Another horrible story beyond comprehension

http://www.comcast.net/articles/news-general/20090827/US.Kidnapped.Girl.Found/
I'm so glad she is alive, but the little girl abducted 18 years ago is long gone and will never be back.
Hope that guy burns... just another reason I quit treating sex offenders. Those guys just never stop no matter what.

I would say about 80% have had sexual abuse, or serious physical abuse. Many of them have serious mental illness or mental retardation that affects their ability to empathize. But either way, it comes no where near excusing or explaining such type of a crime.
In sexual offender treatment, they try to teach them how to empathize, but very few ever understand the concept.
Many offenders will start off with "smaller" offenses, but if given the chance they will work their way up to more and more violence. That's why we must ensure that anyone who commits a sexual offense against a minor or vulnerable adult is kept away from the general population forever, and I do mean foever. Prison for most, and 24 hour monitoring in a group home for those who don't end up in prison.
Sad thing is that we only catch a small percent of them.
Just another reason to be an overprotective parent.

serissime said:

I don't know what your profession is, Reframer, but for other people that may be reading, there is of course a difference between a sexual predator like the man in the story, and a "sexual offender," like someone who was found having consensual sex with someone underaged and their parents pressed charges or something. I trust that you are referring to true sexual offenders like the guy in the story. Not all people classified as sexual offenders are actually dangerous, but obviously many are, like this guy.... glad to hear the woman and her children finally were freed.

Click to expand...

Well, you are right in the fact that there are differences between the level of offense. However, in many cases the offender starts off with something less violent and works his way up because the level of violence must escalate in order to get that thrill.
There may be few cases of the example you gave, but those are far and few inbetween. Most are horribly violent. Most of the cases of "consensual" relations involving a minor are not straightforward because there is always the inability of the minor to consent and the adult many times uses manipulation or fear tactics.

Children can't be diagnosed with anit-social personality disorder. It is usually something else going on at home. Sometimes, however, people are born with a deficit in their cognitive function that inables them from feeling empathy. In these cases, the child can end up ok if given a very good behavioral system at home and dedicated parents.
Most of the time sociopaths develop because of a combination of genetics and environment, with the later probably pulling the trigger on a loaded gun. IDK, not an expert in that field.
If you notice a child doing things like killing animals, fighting physically with other kids, starting fires, etc... Please try to get them a psych assessment or at least check out the home environment and report any abuse to your local CPS.