Now I have more time...
@Nippy: I am afraid you and I are just being realistic here.
Regarding identification procedures and the likehood that the bodies of the two girls were mutilated, I can only say that many people who murder others for sexual and/or sadistic pleasure, also mutilate the bodies before or after the victim has been killed. Let us hope this did not happen to the two girls, there are other explanations as well.
Regarding death penalty, we must realise that regardless of whether we are against or for death penalty, it will not solve the problem of sexual abuse of children anyway. Many countries have death penatly for a number of violent crimes, and the occurence of these crimes has not been lowered because of this. Many people believe death penalty would reduce crimes becaue the criminals might fear the penalty. This may be how a more healthy person reasons, but the mind of a sadistic pedophil is not the same as your own. Many suffer from narcissistic or megalomanic thoughts, and truly believe they are far to smart to ever be caught. Others have severe cognitive and social malfunctions and don't even reflect over the possibility that the may be caught. yet others are in a psychotic state when they commit the act, and have no sense or ability of judgement whatsoever. It is true that a dead or life imprisoned sadstic pedophile cannot commit any more crimes, but you must also realise new ones are born all the time.
The estimated incidence of pedophilia is about 4% of the population. Studies of victims show that about 1 in 30 children have been sexually molested. (Some of these molestations are from other children or teenagers though, and you have to be adult yourself to fulfil the criteria of a pedophilia diagnosis. )
The problem with child abuse is much deeper than how we should penalise the perpertraitors. And the really tragic thing is that at present, we have almost not a clue what can be done to stop these people, other than increasing the control mechanisms in society and learn to listen to our children and be aware of signs of abuse.
"There are in fact two things, science and opinion; the former begets knowledge, the latter ignorance." - Hippocrates
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