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Re: child abusers in prison
Hi David,
I would suggest that you look at some Australian research by Freda Briggs on
this issue. She is at the University of Adelaide in South Australia and has
done a lot of work with sex offenders and child victims of sex offenders.
Having done mountains of work in prisons in NSW (I'm one of those rare and
few in number individuals who attempts prison reform) I can tell you quite
simply why this is the case, though cannot lead you to any research that
would confirm my proposition.
BUT if your one of those individuals who can use a logical proposition
against your own personal understanding, I think you will find I'm correct.
Child offenders in prison, especially child sex offenders are treated like
low life (and often murdered) because so many prisoners come from a
background of child assault victim.
In fact, it appears that about 30-40% of prisoners in NSW and Victoria,
Australia have been in the care of the State as children. Therefore, most of
those have been abused.
Sex offenders who rape women an the other hand are not treated anywhere as
badly as child sex offenders, abusers and murderers.
Many a time have I heard it said by those with limited knowledge in this
area that 'crims' only use the fact that someone is a sex offender for their
own vicarious brutal pleasures. This of course is as unsubstantiated by
research as my own proposition- but think about it for yourself!
In Australian prisons, such offenders are normally kept segregated from
other prisoners in protection and strict protection so rarely come in
contact with the 'main'. That said however, many prisoners who have sexually
abused children through their jobs in child welfare- schools or through the
churches are even murdered in protection and strict protection by their
'fellow' sex offenders, or by those who seek to get into protection with the
express purpose of taking them out.
Now that speaks volumes, don't it!
I find it interesting that those who seek movement into protection are
taking a huge risk simply to murder what they call a "dog" or a
"rock-spider", as the chances of being placed in the same unit as the target
is reasonably small- the outcome however of being placed in such a unit is
very bad for those who go there. "Bone-yard" I believe needs little
expansion.
Also, the system of protection is counter protective as young first timers
are often placed there for their own protection- placed with sex offenders.
It has been known also that sexual predators seek "protection" to enjoy
themselves !
good luck trying to find something, but little child welfare research takes
place on his segment of the population, as child welfare practitioners
dislike seeing the results of their handy work.
Good place to look however if you want to do some good child welfare
research that results in useful change for children looked after today.
Cheers
John Murray
>From: David Finkelhor <david.finkelhor@unh.edu>
>Reply-To: CHILD-MALTREATMENT-RESEARCH-L@cornell.edu
>To: Child Maltreatment Researchers
><CHILD-MALTREATMENT-RESEARCH-L@cornell.edu>
>Subject: child abusers in prison
>Date: Fri, 08 Dec 2000 16:33:48 -0500
>
>I have frequently heard it said that child abusers in prison have the
>lowest status, try to hide their offense and frequently become scapegoats
>and victims of assault. Can anyone direct us to actual research on this
>issue? We would also be interested in articles from correctional point of
>view on the management of child abusers in prison settings.
>
>David Finkelhor * Crimes Against Children Research Center * Family
>Research Laboratory * Department of Sociology * University of New Hampshire
>*
>Durham, NH 03824 * 603-862-2761 (phone) * 603-862-1122 (fax)
>
>david.finkelhor@unh.edu (or)
>davidf@hypatia.unh.edu
>
>(603) 862-2761 phone
>(603) 862-1122 fax
>
>CCRC website: http://www.unh.edu/ccrc/index.html
>FRL website: http://www.unh.edu/frl/index.html
>
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