With Jessica’s Law in the news, what punishment would you prescribe for convicted child molesters?
Larry Gardini, 62, Frye Island
“That’s a tough question. We haven’t got to the point where we have penal islands and I don’t know if the castration theory works. I don’t know what the answer is.”
Crystal O’Donohue, 30, Naples
“I think a lifetime in prison is too short a sentence for someone who’s taken away a child’s innocence.”
Mike Lord, 48, Bridgton
“Don’t the other prisoners usually take care of that in jail? There is karma, you know.”
Sandra Yates, 59, Casco
“It doesn’t matter what kind of sexual assault it was. Regardless of the severity of the crime, all sexual crimes affect the victim. So the punishment, I feel, can’t be severe enough because it’s a lifetime scar on the victim.”
Jim Pepper, 42, Standish
“The recidivism rate for child molesters is about 100 percent. I guess you could put them to death or incarcerate them. That would be the only to deal with them. By the way, I’m really disappointed with our legislators for prioritizing bad drivers over child molesters.”
Bernadette Leavitt, 55, North Gorham
“They let them get away with too much. They give them too many chances. And then they molest kids while they’re out getting their second chance. It’s more like a second chance to molest. I know that’s true. I’ve seen it.”
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