Show of Hands

For the whole family.

You know as soon as a doctor hears that information they are required to report it to police in Oregon?

No, I didn't know that.

Hurray for the law! I would have them see a doctor first too, I'm not going to be the one calling the police on my own children, but that's not gonna stop the police from getting involved, just prolonging it a short while.

Yeah what EB said.

That's a good law.

For the most part I agree. But I don't think every situation like this needs to end in a juvenile facility. If parents are taking the correct steps by getting therapy (instead of pretending it didn't happen or ignoring it) than police shouldn't have

to be involved.

Femme, the police are going to get involved regardless because a crime has been committed. His treatment plan and progress will be overseen by the juvenile court system. But it is smart to get both kids into therapy (and call a lawyer) before...

...calling the police because parents who demonstrate competence and willingness to address the problem are more likely to be allowed an opinion in what happens to the kid after the juvenile justice system takes over.

The boy is definitely going to end up in a residential treatment program for offenders, if he's lucky, or a juvenile detention program. The parents also stand to lose custody of their daughter if the judge thinks they were slow to act in her favor.

I guess that's true. I don't disagree that they need help, but in my experience (and yes I have known multiple families who have gone through this) they have always ended up in juvie followed by jail, when the boys and their families were

cooperating and I don't think taking it that far is necessary. Do they need help? Absolutely! They need treatment, and not JUST talking to a therapist but they don't always need jail, but that's how it always ends.

I agree. These kids don't benefit from going to jail. More often than not they end up continuing on as offenders there, or picking up new skills.

The craziest part of the system in my experience the SO's who don't complete the system by their 18th birthdays are frequently either dropped in a jail or walked to the door and given a handshake and a "good luck" speech.
That's not good for anyone.

I think the laws that force therapists to tell police are terrible. They prevent people from seeking & getting help, help that would potentially prevent crimes, help that might turn them into good, productive citizens. Instead they land in jail &

learn how to better commit crimes upon their release & also learn that they can't talk to anyone, can't ever get help from anyone without being thrown in jail again. It's a great system...if you want to perpetuate the problem.

I don't think that a therapist would have to report a crime that's already happened, unless it was still ongoing and has a victim.

They absolutely have a duty to report. It's up to the appropriate authority in their local legal system to determine what to do from there.

In fact, iirc, failing to report is a misdemeanor in most jurisdictions.
And there's an additional legal question given the wording of some statutes as to whether the therapist has a duty to report old abuse even when both parties are now adults.