I can't believe you're comparing child abuse to stealing a car. Or even to a murder. In terms of impact for the victim and family, of course being dead is worse than being raped. BUT in terms of what it takes to do that to another person, I can see a stupid kid, bad situation, drugs, guns, a momentary stupid decision, and someone's dead. But to molest a child they have to put in time to groom them, they have to look at that child's face and they have to then proceed to do sexual things, with a child. Same goes for rapists of adults and torturers.

I could never, ever be friends with a child molester, but someone who'd killed someone during an armed robbery and fully repented and was trying to make amends to the world, yes, I could be firends with them.

I am NOT comparing anything to anything:

Point IS: A CRIME IS A CRIME IS A CRIME....Ask ANY VICTIM of one.

Alienation is the quickest way to get them to re-offend. You want TWO {or more} victims instead of just one? Then Go ahead, alienate them.

NOT all put in your "time to groom them". SOme just do it anyway. On the spur of the moment. In haste.

And the robbery? planned {or groomed} just as well, not exactly a "momentary stupid decision, and someone's dead" as you put it: as the place was cased, time when least busy ascertained, when assumably most money to be in the drawer, and how the perp, once caught, bragged about "the hit". He NEVER "fully repented', as you put it. And murderers apparently are "highly regarded in prison" according to the "lock up" shows I've seen on TV...and often released into society without therapy and lessons on why their crime was bad.

Once time is served, and they are released, and been taught how it was wrong, then they can be on the road to better deeds...

~Ask the person whose car was stolen and wrecked by my friend, how he felt about "being violated" as it was stolen from the "safety of his own driveway" where he tought it/he was safe? {my firend was just "stupid", and he knows it}

~Ask the whole family whose member is now gone shot in the robbery how "violated we feel" for the fact she went to work and never came home and we had to plan a sudden tragic funeral.

~I was "home invaded" once, {meaning people at home when the robbery occurs, and in my case, held on the floor at knife point while others carted off my valuables} by a neighbor and some of his "friends"...You don't think I don't feel violated??? In the supposed "safety of my own home"? In the evening by someone I "knew" and thought I could "trust"???? I Could ALSO have been killed or seriously injured. He's been released by now, but I don't live in that state anymore.

SAME SAME for a vicitm of any crime! Violated is violated.

But the perps can be re-taught and offered to be a "changed" person.

I said IF they had: served their time, did their therapy, and learned their lesson {and granted some don't, but some DO}, AND hadn't committed any more in say 10-20 years, then yeah, I could be friends with them. I didn't say I wouldn't necessarily fully trust them with my kids alone necessarily. But I also don't trust I won't get robber again, either.

We release murderers after 20-25 years, how about other criminals? Of any type?

EVERYbody deserves the second chances we offer to parolees and to those who have served their time...regardless of the crime...as a crime is a crime is a crime.

I can forgive the home invaders, the robber, and my friend, why not others?

Its a "big man" or "big person" to forgive...but no one will forget...