100 signatures reached
To: President Trump, Vice President Pence, DOJ, Committee on the Judiciary, Congressional Leaders, First Step Act
Address Mental Health/Addiction vs. Prison Sentences for First Time Non-Violent Crimes
The U.S. has a MASSIVE mental health epidemic; our government chooses incarceration over psychotherapy and accountability groups, for ALL first-time non-violent crimes.
o 1 in 4 people have someone they know/love fighting mental illness/addiction.
o Children are traumatized/emotionally scarred from the abandonment incurred by their parent’s incarceration (adolescent mental health)
1 in 28 children have an incarcerated parent.
The multi-billion-dollar Adult Porn Industry (aka. “Dark Web”) is purposely playing a MAJOR ROLE in the nations’ child pornography (CP) epidemic, baiting sex addicts on adult porn sites/chatrooms clicking on “legal age” links and/or pop-up adds, to be automatically downloaded picture images birth to teenage.
o Those affected have nowhere to turn for help without being jailed/prisoned.
o Our federal laws mandate min./max. sentences, including first-time offenses, who PASS a psychiatric evaluation.
CP laws hold a MANDATORY minimum of 5 years/maximum of 30 years.
o Many CP onlookers are victims themselves of childhood molestation(s), trapped in that adolescent time period and in an emotional prison, too scared to ask for help.
* LEARN MORE ABOUT SEX ADDICTION: https://fightthenewdrug.org/
* BOOKS ON SEX ADDICTION: Your Brain on Porn; Love Porn/Love God; Worthy of Her Trust; Life After Lust; Walking Through the Storm (just a few)
In 2004, there were 1,259 federal CP cases; in 2016, there were 8,508 federal CP cases.
o Ex. PURPOSEFUL baiting/entrapment of innocent sex addicts viewing adult porn (at a child’s expense).
Our federal prisons house thousands of non-violent CP offenders who have PASSED a psychiatric evaluation and deemed “low threat to society” and “low risk of pedophilia” costing taxpayers’ billions in incarceration costs.
• WASTEFUL SPENDING when this is a mental health issue.
o Psychotherapy is NOT offered in prison; this takes place after a prison sentence is served.
State and Federal violent sex offenders serve less prison time than non-violent CP sex offenders.
o Hands-on/touching crimes of molestation/rape, (mostly) state crimes, bond out of jail within hours/days of their crime, WITHOUT A COGNITIVE ASSESSMENT.
o State crimes hold NO min./max.; molesters ARE NOT administered a psychiatric evaluation prior to jail release.
MANY have their next victim targeted prior to release.
o Non-violent CP crimes serve 3x more prison time than violent offenders (pictures only, no human contact).
Our judicial system uses the pleas mandating a prison sentence for CP.
o Use the term “Possession” which holds a min. of 0-years/max. of 20 years, for first-time crimes.
o Judges and prosecutors should be a proactive part of mental health by mandating psychotherapy and accountability/ recovery groups for non-violent sex crimes.
Ex. Mandate “x” years of counseling and “x” years of recovery groups, with proof to the courts.
Utilize Sex Addicts Anonymous (SAA), Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous (SLAA), and/or faith based Celebrate Recovery (CR).
These non-profit organizations should be used for time off one’s sentence; they are NOT in all prisons.
SOLUTION:
• STOP our incarceration nation without rehabilitation.
• STOP the pornography’s purposeful baiting tactic exposing innocent children at a sex addicts’ expense.
• ADDRESS mental health alternatives FIRST before a prison sentence is issued.
o Criminals would show their progress to their parole officer monthly and a judge quarterly.
o Those who do not comply with therapy and accountability/recovery group mandates will serve their prison sentence.
• Present Day: Mandate our BOP’s, nationwide, to pull ALL inmate files of first-time non-violent crimes for a case review. Those whose recent BOP Risk Assessment scored “low” should have a file review (old and new files). These same files will hold the inmates (court) psychiatric evaluation. Those deemed “low threat to society” and/or “low pedophile risk” should be considered for release on “house arrest”; those with non-violent sex crimes could be issued an ankle/GPS monitor for tracking. While on house arrest, these inmates files would be transferred back the judicial system where the case could be rewritten to address the individual’s mental health addiction, by mandating therapy and accountability/recovery groups for the remainder of their prison sentence (ex. 70 months incarceration is now 70 months of therapy and accountability groups).
• Future Cases: Justices and prosecutors should rule to address an individual’s mental health/addiction vs. a prison sentence for ALL first time non-violent crimes, who PASS a psychiatric evaluation, and deemed “not a threat to society”.
** Many sex addicts are victims themselves of early childhood molestation and/or severe mental/emotional trauma.
** Sex addicts need rehabilitation and support organizations for their addiction, like alcohol, drugs, food, gambling and cutting.
o 1 in 4 people have someone they know/love fighting mental illness/addiction.
o Children are traumatized/emotionally scarred from the abandonment incurred by their parent’s incarceration (adolescent mental health)
1 in 28 children have an incarcerated parent.
The multi-billion-dollar Adult Porn Industry (aka. “Dark Web”) is purposely playing a MAJOR ROLE in the nations’ child pornography (CP) epidemic, baiting sex addicts on adult porn sites/chatrooms clicking on “legal age” links and/or pop-up adds, to be automatically downloaded picture images birth to teenage.
o Those affected have nowhere to turn for help without being jailed/prisoned.
o Our federal laws mandate min./max. sentences, including first-time offenses, who PASS a psychiatric evaluation.
CP laws hold a MANDATORY minimum of 5 years/maximum of 30 years.
o Many CP onlookers are victims themselves of childhood molestation(s), trapped in that adolescent time period and in an emotional prison, too scared to ask for help.
* LEARN MORE ABOUT SEX ADDICTION: https://fightthenewdrug.org/
* BOOKS ON SEX ADDICTION: Your Brain on Porn; Love Porn/Love God; Worthy of Her Trust; Life After Lust; Walking Through the Storm (just a few)
In 2004, there were 1,259 federal CP cases; in 2016, there were 8,508 federal CP cases.
o Ex. PURPOSEFUL baiting/entrapment of innocent sex addicts viewing adult porn (at a child’s expense).
Our federal prisons house thousands of non-violent CP offenders who have PASSED a psychiatric evaluation and deemed “low threat to society” and “low risk of pedophilia” costing taxpayers’ billions in incarceration costs.
• WASTEFUL SPENDING when this is a mental health issue.
o Psychotherapy is NOT offered in prison; this takes place after a prison sentence is served.
State and Federal violent sex offenders serve less prison time than non-violent CP sex offenders.
o Hands-on/touching crimes of molestation/rape, (mostly) state crimes, bond out of jail within hours/days of their crime, WITHOUT A COGNITIVE ASSESSMENT.
o State crimes hold NO min./max.; molesters ARE NOT administered a psychiatric evaluation prior to jail release.
MANY have their next victim targeted prior to release.
o Non-violent CP crimes serve 3x more prison time than violent offenders (pictures only, no human contact).
Our judicial system uses the pleas mandating a prison sentence for CP.
o Use the term “Possession” which holds a min. of 0-years/max. of 20 years, for first-time crimes.
o Judges and prosecutors should be a proactive part of mental health by mandating psychotherapy and accountability/ recovery groups for non-violent sex crimes.
Ex. Mandate “x” years of counseling and “x” years of recovery groups, with proof to the courts.
Utilize Sex Addicts Anonymous (SAA), Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous (SLAA), and/or faith based Celebrate Recovery (CR).
These non-profit organizations should be used for time off one’s sentence; they are NOT in all prisons.
SOLUTION:
• STOP our incarceration nation without rehabilitation.
• STOP the pornography’s purposeful baiting tactic exposing innocent children at a sex addicts’ expense.
• ADDRESS mental health alternatives FIRST before a prison sentence is issued.
o Criminals would show their progress to their parole officer monthly and a judge quarterly.
o Those who do not comply with therapy and accountability/recovery group mandates will serve their prison sentence.
• Present Day: Mandate our BOP’s, nationwide, to pull ALL inmate files of first-time non-violent crimes for a case review. Those whose recent BOP Risk Assessment scored “low” should have a file review (old and new files). These same files will hold the inmates (court) psychiatric evaluation. Those deemed “low threat to society” and/or “low pedophile risk” should be considered for release on “house arrest”; those with non-violent sex crimes could be issued an ankle/GPS monitor for tracking. While on house arrest, these inmates files would be transferred back the judicial system where the case could be rewritten to address the individual’s mental health addiction, by mandating therapy and accountability/recovery groups for the remainder of their prison sentence (ex. 70 months incarceration is now 70 months of therapy and accountability groups).
• Future Cases: Justices and prosecutors should rule to address an individual’s mental health/addiction vs. a prison sentence for ALL first time non-violent crimes, who PASS a psychiatric evaluation, and deemed “not a threat to society”.
** Many sex addicts are victims themselves of early childhood molestation and/or severe mental/emotional trauma.
** Sex addicts need rehabilitation and support organizations for their addiction, like alcohol, drugs, food, gambling and cutting.
Why is this important?
The U.S. incarcerates more people per capita than any other nation.
• Prison is the main form of punishment including ALL first-time non-violent crimes.
• INMATES SLEEP IN TV ROOMS DUE TO OVERCROWDING!
• Since 1980, inmate population has grown 700%.
• In 2019, 1 in 3 people have a criminal record in the U.S.
• 2020: The BOP has 3700 staff vacancies due to the increase prison population.
• U.S. prisons are a FOR PROFIT business profiting BILLIONS of taxpayers’ money!
In 2000, the U.S. spent $6B of taxpayer’s money incarcerating 774,000 individuals.
• In 2016 the U.S. spent $81B incarcerating 2.2 million individuals.
• From 1980 to 2010, the BOP budget has grown 1700%.
Federal Prison Bureau of Non-Violent Offender Relief Act of 2017, known as the First Step Act (FSA), does not include non-violent sex offenses (SO), including CP, for time off their sentence after completing the Sex Offender Therapy Program (SOTP) = DISCRIMINATION!
o FSA is NOT written with counsel from the psychotherapy field, only stakeholders and lawmakers.
Testimony from Dr. Kathleen , BOP director, at the 11-18-2019 Judicial Committee hearing, “CONGRESS” refuses [ALL] sex criminals from participating in the FSA.
o SO’s want PROGRAMS to better themselves, along with incentives for early release.
• SOTP is NOT in ALL prisons.
o FSA written with loopholes making the document optional; only assists 1% of inmates.
1 in 4 federal prisoners are incarcerated more than 500 miles from home due to “limited bed space”.
2017 BOP rates: $99.45 per day/$36,299.25 annually – a 5-year sentence costs taxpayers = $181,496.25, 10 yrs = $1,814,962.50, 15 yrs = $2,722,443.70, 20 yrs = $3,629,925.00 (for 1 person).
8-21-19 Bloomberg report, “U.S. budget to top $1T sooner than expected”, with our current 2019 government expenditures totaling $4.7T, of that $7.1B funds the BOP.
o The nation suffers with mass incarceration as inmates cannot contribute to the economy while imprisoned.
White House 2019 Budget Report: “The Budget provides U.S. Attorneys with $2.1B, $70M above 2017 enacted level, to support retention of hires, allowing $4.7M in additional paralegal support.
o ” How is a criminal to afford their own attorney? THEY CAN’T; taxpayers assume this debt?
PROFESSIONAL QUOTES
Psychiatrist from www.internetbehavior.com, a sex addiction professional contracted with the BOP, co-developer of criminal/cognitive assessments for internet behaviors, could assist in re-writing the FSA.
o Psychiatrist: “NOT all CP users should be prisoned”; “Many are victims of childhood trauma trying to self-heal through crude images”; and “CP users are the low hanging fruit on the vine and much easier to arrest than shutting down websites.”
o THERE IS NO STATISTICAL EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT CP ONLOOKERS INTEND TO HARM A CHILD..
o FSA focuses on non-violent drug crimes; drugs have the highest rate of recidivism!
CP has the lowest recidivism rate of all crimes.
NO incentives for CP criminals to work toward early release, per CONGRESS!
Iowa Senator: “Prison as a punishment is a BANDAID not a CURE”; and “We are a reactive nation on crime [lengthy prison sentences], NOT proactive like other countries (ex. Norway, Finland).”
o Iowa Rep.: “Statistics show an inmate’s mental state to be worse upon release, increasing depression, unemployment rates and homelessness” and “Our lawmakers don’t want to address [anything] sex related due to the back lash within and/or outside of our government.”
Iowa Federal Public Defender: “Sentencing guidelines are due for a massive overhaul”; “CP users are lumped under one umbrella classification and needs reclassifying”; “Not all CP criminals deserve prison as most individuals have learned their lesson after spending several months in jail”; and “Many CP crimes need therapy, NOT prison.”
Iowa Police Officer: “We have archaic laws for modern-day crimes”; “We have a massive outcry for mental health in the U.S. but our government neglects this topic”; and “Feds take CP cases they are sure to win when a majority of the non-violent cases could be handled state-side without the need for prison.”
Iowa (sex) therapist: “When sexually abused as a child, CP onlookers are calloused to their crime and correlate it with their own childhood abuse and/or emotional trauma.”
60 Minutes: Meet a Convicted Felon Who Became a Georgetown Law Professor, Federal felon Shon Hopwood stated, “prison is NOT a place for personal growth”; “prison is NOT a fix all approach”; and “prison is a waste of taxpayers’ money” (aired 7-21-19).
CNN: ‘This is the Life with Lisa Ling’, Porn Ed, “Pornography is an unrecognized but valid addiction” and “[Porn]is the largest epidemic not many people want to talk about.” (aired 9-28-2019).
SEX ADDICTION
• Sex addicts battle their addiction daily from provocative television commercials and programs, sexy billboards/magazines ads, movies, video/internet games, not to mention society’s skimpy style of dress showing ‘skin’ or tight clothing to accentuate curvatures. A sex addict is haunted daily, sometimes hourly, to fight their addiction because it’s EVERYWHERE. Sex addicts are misunderstood, ignored and internalize their addictions demons, fears, guilt, anxiety, shame and depression.
• Society vocalizes organizations such as Alcoholic Anonymous (AA) and Narcotic Anonymous (NA) but NOTHING is vocalized for sex addictions, such as SAA, SLAA and/or CR. Sex is the taboo topic no one wants to address, openly discuss, and/or promote support INCLUDING OUR GOVERNMENT.
Quote, “An alcoholic can think about a beverage and not get inebriated; a drug addict can think about “using” and not get a high; a sex addict can see/think about a sexual image(s) and be IMMEDIATELY consumed with their addiction, while lost in their thoughts and rational.”
Quote, “Most sex addicts are forced into a world not on their sexual radar when introduced to CP.”
• Prison is the main form of punishment including ALL first-time non-violent crimes.
• INMATES SLEEP IN TV ROOMS DUE TO OVERCROWDING!
• Since 1980, inmate population has grown 700%.
• In 2019, 1 in 3 people have a criminal record in the U.S.
• 2020: The BOP has 3700 staff vacancies due to the increase prison population.
• U.S. prisons are a FOR PROFIT business profiting BILLIONS of taxpayers’ money!
In 2000, the U.S. spent $6B of taxpayer’s money incarcerating 774,000 individuals.
• In 2016 the U.S. spent $81B incarcerating 2.2 million individuals.
• From 1980 to 2010, the BOP budget has grown 1700%.
Federal Prison Bureau of Non-Violent Offender Relief Act of 2017, known as the First Step Act (FSA), does not include non-violent sex offenses (SO), including CP, for time off their sentence after completing the Sex Offender Therapy Program (SOTP) = DISCRIMINATION!
o FSA is NOT written with counsel from the psychotherapy field, only stakeholders and lawmakers.
Testimony from Dr. Kathleen , BOP director, at the 11-18-2019 Judicial Committee hearing, “CONGRESS” refuses [ALL] sex criminals from participating in the FSA.
o SO’s want PROGRAMS to better themselves, along with incentives for early release.
• SOTP is NOT in ALL prisons.
o FSA written with loopholes making the document optional; only assists 1% of inmates.
1 in 4 federal prisoners are incarcerated more than 500 miles from home due to “limited bed space”.
2017 BOP rates: $99.45 per day/$36,299.25 annually – a 5-year sentence costs taxpayers = $181,496.25, 10 yrs = $1,814,962.50, 15 yrs = $2,722,443.70, 20 yrs = $3,629,925.00 (for 1 person).
8-21-19 Bloomberg report, “U.S. budget to top $1T sooner than expected”, with our current 2019 government expenditures totaling $4.7T, of that $7.1B funds the BOP.
o The nation suffers with mass incarceration as inmates cannot contribute to the economy while imprisoned.
White House 2019 Budget Report: “The Budget provides U.S. Attorneys with $2.1B, $70M above 2017 enacted level, to support retention of hires, allowing $4.7M in additional paralegal support.
o ” How is a criminal to afford their own attorney? THEY CAN’T; taxpayers assume this debt?
PROFESSIONAL QUOTES
Psychiatrist from www.internetbehavior.com, a sex addiction professional contracted with the BOP, co-developer of criminal/cognitive assessments for internet behaviors, could assist in re-writing the FSA.
o Psychiatrist: “NOT all CP users should be prisoned”; “Many are victims of childhood trauma trying to self-heal through crude images”; and “CP users are the low hanging fruit on the vine and much easier to arrest than shutting down websites.”
o THERE IS NO STATISTICAL EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT CP ONLOOKERS INTEND TO HARM A CHILD..
o FSA focuses on non-violent drug crimes; drugs have the highest rate of recidivism!
CP has the lowest recidivism rate of all crimes.
NO incentives for CP criminals to work toward early release, per CONGRESS!
Iowa Senator: “Prison as a punishment is a BANDAID not a CURE”; and “We are a reactive nation on crime [lengthy prison sentences], NOT proactive like other countries (ex. Norway, Finland).”
o Iowa Rep.: “Statistics show an inmate’s mental state to be worse upon release, increasing depression, unemployment rates and homelessness” and “Our lawmakers don’t want to address [anything] sex related due to the back lash within and/or outside of our government.”
Iowa Federal Public Defender: “Sentencing guidelines are due for a massive overhaul”; “CP users are lumped under one umbrella classification and needs reclassifying”; “Not all CP criminals deserve prison as most individuals have learned their lesson after spending several months in jail”; and “Many CP crimes need therapy, NOT prison.”
Iowa Police Officer: “We have archaic laws for modern-day crimes”; “We have a massive outcry for mental health in the U.S. but our government neglects this topic”; and “Feds take CP cases they are sure to win when a majority of the non-violent cases could be handled state-side without the need for prison.”
Iowa (sex) therapist: “When sexually abused as a child, CP onlookers are calloused to their crime and correlate it with their own childhood abuse and/or emotional trauma.”
60 Minutes: Meet a Convicted Felon Who Became a Georgetown Law Professor, Federal felon Shon Hopwood stated, “prison is NOT a place for personal growth”; “prison is NOT a fix all approach”; and “prison is a waste of taxpayers’ money” (aired 7-21-19).
CNN: ‘This is the Life with Lisa Ling’, Porn Ed, “Pornography is an unrecognized but valid addiction” and “[Porn]is the largest epidemic not many people want to talk about.” (aired 9-28-2019).
SEX ADDICTION
• Sex addicts battle their addiction daily from provocative television commercials and programs, sexy billboards/magazines ads, movies, video/internet games, not to mention society’s skimpy style of dress showing ‘skin’ or tight clothing to accentuate curvatures. A sex addict is haunted daily, sometimes hourly, to fight their addiction because it’s EVERYWHERE. Sex addicts are misunderstood, ignored and internalize their addictions demons, fears, guilt, anxiety, shame and depression.
• Society vocalizes organizations such as Alcoholic Anonymous (AA) and Narcotic Anonymous (NA) but NOTHING is vocalized for sex addictions, such as SAA, SLAA and/or CR. Sex is the taboo topic no one wants to address, openly discuss, and/or promote support INCLUDING OUR GOVERNMENT.
Quote, “An alcoholic can think about a beverage and not get inebriated; a drug addict can think about “using” and not get a high; a sex addict can see/think about a sexual image(s) and be IMMEDIATELY consumed with their addiction, while lost in their thoughts and rational.”
Quote, “Most sex addicts are forced into a world not on their sexual radar when introduced to CP.”
How it will be delivered
Email to family and friends, asking them to sign the petition and pass it onto others, for their support.
Post on Twitter & Facebook: My page; Criminal Justice Reform Groups; Inmate/Loved One Groups, people's posts.
* LEARN MORE ABOUT SEX ADDICTION: https://fightthenewdrug.org/
* BOOKS ON SEX ADDICTION: Your Brain on Porn; Love Porn/Love God; Worthy of Her Trust; Life After Lust; Walking Through the Storm (to name a few)