The author of the 1986 paper said that he was treating the “worst of the worst” back then and had no real data, so he just guessed and threw out the 80% number for the most incorrigible predators if I am understanding what he said in the interview. The the magazine and as a result of the article, the DOJ appears to have ignored or never even read the rest of his exaggerated numbers and even the lady who wrote the manual said they were just guessing. So the “facts” from the bogus article and handbook get cited in 100+ cases and have ignored subsequent studies. The NYT film mentioned a number of states, but the one set of “facts” that I heard a while back came from a current or former FBI employee who said that their numbers for people who had actually been through treatment indicated a recidivism rate of more like 4% for 5 years IIRC. Apparently recidivism is like cancer survival. If you make it beyond 5 years, you are pretty much “clear” statistically speaking. I personally have made it 19 years and have no plans to go back to my wicked ways if for no other reason that a significant new offense would draw 25-Life. . One time was enough for me or, perhaps more accurately, one time too many. I went overboard and ended up going about 99% celibate. I have been intimate with another human being twice in the last 11 years and both time with the same person, a crazy old out of town friend who was between her 3rd and 4th husband at the time and who has known about my problem from years. She was also my last “partner” back in 2006 when she was between husband 2 and 3. LOL I have endeavored not to break any “rules” of sexual morality since I was convicted even if the other consenting adult party is ready willing and able. My crime and subsequent registration has pretty much made it impossible to have a normal relationship and at age 56, I don’t see that improving.

Excellent points JoeM!

So we base Constitutional law on a 30 year old article in a magazine that has since been refuted by the author? Also, precisely who was being imprisoned, classified and treated in 1986? Many of the offenses that would get you on the registry today were ones that would get you probation or would only draw a short sentence if you had a bad lawyer back then. Mandatory “universal” treatment is a product of the 90’s and early 2000’s as best as I can tell. This is kind of like a study on current internet use patterns based on data from AOL and Compuserve customers in 1992..

It is nothing without false truth aka lies. It never did work. It will not work.

It is just a political tool to manipulate the ignorant masses with a boogeyman just like the war on terror and the war on drugs.

It is pretty f–king frightening to learn that this group of supposedly wise judges are using a pop psychology magazine (Psychology Today) as their sole source for legislation that will destroy so many lives.

Makes you wonder about ALL their “wise” decisions doesn’t it. Perhaps it is just that they…like most of society at large…doesn’t give a rats ass about fairness or facts when it comes to vile sex offenders!