WA- Civil commitment primer

Cure? The whole concept of a cure for any kind of crime or criminal is complete stupidity. In life there is "no cure" for anything that one can name, at least no cure to the extent that a cure is expected of a former sex offender. Name the condition, doesn't matter what it is, nothing is ever cured to the extent that it will NEVER RETURN AGAIN! So, by placing such a standard on sex offenders is nothing more than a way to circumvent laws. PS: Is there a cure for bad politicians, or ones that make bad decisions, now is there?

5-6-2008 Washington:

Washington’s ground-breaking Sexually Violent Predator law contends that some sex offenders are simply too mentally ill to be allowed back into society.

After a sex offender’s entire prison sentence is served the state can petition the courts to commit him or her to the Special Commitment Center on McNeil Island. The center legally isn’t a prison but still has guards and is surrounded by barbed wire.

Sex offenders “qualify” for civil commitment based on a psychiatrist’s finding that they’re more than 50 percent likely to re-offend in a violent, predatory manner because of a mental disorder. U.S. Supreme Court rulings established a high bar to civilly commit someone and several dangerous sex offenders have failed to meet that standard — despite predictions they’d rape again.

Cowlitz County has five men at McNeil Island. Three, Douglas A. Alsteen, Joel S. Reimer Eric St. John, have been officially committed. Two more — Troy Belcher and James LaBaum — are awaiting their final determination.

Each has a string of horrific crimes to his name, many with details too disturbing to publish.

Once committed, the sex offender remains at the center until he or she can prove to a judge that their mental disorder has been cured and they’re safe for release. Roughly 260 sex offenders are housed on McNeil Island, in the center run by the state Department of Social and Health Services, not the Department of Corrections.

Critics contend the 17-year-old law is double punishment because the sex offenders already have served out their criminal sentences. They also call civil commitment a de facto life sentence. Supporters say the sex offenders on McNeil Island are too dangerous to release.

To date only a handful — roughly a dozen — sex offenders at the center have won limited but monitored release. ..more.. by Barbara LaBoe