Member Submission: Post-Conviction Traumatic Stress
The interrogation by police that I received was extreme. It began about 6:30 in the morning when I awakened in bed by a room full of police. I have reason to believe that several had their guns drawn. After dressing, with most of the officers present, I was taken downstairs, where I found a solid wood door had been destroyed by the police when they gained entrance to our home. For more than four hours I was asked hundreds of questions, which I struggled to answer because I had only slept for four hours. There was no food, Not even a drink of water, and I was so frightened that I forgot to go to the bathroom. Afterward my lawyer told me that he had seen this sort of interrogation before—when he was stationed in Afghanistan this was the method used with terrorists.
As a college teacher, I was decimated by the experience. For a year or more I had flashbacks in which the police came barging into my home. I moved to the basement of the house for greater safety, but still I heard noises of what I thought were the police invading my home again. One night I thought I heard the garage door go up and the car being started and driving away. I got up and checked, but the car was still there. I wrote down the many flashbacks and disturbing images I had even when awake at night. This seemed very real.
I was seeing a therapist at the time on a voluntary basis. I described some of what I was experiencing and asked for help. She informed me she didn’t do that kind of therapy. With my doctorate in psychology, and having taught abnormal psychology for several years, I wondered if this was something like post traumatic stress disorder, what some in the military experience once they are home and safe. They will experience the trauma of the battlefield at home, much as they did overseas. This is a problem for those who have been highly traumatized by life-threatening experiences. Could it be that I was having symptoms of PTSD, not because of terrible war experiences, but because of the invasion of my home by police officers.
Then I was placed upon the sex offender registry, and given monitoring devices. I was told to avoid many places that children could theoretically congregate, but also be vigilant in everyday life and avoid being near children. This included taking an alternative aisle in a store if there was a child near the products I needed. I should carefully watch for children when walking down the street, crossing the road and walking on the other side if I saw a child on my side of the street. I must drive on alternate roads to avoid driving by schools. In short, I was taught by my therapist and later by a probation officer to become phobic of children. I thought constantly about this avoidance, which required me to think far more about children than I had before. Did the requirements of the probation officer and my therapist, as well as those of being on the sex offender registry, add to the PTSD symptoms? After more than a year of such symptoms, during which I began vigilant avoidance of children, I concluded I was worse. But we was there anything in the textbooks and research that confirmed this?
In the year 2020 Danielle Harris and Jill Levenson were published in the International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology under the subtitle “post-conviction traumatic stress in men convicted of sexual offenses.” I obtained a copy of the research report and found that these researchers had identified experiences much like mine in other registrants. The problems are many for registrants, many of them created by poorly designed laws that have little or no research evidence to support them. The disconnect, the fear, and the stigma by themselves can induce trauma. The authors see these reactions as a disorder that closely approximates PTSD, a new disorder they describe as “post-conviction traumatic stress.” Symptoms include thoughts that intrude, negative thoughts and emotions, avoidance, and hypervigilance (constantly in an anxious state where you are looking for evidence of harm). These symptoms are believed to be related to aspects of every phase of the criminal justice system.
Anxiety and feelings of helplessness begin to characterize the person’s life, making it difficult to connect experiences and emotions. Attempts at adapting to the environment bring unhealthy thinking about the world, others in life, and themselves. Re-experiencing the trauma, avoiding situations that could trigger such reactions, and maladaptive coping can develop (such as addiction and criminal activities). Being accused of a sex crime, arrest, incarceration, and sex offender registration are life-altering events, producing a sense of powerlessness and fear. In short, it can be traumatic.
Harris and Levenson point out that those who are convicted of sex crimes were often mistreated in childhood (I was sexually abused by a neighbor). This disorder is associated with family estrangement, lack of adequate employment, housing changes, isolation, and other sources of significant stress. Social stigma is not only directed to registrants but also to their families. These problems can be traced to the adversarial court system, incarceration, and a correctional system that lacks an understanding of trauma. Incarceration is associated with nightmares and unwanted thoughts, being easy to startle, avoiding crowds, being detached emotionally, and paranoia.
Such stress can influence people to commit additional crimes, as the former inmate experiences social injustice, a sense of helplessness, and sometimes a desire for vengeance. The person is labeled by society, producing shame, isolation, and a sense of hopelessness. Being on the registry, known by many because of its public nature on the Internet, reinforces the identity of deviance and thus encourages future criminal actions. These influences, in turn, make it more difficult to secure basic human needs for self and family, and in turn communicate that whatever achievement is accomplished can quickly be taken away.
In their study of 74 men, incarcerated for sexual offenses, Harris and Levenson discovered a concern for safety from the police, people who would accuse them falsely, vigilantes, and dangers from living on the streets. Many felt socially disconnected, and experienced lack of contact with children, friends, and family. It was difficult to find a job. Many spoke of the loss of opportunities, dreams and hopes for the future.
The researchers found that all four diagnostic categories associated with post traumatic traumatic stress disorder were common: thoughts or mental images that intruded, avoidance of people and situations that produce distress and isolation (due to fear of being wrongly accused), negative beliefs about other people or self, and a sense of constant danger, less interest in activities, constant vigilance; continual scanning for signs of danger, and sleep problems.
Some react by traumatic coping, in which the above characteristics are accentuated and obsessiveness with obeying laws is prominent. Planning for the future is replaced with an emphasis upon the here and now. The authors conclude that this form of coping is ultimately ineffective.
In contrast, resilient coping involves a greater acceptance of their situation, and the motivation to see reform. Those who are better educated are more likely to use this form of coping. But even these men are worried about incidental contact that would mistakenly get them into trouble.
The research concludes that the crucial aspect of trauma in the corrections process calls for changes to the oppressive and disempowering activities of corrections and courts. Treatment must be trauma-informed as well as encourage community adjustment and a more positive identity. They note that faith-based programs, 12 step programs, and trauma-based treatment can encourage needed acceptance and belonging. Levenson proposed the acronym SHARE as central to successful therapy: (1) safety (2) help (3) autonomy (4) respect and (5) empathy
My son is currently being treated for PTSD for the trauma caused by a counselor he was made to attend counseling classes with, through probation, for a police created crime (online solicitation of a minor; a pretend minor who was looking for men on Craigslist to hook up with and meet up with for sexual purposes). We have evidence that the PTSD was not there before and is there now, since he started these counseling classes through probation. They use mental health professionals (who work in the legal system) to brainwash these men who were trapped in these police created crimes that would have not existed otherwise (the sex sting scam). They force the men to lie and state that they were stopped from raping a minor. They have to say that if police had not stopped them they would have raped a minor. Otherwise, they are accused of being in denial, and they are punished for it. They get kicked out of the class and get their probation revoked, sending them to prison for not giving into the demands of those that work in the system.
My son was even going to be given a polygraph with that question, and because they could not get him to provide the answer they wanted (YES), they backed out on giving him the polygraph, even though they still made him pay $250 for it. The excuse he was given was that they could not test him on what his intentions were or were not at the time he went to meet the pretend girl. The question was supposed to be, “Did you show up to have sex with a minor?” His response is a firm “NO”. That response is not allowed.
If the polygraph was not about what his intentions were or were not, then what was the purpose of it?
By the way, I reported the counselor for unethical conduct, for wanting to force my son to lie, resorting to bullying and threats in order to get him to comply with his (the counselor’s) own wishes. That’s currently pending.
Those who oversee the ethics of the mental health profession need to be aware that our legal system is using mental health professionals to brainwash individuals in order to benefit themselves/their jobs. This is the worst ethics violation a mental health professional can commit. (cause intentional harm to a client in order to benefit themselves) This is a widespread problem.
Who is the polygraph examiner who would not permit a “no” response? They need to be reported.
Who collected the polygraph fee for a polygraph that was not permitted to proceed?
In this disturbing account I see a lot of use of passive voice and “they.” I can understand you being tentative on a public forum, but the individuals and/or agencies that are doing these things need to be named and called out somewhere.
Sex offender counselors vary in quality. They are all over the map. I am so sorry that your son has had to endure this nightmare.
You have to see polygraph examiners much in the same way someone on a hit list would who is being interrogated by the CIA in a secret prison. The interrogator’s purpose is to advance the narrative of the prosecuting arm of the program. Your only hope is to demand an impartial polygraph examiner of your own choosing (as you are paying for the cost of it). If you win that concession, you might just get a fair chance in what is an otherwise very unfair, unethical, and unconstitutional system.
The polygraph examiner is through Midland County probation department in Texas. The probation officer and the counselor had said they would be present for the polygraph, and they were not. So, they lied.
I don’t know the name of the man who was supposed to administer the polygraph, then backed out of giving it because my son would not provide the answer demanded from him.
The evil counselor who harassed him about this after not following his demand and giving into his own wishes is Douglas Brown, who works for the Midland County probation department. He has been reported to the Texas Health Executive Council for unethical conduct.
I hope he is disciplined. For a counselor to demand a pre-determined answer to a polygraph is unconscionable. In a way I don’t blame the examiner for getting out of that situation.
In situations like that, the less you say is the better. Take for instance, after I completed my sex offender classes. They tell me I needed or they feel I needed more classes. Well that didn’t last to long as I started preaching in class and next thing I know they called me into the office. Course I knew what it was about in so many ways. Took my sister and a friend with me and we got to the bottom of this.
In effect, the instructor, the PO officer and the DA suggested they no longer wanted me to be in the class. Wonder why? Even when they ask me to sign a paper saying I knew I was talking to a teenager I didn’t sign.. Wonder why? Course my sister said go ahead and sign as you’ve signed everything else but this time it was different and she didn’t understand that but the other lady friend that came along with us did and so did I.
So am I in deniel sure I am according to them or do these ministers of Justice set people up for the game of overcoming another. Think of all the money they have by inducing these ordeals on another or giving them this opportunity.
This is so sad…I find it repulsion that a murderer can be free and no one know, especially a child murderer. The stats have proven that children sexually abused are harmed by people they know versus child murderers (I’m assuming here) are mostly by strangers.
This is a life sentence on both the post incarcerated offender and their family. This is unjust on so many levels and I pray everyday that the current situation becomes a “way of the past”.
I believe that if you’ve done your time you should be given a fair chance to integrate back into society, fall in love, earn an honest income, and a chance of the American dream.
If not, when will it stop? A DUI registry, a Robbery registry, a didn’t pay your vehicle ticket registry?
This article struck home for me, and to me. I am nearing a quarter century on my state’s SOR, thanks to false allegations of child molestation. My then-personal doctor & long-time friend said I had PTSD, and he was amazed that I was able to endure it without a complete breakdown. I only later told him I often flirted with suicide before my ultimate court date–evenings spent holding a loaded pistol and wondering whether the bullet I fired would indeed end my trauma.
Years later, I was driving near my home, running some errands, when a local PD car pulled up behind me and began flashing his lights. It turned out he wanted to tell me I had a burned-out taillight; but in those first seconds after seeing those lights and pulling over, my first thought was “What are they going to say that I’ve done this time?” I have maintained a good relationship with the SOR officials I must se at least twice a year, but I still notify at least 2 people every time I must report–just in case something else happens and I wind up arrested again. The fear, the trauma clings to me despite the passing of many years. (And I was formally diagnosed only with “mild” depression.)
Within the last 2 years I learned that 1 of my 2 accusers recanted the accusations, which also raised considerable doubts about the other accusation; but under current state law this recanting cannot and will not be of any legal use, in the main because I made a plea bargain. I do have a little more peace of mind; however, the trauma does not go away. (“If I knew then what I know now,” is an often-repeated statement.)
I don’t know what it will take to finally and convincingly show the damage done to registrants and their families, and arguably the damage being worse for a falsely accused registrant. We can and should do whatever it takes to call attention to and actively promote the research that Jill Levinson, Emily Horowitz, and others have done and are doing. At the same time, I wonder if it will take “simple arithmetic” adding more and still more people to the registry, seeing these new “recruits” endure what we “long-timers” already and all-too-well-know.
More than a few “anti-vaxxers” changed their thinking and their language when they caught the coronavirus, lost a loved one to its ravages, or finally accepted the mass of accumulated, peer-reviewed research that call for positive, realistic solutions. There are some people who do not nor will not go along with this view. But I think there is a parallel here, that it WILL take more people winding up on a SOR, and damage done to their families to join the push for the acceptance of accumulated, peer-reviewed research that demonstrates existing SO laws, SORs, do far more harm than good.
The costs will be heavy and unwelcome certainly in the short run. But if it happens to enough people . . . .
Good to see the research on the emotional toll that long term punishment and social ostracizing causes.
glad this is being addressed. when PCSD was presented in a so-called SOTP, shame and punishment, -not SHARE- then and now remains the state’s dysfunctional response. in my case it included a year in prison. my current healing includes $70.000 court judgments against
Cath. Char. and state of Hawaii.