of degrading the rights other “threats” to the American way of life is possible. The US Supreme Court has never formally struck down the Japanese internment camps of WW2. Looking at Nazi Germany, Hitler began persecuting “asocials” (gays and sexual deviants) and ended with the Jews. Public fear, ignorance, and loathing justified the horrible atrocities of these concentration camps created for the sake of “the children” and “public safety,” and America is in serious danger of doing the same. If we are looking for a panacea for the prevalence of criminal sexual violence in America, we must understand what does or does not work. It is my sincerely belief and hope my story and my research stands as the measure of what has worked, or all to often, what hasn’t work. Only through wisdom and knowledge shall we rise from the ashes. Book One: Fallen Hope My life is an open book. This story is told through my own eyes, heart, and soul. This is a journey of personal awakening, tragedy and triumph. Within these pages you shall follow me through seven years of my life starting from the night of my arrest, chronicling my journey through the darkest depths of the human heart, whether my own dark side or those of the greater society that would ostracize me. There are two paths in this journey-- would I remain a “fallen one,” or would I rise from the ashes and spread my life anew like the Phoenix? Though many obstacles lay ahead, the path I chose to take was my own. Excerpts from Chapter 1: Awakening My first life ended the night of February 20, 2000, a cold but clear winter night. I was awakened by a flashlight as an officer pulled me out of bed to “take me downtown.” During the short ride to the jail, the investigator asked me if I knew why they came for me that night. Deep in my heart I knew the reason why, but I tried my best to play dumb. I responded with a comment about a fight I had been involved in a few months earlier. At the station, the investigator questioned me about the crime I had committed. I denied it at first, even feigned surprise at the accusation, but after a few minutes of questioning I confessed. It felt as if I was watching a movie from a first-person perspective rather than feeling like this was actually happening. Perhaps it was a way to cope with the scene unfolding before me, or perhaps I was simply in shock. I felt so detached from myself it was if I had died, at least in a spiritual sense. It is for this reason I refer to that night as the end of my first life. I read a quote from Malcolm X that stated how a man never gets over the prison bars because the bars burn a permanent mark on a person’s mind for life. I soon learned the meaning of those words as those bars closed behind me that night. Those bars are unforgiving, indiscriminate, and seemingly eternal. These bars outlast every coping strategy our mind devises to deal with being trapped within the confines of the steel cage. Those bars would be my cradle as my second life began, serving as a lasting monument to a monumental mistake and, ironically, a protective environment for the new life within. Sometimes it takes an extreme set of circumstances to compel a person to take a harsh look at his inner self. As the initial shock wore off and the harsh reality of my situation set in, I began to worry more about my physical life than my spiritual life. Prison life abounds with stories about the fate of those accused of sex crimes in prison. They are called “chicken hawks,” “baby-rapers,” and “child molesters;” sex offenders are at “the bottom of the food chain;” “Big Bubba” turns sex offenders into “women.” Information, or at times, “misinformation,” passes quickly through the prison system, ensuring others know who you are (the rumor that spread about me was I was arrested for sodomizing a 3- year-old boy). I was placed on suicide watch, but I was still sharing a cell with another prisoner; perhaps the officers were really more concerned with my death at the hands of another inmate rather than my own hands. Though many of the inmates were rather nasty towards me at first, I never experienced any actual violence. In time, I would be treated the same as everyone else. Despite this, I still feared the destiny awaiting me. There are many reasons why so many people “find God” in prison. My reasons were a combination of fear, boredom, and soul-searching. Christianity can be a shield to hide behind in prison; in fact, a couple of inmates told me to carry a Bible and say, “Praise the Lord, brother,” when approached in prison. It can also be a tool to occupy your mind, as Bibles are readily available and there is no shortage of prison ministries. But far more importantly, Christianity is a message of hope and love to those who feel neither. A jail cell is the ideal environment for those who weren’t receptive to religion in the past to receive the Word of God. Throughout my life so many people have reached out to me in the name of God but I drove them away. Now for admittedly selfish reasons I reached out to the God I had rejected for so long… Finally the fated day was upon me, the cold morning of February 6, 2001. I was taken to court that morning, and something inside me compelled me to give up on the deception. I finally decided to accept a guilty plea. In retrospect, a plea of six years for a single charge wasn’t much of a plea. To this day, I can’t tell you why I accepted a plea which was not much less than the maximum sentence. I’d love to be able to say it was remorse and guilt over my actions, but in reality, I can’t say that. I believe it was a “let’s just get this over with” mentality. For months I had tried to put up a fight; I tried to fire my court-appointed attorney, file a petition questioning the conditions of confinement, and even tried a change of venue; all these petitions were denied. They would not allow me to bond out, represent myself, or plead nolo contendre. Even if I wasn’t guilty, I would have been railroaded; sadly most people accused of sex crimes can expect similar treatment by the justice system. Despite this, I remained a man guilty of committing a sex crime, and the time had come for me to finally accept my fate. In all my experiences throughout this ordeal, the day I accepted the guilty plea remains the saddest moment of my life. I wanted to finish myself off, but didn’t have the courage to cut the length of my arm rather merely slashing across it. I called my ex-mother-in-law and told her the news; later she came to pick up all my belongings as I prepared for my transfer to prison. Two weeks later, on February 21, 2001, one year after my arrest, I was transferred to Kilby Correctional Facility for processing. Prison processing is likely as close to death as any man in this country would want to be. You are deprived of every possession you ever had, even your last pair of underwear and your hair (as you are shaved), strip searched, showered, and your crime publicly exclaimed. I panicked, remembering the stories about “Bubba,” dropping the soap, and the fate of sex offenders in prison. This landed me in the psychiatric unit for evaluation. I was placed in a cell with nothing but a rubber mat, a paper gown, and a roll of toilet paper I used as a pillow. I felt like an animal in a cage; maybe I would have fared better as an animal. Perhaps the greatest hardship with prison life was learning to adjust to the monotony and the loss of individuality. In prison you become a number. I was number 215332. And number 215332’ s first night in a state prison was in a cold cell with a rubber mat. By the next morning, the initial shock of my new environment wore off, and after a brief conversation with the psychologist, I was placed back in the intake dorm… Despite having such tools of rehabilitation at my disposal, I would work on many things except confronting the issues which led me to prison. I was experiencing the feelings common to all inmates; even among those who seek God, many do not want to admit their own problems, though we are quite proficient at pointing out others’ faults. I needed a “wake up call,” and prison was the ideal place for that. Prison doesn’t care that I didn’t want to work all day in the kitchen. The prison psychiatrist wasn’t much help, either; he said all my problems would be solved if “someone beat your ass one good time.” People typically go to counselors for help, but for me, it was as much a crutch as it was a sincere desire to seek help. However, I could not rely on my crutch anymore. Eventually I had to learn to deal with my issues by facing them rather than running away. The hardest step to make in the path to rehabilitation was the first step, and the time was finally ripe for my first step. Once Fallen Part 2 Addressing Errors and Restoring Order to Sex Offender Legislation (“The AEROSOL Report”)-- Introduction In the past decade or so, American society has focused on laws that punish individuals convicted of sex crimes long beyond prison sentences. It seems with every high profile sex crime (not to mention a subsequent election period), legislators introduce either new legislation or an expansion of an existing law. In the decade or so since “Megan’s law” passed, our society has shifted their views from “sex offender laws are wrong” to “kill all sex offenders/ these laws aren’ t doing enough.” Increasingly debilitating laws are introduced on a regular basis, passed with virtually no opposition, and largely supported by the general public without even a thought of the consequences. Even in the face of evidence to the contrary, we continuously push for even more legislation because we feel we “aren’t doing enough.” As a culture, we are seeking to progress rather than regress, and sex offender laws symbolize a regression. We have reintroduced concepts held in contempt by previous generations: public humiliation, a degraded class status, and the incapacitation model of justice. Despite the dangers of this sentiment, few individuals have spoken out against these laws. However, resistance to sex offender legislation is growing. Sex offender laws have been proven to be “ineffective, inefficient, and counterproductive.” Judges, prosecuting attorneys, sheriff’s offices, and even child victim advocates have called for wholesale reforms of sex offender laws, and even total opposition to some of the laws. In 2007, the media has released more reports critical of sex offender legislation than in any other year since the passage of Megan’ s law in 1996. All this opposition begs the question: what IS the proper way to prevent sex crimes in America? American government spends billions on sex offender legislation that have done nothing to address prevention. Prevention and education programs are limited and are largely forsaken in our society. In the first half of Once Fallen, I gave my personal story to illustrate how the laws affect the individual sex offender. One thing I hope you find striking is the freedom I had whether or not to re-offend regardless of the law. Hopefully this illustration will lead you to question the efficacy of our current laws. The second half of this book addresses these concerns from an intellectual standpoint. Is there truly a way to prevent sex crimes? Do these laws impact criminal sexual behavior, or are we merely blowing more air than an aerosol can? Are these laws causing “more harm than good?” In order for us to find these answers, we must address the issue as a whole rather than the narrow focus on the former offender. (Note: Currently I included the references in the work, but as the work is reformatted in final book form, the references will be transferred to a bibliography) Excerpts from Chapter 10: The Root of the Problem Without a doubt, criminal sexual acts are among the most traumatic and horrifying acts committed against another human being; in many cases, the repercussions lasts months, years, or even a lifetime. Sex crimes are more disturbing if a child is involved. As a human being first and foremost, I believe that if a person commits a sex crime, that person shall be punished with criminal sanctions. As a rehabilitated sex offender, I believe a person convicted as a sex criminal be held accountable and be taught responsibility and accountability for their actions, to make amends for transgressions and settle debts with those hurt by the crime, and fulfill the court-imposed sanctions. As a Christian, I believe forgiveness does not detract any more from these obligations than King David was in seeking forgiveness for his sin against Uriah the Hittite. In no way should sexual abuse and rape be tolerated and go unpunished. In this sense my views and the views of society meld. However, there is a great divide regarding what must be done to reduce the perceived prevalence of deviant sexual activity. Much of the current sex offender legislation merely punishes an act already committed. Legislation has done virtually nothing to study the root causes of sex crimes, and even less to actually address the issues. It leaves little wonder why sex offender legislation has virtually no impact on actual sex crimes. Thus, my duty as an advocate is to find a solution to the dilemma that finds the delicate balance between public safety and successful reintegration and rehabilitation of former offenders. In the spirit of the “ounce of prevention” slogan, I believe any serious discussion of sex crimes should begin with learning the root causes deviant sexual behavior…. Sexual Responsibility a “Hard Sell” Chief researcher Dr. David Finkelhor emphasizes the need for educating our children about proper sexual behavior, especially in the online era. His concern is that he found most dangerous was the teenagers were willing to talk about sex online with complete strangers, and going to sex chat rooms and websites (“kind of behaving in what we call like an internet daredevil”). His conclusion is similar to mine- educating about the consequences of inappropriate sexual behavior (Dr. David Finkelhor, Internet Caucus Advisory Committee, 20070503youth, www.escriptionist.com, p. 4-5) “So for example, we have to educate them about why hooking up with a 32-year-old guy has major drawbacks like jail, bad press, public embarrassment. We have to educate them about the ploys that people they’re going to meet online might us to gain their trust. We have to talk to them about why they should be discouraging rather than patronizing sites and people who are doing offensive things online, fascinating as that may seem to them” (ibid., p. 5). Hopefully by now, after reading my story and seeing how easily even a juvenile can be branded a sex offender, you will understand why I think it is imperative we teach our children proper sexual behavior long before they become adults. But as Dr. Finkelhor put it, “…unfortunately, these aren’t easy sells” (ibid.). Part of the main reason why is the “taboo” stigma surrounding sex talk in general, but in using the word “sexual responsibility” some people come to the conclusion we are somehow blaming the victim or removing the concept of accountability and responsibility on the part of the perpetrator. This is simply untrue. I remembered a discussion I had on www.sexcriminals.com regarding dress codes, which led to some pretty heated arguments. A recent fashion trend involved tight pants with provocative expressions like “Booty-licious” emblazoned on the buttocks. Immediately I was criticized for bringing it up because somehow the women on the forum assumed I was implying people who wore such things were “asking to be sexually assaulted.” That wasn’t the point I was trying to make. However, I did not believe children should be allowed to wear clothing designed to warrant attention to a sexual part of their bodies. I believe the aversion is a result of our belief in freedom; simply put, we want freedom to do whatever we want. However, freedom comes with great responsibility. While it is no less wrong for a criminal to rob a man with a hundred dollar bill strapped to his chest than if he hid it in his shoe, but common sense would tell us strapping a hundred dollar bill to your chest is rather irresponsible. Society stresses vigilance, yet when anyone suggests an act of vigilance that involves a small personal sacrifice, society rebels against the notion. On the other hand, there has been a trend towards “hyper vigilance.” A prime example of hyper vigilance was a controversial ad campaign for the Virginia Department of Health’s sex abuse hotline. The ad featured a photo of a man holding a little girl’s hand and the caption, “It doesn’t feel right when I see them together.” Hundreds of men complained because the ad implied every time you see a father out with his child, he is likely a sexual predator. The Virginia Department of Health defended the ads, stating that men are more likely than women to sexually abuse children. The same article reminds us John Walsh had suggested never hire a male babysitter (Jeff Zaslow, “Moving On: Are We Teaching Our Kids To Be Fearful of Men?” Wall Street Journal, August 23, 2007). Predator panic has diverted us from feasible preventive measures, focusing on released sex offenders and now men in general. Patty Wetterling of the Jacob Wetterling Foundation (and mother of the missing child which led to the first sex offender registry in America) has advocated spending more money on programs working with abused youth and prevent troubled youth from committing the crimes on the first place. Wetterling found the same results as noted in the Sample and Kadleck study, namely, legislators were unwilling to read reports and had little knowledge of the nature of sex crimes. Many legislators have even stated, “don’t confuse me with the facts” (Dan Gunderson, Minnesota Public Radio, “A better approach to sex offender policy, June 18, 2007, http://minnesota.publicradio. org/display/web/2007/06/11/sexoffender1/). In short, society chooses to hold fast to their preconceived notions about the origins of sex crimes, while largely ignoring those external root causes we as a society can intervene in and address. This is significant when you consider the fact that 86% of inmates in prison for committing sex crimes are first time offenders (US Dept. of Justice, “Sex Inmates In Prison,” 1997). At the least, sex offender laws have done nothing to address the six of every seven sex offender inmates who are serving a prison sentence for the first time. When you consider the fact repeat offenders are more likely to be incarcerated than first time offenders, it is safe to say we are underestimating the amount of sex crimes committed by first time offenders. Our narrow focus on sex offenders has led to neglect the vast majority of sex crimes occurring in our society! To summarize, I believe any strategy to reduce sex crimes should have prevention as its foundation. While deviant sexual behavior is a product of varying degrees of internal nature and external factors, our contrary culture has emphasized the internal factors while simultaneously propagating external factors which increases the likelihood of deviant sexual behavior. Prevention should start with teaching sexual responsibility with the same dedication that we teach in operating motor vehicles or other things that can cause harm when misused or abused. Sadly, since we have neglected to teach responsible sexual behavior for whatever reason, whether through neglect or an attempt to “shelter “ children from the world, mass media has filled the void, reinforcing faulty beliefs through innuendo while reducing inhibitions toward responsible sexual behavior. Teaching children sexual responsibility is easier and superior to a futile attempt at environmental censorship; however, our negative attitude toward even suggesting the teaching of sexual responsibility constitutes a barrier to prevention. Only by subverting the current views and trends in our current culture can we have any real hope of reducing and preventing sex crimes in America. |
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| The Book Description as written for Amazon.com: Once Fallen is a two part book giving both an eyewitness account and expert testimony of the negative consequences of the current direction of sex offender legislation. Current sex offender laws focus on retribution against Former Sex Offenders while neglecting the rehabilitation of registrants, and completely ignoring tried-and-true prevention and education measures that would greatly reduce criminal sexual behavior. Current sex offender legislation create barriers to the successful reintegration of individuals who have served out their sentences. In addition, these laws help propagate the myriad of myths and lies we believe about sex crimes and those who commit them. Once Fallen follows the seven year journey of one man to overcome his past and live as a productive member of society. The law, an unforgiving society, and internal struggles stand in the way of a reformed life. The first half of this book chronicles this man's struggle for forgiveness in a society, overcoming insurmountable odds to atone for the sins of the past while offering hope for those facing similar personal mistakes. The Second part of Once Fallen is the fruit of nearly a decade of research on the impact of sex offender laws. Sex offender legislation is very popular, yet have come with disastrous consequences for both the registrants living under the laws and the society that desires them. The laws have been proven largely ineffective while merely reinforcing stereotypes and myths about sex offenders. Vigilantism, social ostracism, and denial of basic needs are just a few of the negative consequences of the laws on the individual registrant. Such negative consequence give ample incentive to disobey these laws, as they ultimately punish mostly those who are rehabilitated and have no desire to recidivate. The social consequences of these laws include failing to address the greater number of sex crimes which are committed by non-registrants, the dilution of the registries as a result of predator panic, and the perpetuating of a fear-based culture. This fear has led to hypersensitivity to sex crimes to the point laws intended for the "worst of the worst" are used against even non-sex crimes or behaviors once merely frowned upon, such as consensual teen sex. We have given up large amounts of personal and constitutional freedoms, and laws created against sex offenders are expanding into other criminal behavior, with the potential risk of punishing people based upon perceived risk alone. Once Fallen gives you the truth behind the sex offender legislation and industry, giving you the facts you may not want to hear, but NEED to hear. As with many social panics in our society, there is money to be made in the sex offender industry, with billions of dollars at stake, leaving no desire from mass media, celebrity advocates, and legislators to tell the public the truth behind this ill-fated legislation. Once Fallen offers a rational solution to a problem riddled with well-intentioned but failed legislation. The solution requires we think outside the box and approach the subject with an open mind. Written by Derek Logue, advocate, webmaster at www.oncefallen.com, a critically acclaimed factual information site on sex offender topics and issues. |
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