WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports-Dirty Secrets, Part 2

Dirty Secrets, Part 2

Burlington, Vermont - November 28, 2006

"It wasn't just one day I woke up and said I think I am going to offend today," said a convicted sex offender, we're calling "Corey" so he can't be identified.

The 45 year-old knows the internal struggles of sex offenders.   His case is typical of what most investigators see. His victim -- a girl he knew.

Other sex offenders use the web.  Police say Lawrence Lizotte preyed on young girls via the internet and lured them into sex.

"Offenders can play a role that they couldn't play in person," said Burlington Deputy Police Chief Mike Schirling.

Some abduct kids.   James Stephens allegedly snatched a 9 year-old from her backyard in Burlington and planned to assault her behind Price Chopper.

"Just don't pick them out by their looks," said Sgt. Bruce Bovat.

Sex crimes vary. And how the state classifies sex offenders does too -- from high risk to low risk.

Here's where the state keeps track of its more than 24-hundred registered sex offenders.

The Vermont Crime Information Center -- where on average five sex offenders are added to the registry each month.

"It's grown.  It's grown a lot," said Sheri Englert, who runs the sex offender registry.

Those considered high-risk have multiple convictions, failed to complete treatment, offend on boys, or chose their victims at random and the state expects they'll re-offend.

First-time offenders who abuse someone they know are often considered low-risk.

And it was low-risk offender Mark Hulett who made national headlines.  The admitted child molester repeatedly abused a little girl he baby-sat. It wasn't just his crime that led to public outcry. But Hulett's jail sentence too.

Judge Edward Cashman sentenced Hulett to a minimum of 60 days in jail. A firing squad of critics called for Cashman to resign immediately.

"I really have a genuine belief that people can change," Judge Cashman told Channel 3's Darren Perron.

Cashman says the sentence was justified. He wanted Hulett to receive sex offender treatment as soon as possible. But under rules at the time, Hulett's low-risk classification meant he could only be treated in the community after his jail term.

"Incarceration alone, especially lengthy incarceration alone, dehabilitates more than rehabilitates," said Judge Cashman.

Under public pressure, the Vermont Corrections Department made treatment available to all sex offenders in prison including those deemed low risk.

"I didn't go in there to change the system. I've been given the credit," said Judge Cashman.  "I think that particular decision was the high point of my career. I made my greatest contribution as a judge."

Cashman says he believes strongly in the treatment that's going on in Vermont prisons.

"Somehow or another when we get to sentencing, people think we resolved the problem.  We haven't.  The problem fixing starts with sentencing. This guy is going to be back in society unless they get a life term. What's he going to be like he gets back?" said Judge Cashman.

But the jury's out on whether treatment really prevents sexual predators from re-offending.

"There is a mixed bag on whether any of the stuff that we force people to do works," said Judge Mark Keller.

He called the effectiveness of treatment into question earlier this month. Judge Keller pointed to a study out of Washington which suggests treatment at a correctional center there does not work.

Keller rejected a plea deal which called for treatment and 60 days in jail for admitted child molester James Campbell.

"This is not pure treatment. This is also punishment," Judge Keller told Campbell.

"The main objective of our treatment program is to stop sexual abuse," said Georgia Cumming.  She oversees sex offender treatment in Vermont.

Cumming points to other studies that say programs here do prevent child predators from re-offending.

"95-percent of the men who completed treatment were not rearrested for another sexual offense," said Cumming.

Convicted child molester "Corey" says he's proof treatment works.

"It's untreatable for the person that doesn't want to change. For the person that does want to change, it is treatable and people can go on and live successful lives without making another person a victim," he said.

After the Vermont Corrections Department changed its policy about treatment Judge Cashman extended Mark Hulett's sentence to at least 3 years in jail.

Darren Perron - Channel 3 News