denverlegalview.com: New Colorado Sex Offender Bill Headed for the State Senate.
House Bill 10-1364, a controversial piece of legislature extending Colorado's Sex Offender Management Board (SOMB), is up for a final review by the state Senate after receiving some last minute changes. The main thrust of the bill, to extend the SOMB for another five years, was met with little resistance. Rather, contention surrounding the original bill centered on a bit of modified language pertaining to the Sex Offender Management Board's directive, removing language supporting the theory that there is "no known cure" for sex offenders.
This has always been a bogus argument. To believe that an individual who has committed a sex-related crime can never change or rehabilitate (or be "cured" to use their subjective term) is an inane, uneducated viewpoint. There is no more sense or logic behind this belief than there is to believe that murderers, domestic abusers, drunk drivers and drug users can never change. Recidivism rates for sex offenders are lower than those of other offenders.
This was an important omission because, in Colorado, those convicted of sex offenses are offered treatment based on the assumption that there is no known cure for their condition.
Now, that's a stupid statement. Why even provide treatment to people whom you believe cannot be successfully treated...
In the face of heavy criticism, Democratic House members agreed to a compromise - language directing the SOMB to acknowledge the existence of "some adult sex offenders" who fit into a group for whom there is no known cure.
