Posted on October 5, 2009 by Debbie Ausburn

Recovering Convenient Memories

Two New Jersey men claim to have recovered memories of sexual abuse that they suffered more than 60 years.  Yes, 60 years.  I tend to be skeptical about claims of recovered memories, but this one is particularly hard for me to believe.  According to this article in the Star-Ledger, one man says that his repressed memory broke through "after he learned on television, in October 2004, that the Newark Archdiocese had settled with victims of sex abuse for $1 million without acknowledging wrongdoing."

But of course.  That's how all repressed memories work.

Hat tip: Tillers on Evidence and Inference

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Posted on March 8, 2009 by Debbie Ausburn

Straining at a Gnat

The Oklahoma Senate has passed a bill to prevent sex offenders from operating ice cream trucks.   The sponsor said he was motivated by reports of sex offenders operating ice cream trucks who were convicted of molesting children.  

Well,  what about accusations against other professions, such as (to pick just a few recent news articles at random) pediatricians, a private music teacher, a preacher, and a karate coach?  When will we see bills targeting these professions?

We could spend our lifetimes, and our children's, trying to ferret out all the places that predators spend their time, without ever exhausting the list.  Even if we could target all of the jobs, what criminal penalty will frighten a business more than the prospect of a substantial jury verdict for failure to screen its employees?  We would be better advised to spend our efforts on educating employers and organizations that deal with young people.

The best I can say about this bill is that it doesn't hurt anything, and might keep legislators distracted from more dangerous activities, such as raising taxes.

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