Yes, 14 year old sex offenders are immature and should be given a break, BUT,

[MoonRiver]

if they are not held accountable for their crimes they will likely become repeat offenders. Duggar got off scot free for his disgusting acts against siblings. He obviously does not recognize and/or abide by physical/emotional boundaries, even within the family. Frankly, I am VERY concerned about his little daughter.

[In_The_Wind]

1. Someone, outside of the family, needs to be concerned about his daughter.

Excellent point.

[justiceischeap]

24. I'm not saying there isn't reason for concern

but some sexual predators are discriminating in who they'll molest. I have a relative that drew the line at his natural children but found his step-daughters fair game because there wasn't blood relation there. In Duggar's case, it doesn't seem he draws a distinction between blood and non-blood but he could draw the line at "his" and not his. I'd still feel better if someone from outside their little bubble had a chat with the girl, though.

[MoonRiver]

3. Who's branding him?

Since he never faced any consequences for his sexual crimes, he is likely to feel it's ok to do it again. His little daughter is very vulnerable, imo.

[MoonRiver]

5. They usually happen concurrently.

[MoonRiver]

8. Well, I am a psychologist in a juvenile detention facility.

I may be a little bit more informed than you.

[csziggy]

9. How can we know he hasn't? Who would tell on him?

His little daughter or his submissive wife who is completely controlled by him?

His parents and a police officer covered up the original incidents from years ago. They would feel no compunction about covering up another set of incidents. For all we know he could have been molesting his daughter for years now and we would not know.

He had NO rehabilitation. He was sent for "counseling" to a man who is now incarcerated - for the second time - for child pornography. The man was not a trained counselor, just a family friend who the Duggars trusted to not turn them in for covering up child molestation.

[MoonRiver]

10. Exactly, we don't know.

And, seriously, he got "counseling" from a child pornographer???

[riderinthestorm]

16. Josh got a "stern talking to" from the family friend state trooper

who wrote the report and buried it until the statute of limitations ran out.

Oh and yes, that state trooper is now serving 56 years for child porn.

[liberal_at_heart]

11. I'm concerned with what kind of counseling he received. I don't know the statistics on whether or

not counseling reduces the re-offending rate, but just what kind of counseling would a young man in his family environment be receiving anyway? It's quite clear in the language that he used in his public statement that he is not taking full responsibility for what he has done.

[csziggy]

18. Here is what I could find about the counseling

Apparently there were two efforts made - first to a church approved facility, then the "talk" with the child porno state police officer.

The stay at the church facility was in March 17 to July 17, 2003:

In a separate interview with police, Michelle Duggar later says that the treatment program the person attended was not with a certified counselor but with a “guy they knew in Little Rock who is remodeling a building,” the report says.

The Democrat-Gazette has this to say about “the old Veteran’s Hospital in Little Rock,” the location given by Jim Bob Duggar as the site of the counseling:

<SNIP>

Shortly after the institute acquired the building {from Hobby Lobby}, Gothard began renovating the space, saying it would be used for the Little Rock Training Center, which would house “court-referred youthful offenders in the organization’s Bible-based rehabilitation program,” according to an April 2000 article in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

Bill Gothard’s teachings have been promoted by the Duggar family in the past. In 2014, Gothard resigned from the Institute in Basic Life Principles following allegations of sexual harassment, molestation and failing to report child abuse. A spokesman for the Institute couldn’t confirm or deny to the Democrat-Gazette whether a youth treatment program was in place at the building in 2003.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2015/05/23/a-timeline-of-the-molestation-allegations-against-josh-duggar/

Silence led to no case for Duggar
By Chad Day , Doug Thompson

<SNIP>

In his statement Thursday, Duggar said he confessed his actions to his parents, "who took several steps to help me address the situation. We spoke with the authorities where I confessed my wrongdoing, and my parents arranged for me and those affected by my actions to receive counseling. I understood that if I continued down this wrong road that I would end up ruining my life."

The police report shows that Duggar, his father and an elder from their church discussed the conduct with the state police corporal, who is now serving a prison term on child pornography charges. The discussion came after Josh Duggar returned in July 2003 from a three-month stay in Little Rock.
http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2015/may/23/silence-led-to-no-case-for-duggar-20150/

[LadyHawkAZ]

12. "Giving them a break" or not is something that should be done IN COURT, AFTER A TRIAL

His victims and the rest of society have the right to their say in court, as the victims of the crime. Since the victims (past and future) and society were not granted that due to a cover-up of the crimes, why am I required to give the molester a break? Not my responsibility, sorry.

[MoonRiver]

13. I did mean after a court case and sentence.

Those are the juvenile offenders I work with.

[LadyHawkAZ]

19. I agree with that- juvenile offenders should be judged case by case

so those deserving a break can get it, and those that don't, don't.

I've seen too many people today asking for "sympathy" and "forgiveness" from the public though, and it's pissing me off. Not my job. He's a child molester. He targeted prepubescent girls, including his own sisters, and he got away with it. I'm not a court and I don't have to care about his poor little feelings or his bright future. Fuck that guy.

[MoonRiver]

22. Ditto

[Thinkingabout]

14. I know this is off subject but I remember the kids was not able to kiss, etc while "dating" and I

Realize their show was just that but golly. The girls did not have a safe place to go to report crimes.

[avebury]

15. There is no excuse in the parents choosing to hide their

sons crimes instead of protecting their minor children and a young girl who was not a part of their family. By covering up the crime, the denied the parents of the one girl to step up and protect their daughter. The parents have proven themselves to be unfit parents.

[Jackpine Radical]

17. A couple of points--

Most young sex offenders of that age have themselves been victimized by older children or adults.

Juvenile sex offenders are NOT likely to commit further ex offenses in adulthood. There is quite an extensive psychological literature on that point.

I haven't been paying any attention to this story, and actually have no idea of who these Duggar people are, other than what might be gleaned from a few DU headlines, but if I had any involvement with a case like this, one of the things I would explore is the offender's potential history as a victim of abuse.

[libdem4life]

20. It's not about giving someone a break. It's now about responsible adults sorting out the pieces and

working Day Forward. The history is now out and must be dealt with. Those initially responsible parties are the parents and they aren't going to assist in the process easily. They failed miserably. To blame a child, even a teenager for his own parents denial and immaturity is not useful. It is rare a child surpases his parent's emotional IQ or even sexual IQ.

Here again, facts matter. There are many adults here who failed these children and continue to do so. Before we start offering up this clearly wounded man and his horribly dysfunctional family, we need more facts, compassionate human beings who can help to start the healing, while making some sense of the senseless.

But first, the girl still at home...I think there is only one. What a lonely and now frightening place it must be for her, especially.

[riderinthestorm]

25. I just looked it up - there are five young girls still home aged 5, 6, 7, 9 and 17 yrs

plus a couple of older adult young women.

There's also six underage boys and three adult young men still at home.

I don't believe the sexual assaults are just against the females...imo

[Dont call me Shirley]

21. Sex offenders Rehab often consists of "Dont get caught again"

[libdem4life]

23. ^^^^^ this ^^^^^

[Lithos]

26. Have a point here...

First, "sex offender" is a vague term which covers a lot of ground. Yes, I know you're talking about Duggar, but one size does not fit all. There are those who get caught "sexting" or engaging in consensual sex with those under their age.

That said, I am complete agreement with you concerning Duggar. For those of Duggar's nature, this, IMHO, is much akin to kids who hurt animals who then graduate to the bigger crimes involving sociopathic behavior killing and maiming people. If the system does not immediately step in and start treatment, it's not a question of if - but when.

L-

[dem in texas]

27. Did TLC know about this Duggart family secret?

My guess is that they did. If Oprah received an anonymous E-mail, chances are TLC did too. The hypocrisy of the parents and all who covered for the boy are disgusting. The Duggarts wanted to appear to be "Goodie 2-Shoes" when they were not. Come on, TLC, find us some more sorry people like Honey Boo's mom and Josh Duggart.