No it had nothing to do with legitimate authority. It depends on the young person. It depends on the metal state of the person young or old a the time, lots of factors. The ability to change varies from person to person but theoretically the younger they are the better their odds. Preferrably before the age of 10 when we have the last significant drop in our neural flexibility. But the goals are very different in these two instances. It is important for her to be able to be with others safely even if it is within confinement. The BTK killer isn't necessarilly unsafe in the same room with others. And he will never walk the streets freely. That doens't mean it's not important he get help, everyone deserves that opportunity. Given his circumstances it isn't going to have the same effect if he makes big changes to his ability to simply be with others. He still won't get the chance at freedom. In the girls case she hadn't been successful killing anyone, right? In which case helping her grow and change and not want to do that means she could live freely. Which is hughly different from this guy who has repeatedly victimized and tortured and murdered people. Even if he could be "fixed" so to speak he has forever lost the privalage to live freely. I agree with you in either case it sucks for them the system failed them too little, too late. And our system will only continue to fail big time until we focus on prevention.
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Date: 2005-08-20 06:42 am (UTC)The ability to change varies from person to person but theoretically the younger they are the better their odds. Preferrably before the age of 10 when we have the last significant drop in our neural flexibility.
But the goals are very different in these two instances. It is important for her to be able to be with others safely even if it is within confinement. The BTK killer isn't necessarilly unsafe in the same room with others. And he will never walk the streets freely. That doens't mean it's not important he get help, everyone deserves that opportunity. Given his circumstances it isn't going to have the same effect if he makes big changes to his ability to simply be with others. He still won't get the chance at freedom.
In the girls case she hadn't been successful killing anyone, right? In which case helping her grow and change and not want to do that means she could live freely. Which is hughly different from this guy who has repeatedly victimized and tortured and murdered people. Even if he could be "fixed" so to speak he has forever lost the privalage to live freely. I agree with you in either case it sucks for them the system failed them too little, too late. And our system will only continue to fail big time until we focus on prevention.