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Original poster

Fascinating Article on "Circles" (Prison, Paedophilia, Society)

86 replies

NotQuiteCockney · 17/06/2006 16:12

There's a lovely piece in today's (Saturday's) Guardian about a Canadian program, in which particularly difficult ex-cons (paedophiles, in the case discussed) are given new volunteer "families". \link{http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,1799618,00.html\Here}.

The ex-con has dinner at a different house every night of the week, and on the 7th night, everyone has dinner all together. The families make sure he is taking his meds. They help him sort out housing etc. They provide support and guidance.

Apparently this program has reduced reoffending rates by 60%, in a group of people very likely to reoffend. And those who do reoffend tend to reoffend for lesser offences.

It's a fascinating idea, although the article doesn't provide any contact info on the UK circles which are apparently starting up ...

OP posts:
trinityrhino · 17/06/2006 16:16

HOW DO THEY KNOW HE HAD NEVER REOFFENDED??????????/

welcoming them into the family cirlcle is a great way to give them opportunities to be secretive and decieve

sorry, I should have parped myself

Original poster
NotQuiteCockney · 17/06/2006 16:17

I'm pretty sure, that if you have someone coming over for dinner who you know is a convicted sex offender, you're going to be keeping a bit of an eye on them.

Looks like the Quakers are running this program in the UK, or are at least involved. Unsurprisingly.

OP posts:
Blandmum · 17/06/2006 16:23

I have a friend who does this (gives the support etc) She is a seriously good woman, and I wouldn't do this in a month of Sundays.

Original poster
NotQuiteCockney · 17/06/2006 16:25

It sounds like the sort of thing all newly released prisoners could do with, although I can see the need to do it for paedophiles first.

OP posts:
JoolsToo · 17/06/2006 16:27

sorry - no paedophiles will be coming to my house for dinner!

Original poster
NotQuiteCockney · 17/06/2006 18:39

Anybody else read the article?

OP posts:
edam · 17/06/2006 18:42

Which bit of the Grauniad? Read it this am and didn't see this piece.

Original poster
NotQuiteCockney · 17/06/2006 18:43

Front section, near the editorial. Just after business, I think?

OP posts:
edam · 17/06/2006 18:44

Oh, thanks, will have a look.

Original poster
NotQuiteCockney · 17/06/2006 18:48

If you can't find it I will dig up the page number. It's a really interesting article, I thought. Quite touching, in its way.

OP posts:
Fauve · 17/06/2006 19:13

NQC, I'm sure I've read that they do that in Sweden, too. Haven't yet read that bit of the Guardian.

TwoIfBySea · 17/06/2006 22:31

You know I read an article written by a woman who suffered horrendous abuse as a child. She said that paedophiles consider themselves at the same stage of acceptance as gay men/lesbians did in the 60s.

Not only was that thought abhorrent and extremely worrying but this seems to confirm it. I cannot understand anyone who would invite someone like that into a family setting, either extremely naive or extremely stupid.

It would work for other offenders I am quite sure but paedophiles, no way!

saadia · 17/06/2006 22:40

Oh dear, well I will probably be considered very extreme but I'm just not sure if these people can be rehabilitated or trusted. If I know that someone has committed these offences I would not even be able to look at such a person.

TwoIfBySea · 17/06/2006 22:42

You wouldn't be considered extreme Saadia, you would be considered very very wise!

edam · 17/06/2006 22:49

The article didn't go into much detail, unfortunately, but it seems that people volunteer to befriend a paedophile. The circle of (12?) friends ensures someone meets up with the ex-offender every day, and they all get together once a week. The idea is it's a circle of support and accountability - not sure I've got the phrasing right but along those lines. So the meet ups are about making sure the ex-offender isn't hanging around playgrounds and so on, and discussing any problems they are having re-integrating into society. The thinking seems to be that if they have social contact, have somewhere to live and a way to earn a living, they may be less dangerous to have around.

It used the example of one man who did not reoffend and quotes the figures given in the first post here. But doesn't go into any more detail on them.

I can't imagine inviting a convicted paedophile into my home either, but the people who do this are obviously doing their damndest to help prevent reoffending. And if the figures are correct it seems to be working.

JoolsToo · 17/06/2006 22:58

To be frank (and let's face it what do I know?!) I don't think you can stop a paedophile from reoffending by becoming his friend, I don't think you can stop them reoffending full stop (although this article seems to refute that statement).

shapeshifter · 17/06/2006 23:10

I sat down to dinner with a paedophile almost every night when I was growing up and I bet thousands of children do the same thing now.
Had no idea our family was so progressive and all.

Better bloody PARP Angry.

JoolsToo · 17/06/2006 23:15
Sad
plummymummy · 18/06/2006 00:34

I too don't believe they can be rehabilitated. I just can't imagine having one sit at my table with my child and be able to talk about such idle pass times as the weather etc without all the while wondering what sinister thoughts he was entertaining about my son.

Chandra · 18/06/2006 00:48

I don't think I could put DS in risk to see I could help one of them. Sorry, can't even forgive the offence, let alone bring one into my house. I'm with shapeshifter on this, sounds a good idea but when you have seen the damage it could cause to a child and their families to you you know best not to play with fire.

sobernow · 18/06/2006 00:54

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
NotQuiteCockney · 18/06/2006 06:42

sobernow, I've read there are a wide range of reasons why people have inappropriate sexual urges, so I'm sure there is a spectrum of "cureability".

I do think this is a lovely idea, and hope it becomes more popular in the UK, assuming that stats pan out, and it really does help.

MB, am I right in assuming your friend is a religious person?

OP posts:
FrannyandZooey · 18/06/2006 07:47

"I'm pretty sure, that if you have someone coming over for dinner who you know is a convicted sex offender, you're going to be keeping a bit of an eye on them."

:)

I feel the same knee jerk horror that other people have expressed on here, but I also feel that our society is failing to deal with the problem of paedophilia, so I welcome something new. We may instinctively feel that paedophiles are unhepable but if the facts show otherwise...

charliecat · 18/06/2006 09:05

Have skipped through the article but how exactly would this help? I see people every day, it doesnt stop me from having sex with my partner. I just dont tell the people im seeing what ive been up to...
They arent going to with the person every minute of every day. Which would be the ideal option.
But creating a circle of friends they are saying that these people abuse kids because they are lacking in friends???
Dont think so.

saadia · 18/06/2006 09:15

The crime is so perverse and incomprehensible to me that I cannot see how a perpetrator could possibly be be accepted back into society. Probably more research and psychiatric treatment is needed.