Colorado board reverses controversial change to “sex offender” label
Under pressure from the governor and the state’s public safety director, Colorado’s Sex Offender Management Board has reversed its controversial November decision to scrap the term “sex offenders” in its own guiding principles in favor of “adults who commit sexual offenses.”
The board, commonly referred to as the SOMB, voted 16-2 on Dec. 17 to “table” the language-change matter and refer it back to a subcommittee. It’s possible the board votes again to change terminology in the future, but the tabling means it’s not likely to happen anytime soon.
This decision followed a 10-6 vote by the board in November to stop using “sex offenders” in its own principles and policies. The board controls treatment standards for people convicted of sex offenses, and changing the language in this way would not have affected treatment or management policies. But it was hailed by supporters as an important step away from labels and toward “person-first” language that research shows can improve rehabilitation prospects.
Colorado Springs Gazette:
https://gazette.com/premium/editorial-say-it-out-loud-in-colorado-sex-offender/article_48e07fce-6454-11ec-86ca-57d4b17574f6.amp.html
https://cdpsdocs.state.co.us/dvomb/SOMB/Research/ethicsconflictinterest.pdf
Please post this. The Colorado SOMB is exempt from typical rules of ethics in relation to conflits of interest according to this audit.
“Adults who commit sexual offenses”.
would that include members of the board and majority of society? Great now I’m thinking way outside of the box.
Why was Val’s comment removed?
It was not. It’s there. “Val Parkworst” is the internet troll that stalks Derek Logue. We let a post through once in a while to keep things entertaining and to remind ourselves that we’re still popular.
FAC #3
My mistake I saw it before I posted my comment and then scrolled down it was there. I thought she died and never realized how many fans Derek has trolling him.
Val Parkhurst is dead. “Val Parkworst” is not this guy’s real name.
If they will complain about this, these people will complain no matter what just to pander for votes and charitable contributions. Who in their right mind thinks “Adults Who Commit Sexual Offenses” is somehow coddling to registrants and an improvement on “Sex Offenders”. Neither is grammatically correct, both are demeaning, and neither term does a damn thing to reduce the crimes or recidivism.
Here is what I wrote as a letter to the editor to the Denver Post. I doubt they’ll publish it, though.
Eliminate “Stakeholders” the the Colorado SOMB
The Colorado Sex Offender Management Board has backpeddled on changing the insulting and demeaning term “sex offender” after public and governmental pressure. While I am not surprised, I am appalled at the structure and decision-making policies of the SOMB.
Referring to SOMB board members as “stakeholders” is creepy. We are discussing human beings, not commodities and stocks. Stakeholders invest in businesses that increase customers and generate profit.
A third of the SOMB board members are victim advocates and criminal justice representatives like prosecutors, corrections officials, and polygraphers, i.e., those who have a vested financial interest in keeping this dubious government bureaucracy in business. Unsurprisingly, these victim advocates and government officials vehemently opposed to the label proposal while admitting that the label is a part of the punishment. I thought the SOMB was about treatment, not punishment!
The Colorado SOMB is in serious need of reform. It makes no sense to have a treatment board in which at least a third of the SOMB are not treatment providers. There should be no positions held by victim advocates, prosecutors, corrections officials, polygraphers, or r anyone who has not a mental health or clinical specialist.
Furthermore, there needs to be client representation on the SOMB to provide a voice of reason to this political bureaucracy. Until these changes are made, the SOMB will continue to be nothing more than a tool for those whose only goal is to profit from the dehumanization and misery the SOMB currently provides.
Mr D,
Crime is Commerce!
-SeasonED Greetings To All!-