by Jessica Stoltzfus

Created on: May 18, 2010   Last Updated: May 19, 2010

No person, either male or female, should be allowed to have children if they have committed some type of sexual crime that leads to incarceration. These people are placed on a list of sexual offenders for a reason so it should be fully enforced. It should not matter who the victim was whether it be an adult or child. There is just too much risk involved and too great a chance of criminal repetition.

Even in the case of a man or woman committing some sex-related crime against another adult, it does not mean that a child would not be at risk. It is unfortunate in some cases, however, when these offenders already have children prior to conviction of an offense.

In these cases the children should be completely removed from the offender and only allowed fully supervised visits, if any depending on the exact nature of the crime.

The exact type of crime or victim should not matter when it comes to children. People need to consider what could have possibly happened to this person to drive them to commit this kind of criminal behavior.

He or she may have been sexually abused as a child by a parent or other family member or even a total stranger. It could also be that they were not abused but merely a witness to such behavior and therefore under the impression that this activity is permissible or even normal.

These offenders may also just have some type of mental defect or chemical imbalance that impairs their judgment of sexual behavior.

No matter the main cause or type of offense, these people should not be allowed to have children or even be granted unattended access to them. They may claim to have morals and not be attracted to children in the same way that they were attracted to their victims but there is no way to ensure that their drive to commit these crimes will not change due to availability.

Past abuse in no excuse for someone to grow up and think that this behavior is okay but then again there are many sexual abuse victims that do not become the offender later in life.

A man or woman that was molested or abused as a child that grows up to be an abuser obviously did not have the mental or emotional strengths, willingness, or self-control necessary to be a responsible parent and should not be given the chance. They don't deserve to know the unconditional love of a child that they may eventually victimize.

Learn more about this author, Jessica Stoltzfus.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.