should we consider pedophiles criminals or people with illness or both and why?

Answer 1

Both and I think that goes for other genres as well such as drug addicts. People can have an illness but as a result of that illness, can commit crimes. An illness does not abstain a person from guilt of a criminal behavior but committing a crime does not mean someone can't also be ill.
A pedophile is often unable to control his/her reaction to a child and actions toward a child as a drug addict is unable to control his/her compulsion and eventual use of a drug (not to say these are the same as all but just a clean analogy). The person is ill and needs to be treated. At the same time, the person is also committing a crime because it has been determined that a violation against a child is and I beleive should be, a punishible crime.
As a society, we need to decide whether rehabilitation should be an essential part of our criminal justice system or not and also whether complete rehabilitation in the case of a pedophile is even possible. Some people are not able to live in society as others are.

Answer 2

Depends on whether or not they act on it. If you are "just" attracted to children, then you are ill. If you act on that attraction, then you are ill AND a criminal. The illness that cause the crime.

Yeah, they have to be punished for what they've done, but they also need help to overcome their illness. Therefore pedophiles should not "just" be trown in jail. They need treatment. Jail won't change a damn thing - they'll just continue to do it once they're out. Help them, give them treatment, and you have a chance of prevetning them from doing it again.

Answer 3

Both. But everyone in this material world is ill and a criminal. We think we are this body and we think we own things. Nothing is ours in reality and we are eternal spirit souls, part and parcel of the Supreme Soul, also known as Krishna, Allah, Vishnu, Jehovah, etc. This world is a prison for all rascals. It is said in the Vedas that only one fourth of the souls come to the material world (the less intelligent ones) That's us. We are prisoners and don't know who we are so that makes all ill and criminals. Chanting the Maha Mantra is the process to get out of this place and come to our constitutional position. go to krishnaculture. for details and Read Bhagavad Gita as it is By Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada

Answer 4

Paedophiles are offenders who have irrational thinking styles (an cognitive psychological illness). That is, they think that abusing/grooming children is a normal thing to do (some argue that in the 19th Century, children were sexual). It is quite interesting to talk to a paedophile to see just how irrational their thinking style is. Some misinterpret friendship as a sexual thing, some have been abused themselves as children and believe that sexual intercourse shows that they love their/other children, some use it for manipulation, some just enjoy it sexually. But underneath all of this, it is the thinking style that makes these people act criminally.

Answer 5

Pedophiles are individuals attracted to children and that IMO is spiritual sickness. Without any further consideration, it's against the law for an adult to commit sexual acts on a child.

Answer 6

No offense meant - in spite of the undeniable fact that it is not even clean what a pedophile is. What do I propose? I propose that the legal age of consent varies with way of existence, united states, state, time (element in human history), etc. for the time of loads of human history, marriage of 11 and 12 365 days olds became no longer uncommon. merely a hundred and fifty years in the past, interior the U.S., it became no longer all that uncommon that a sixteen 365 days previous woman to get married. on the instant the groom could be categorized a pedophile. Hell, even on the instant interior the U.S. there are older adult adult males that married sixteen 365 days olds that, under modern-day rules, could be referred to as pedophile. Then there is the subject of age-hollow. If a 60 365 days previous person has intercourse with a sixteen 365 days previous, maximum on the instant might call that pedophilia. yet if a 17 365 days previous had intercourse with that comparable sixteen 365 days previous, maximum does no longer call that pedophilia. in step with threat we could initiate with the aid of attempting to create a solid definition of pedophilia, admit that there could be gray factors, and then bypass from there.

Answer 7

Well it depends. First and foremost yes they do have a mental illness because they are sexually attracted to children. However, unless they actually engage in the act with a child then they are not "criminals".

Answer 8

I would consider them as both ill and criminal. They should be treated and kept away from any young person.

Answer 9

Their feeling should be illness and their activities should be criminal. The reasons are their actions and emotion are unacceptable and it is against the humanitarian written and unwritten laws.

Answer 10

both
who would be sick enough to commit such a crime upon innocent children?
obviously someone who is mentally unbalanced...
pedophiles fit into the true psychological category of psychopaths and should treates as such...otherwise who would commit such heinous crimes on a child?