9-9-2009 New Hampshire:
DURHAM — The kidnapping case of Jaycee Dugard in California is unusual on multiple levels, according to University of New Hampshire Professor David Finkelhor.
Finkelhor, the director of the Crimes Against Children Research Center at UNH, said the more information that emerges about the case, the more questions there are.
Dugard reappeared in society after 18 years in late August after her alleged kidnappers, Phillip and Nancy Garrido, brought Dugard, who they referred to as "Allissa," and her two daughters with them to a meeting with Phillip Garrido's parole officer.
After further investigation, authorities determined Allissa was actually Jaycee Dugard and that she had two daughters with Phillip Garrido.
Authorities arrested Phillip and Nancy Garrido and charged them with the 1991 abduction of then 11-year-old Dugard and her 18-year imprisonment.
"This case is unusual in several respects," Finkelhor said. "Most abductors don't keep their victims for lengthy periods of time because people who abduct to sexually abuse often do so because they don't have the social skills to develop relationships."
Because they don't have the social skills to develop these relationships, abductors don't usually keep their victims around after the abuse. They'll either release them or kill them, according to Finkelhor.
"A case like this helps to fan the hopes of parents with missing kids but this is a very unusual situation," Finkelhor said.
Another thing that stands out about this case is the fact Phillip Garrido was able to abduct Dugard while on parole for similar crimes.
Phillip Garrido kidnapped a woman in California in 1976, took her to Nevada and sexually assaulted her over a 24-hour period. Garrido was later arrested on federal charges of kidnapping, rape and transporting his victim over the state line.
He was convicted in 1977 and given a 50-year prison sentence. He was paroled in 1988 and was monitored by a GPS ankle bracelet and police.
"The real important part of this story is not about the dynamic of the crime — there's not much for us to learn there — the most important part of the story is the failure of the probation system, which is unfortunately a relatively common kind of problem," Finkelhor said.
"California clearly has an awful lot of sex offenders and a budgetary crisis but parolees and the system of following registered sex offenders play an important role and catching them before or shortly after they commit additional sex crimes."
Some have also questioned the alleged role of Phillip Garrido's wife, Nancy, in the abduction and imprisonment. Prosecutors in California have indicated that Nancy Garrido is just as responsible as her husband in the crime, while others wonder if she was also a victim who felt in danger.
"It's important for people to know there is a diverse group of female perpetrators in sex crime cases," Finkelhor said.
In some cases where a female is accused of committing a sex crime with another man, they can sometimes be coerced or intimidated by the man, resulting in them being apart from the crime.
In other cases, they do it on their own.
Finkelhor said his initial impression of Nancy Garrido's involvement is that she seems somewhat "robotic" and under Phillip Garrido's command.
Family members have said Dugard developed a significant emotional bond with Phillip Garrido, which one psychiatrist said could be a result of Stockholm syndrome, identifying with one's abductor. Finkelhor isn't ready to buy into that theory.
He said the nature of the bond is unknown and could be a case where Dugard was forced to view Phillip Garrido "with less than complete contempt," because he was her major source of human contact for years.
"There are a lot of questions about this case," he said. "It may be awhile before we know all the answers." ..Source.. by Aaron Sanborn
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