AL- Capital Punishment for Certain Pedophiles?

2-17-2009 Alabama:

Pedophiles who rape young children could face the death penalty in Alabama…if one state lawmaker gets his way.

State Representative Steve Hurst of Munford in Talladega County is proposing a new law that would allow a judge to use capital punishment if someone older than 21 is convicted of raping a child 6 years old or younger.

The death penalty is a punishment that - so far - has been reserved only for murderers.

Should child molesters now be included?

With the growing number of child sex predators, Hurst says capital punishment is an appropriate sentence for adult rapists older than 21 who violate children 6 years old or younger.

“You take a child who’s completely helpless. They have no way to defend themselves. And someone does something of this nature to them, you have literally destroyed that child for the rest of their life,“ says Hurst.

But sex psychologist Dr. Keith Abrams warns he doesn’t think the strategy will work.


“We’ve had capital punishment for decades, and we still have murder,“ says Abrams.

Abrams says instead of focusing on deterrents, we should focus on prevention, for both potential victims and abusers.

In Abrams opinion, any adult who could rape a young child is past the point of being concerned about the repercussions.

“When people commit those kinds of crimes, they get to a place mentally where they’re not thinking about deterrents,“ explains Abrams.

The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department says there are now more than 1000 registered sex offenders living in the county…and at least one third will re-offend.

Introducing capital punishment for some might not be a fix all, but Hurst says, it’s at least a start.

“You’ve got to keep knocking at the door, or you can’t never get in.“

Hurst is still waiting to schedule this bill’s first hearing before the Alabama Legislature. ..News Source.. by Jen Hale