The 23-year old may have abused as many as 15 children between the ages of 1 and 13 — but the Attorney General’s office says that the public shouldn’t “overreact” to the news of the release.
“Josie” Smith, who was born Joseph Matthew Smith, was convicted of “lascivious acts with a child” for molesting a fellow Midwest Christian Services student in 2014 and sentenced to prison in 2015. This wasn’t the first time that Smith was convicted. In 2012, Smith was convicted of “Sexual abuse 2nd degree” according to the Iowa Sex Offender Registry.
But “a preliminary report prepared by the state’s expert, Dr. Jeffrey Davis, says Smith molested as many as 15 victims, ranging from ages 1 to 13, before being sentenced to prison in December 2015,” The Times noted. That report found that Smith had a greater than 20 percent change of re-offending within 5 years of being released.
Source: The Blaze
In addition, the report stated that Smith had a likelihood in excess of 20% to re-offend within 5 years of release because his victims were of both genders, Smith was under the age of 25, and had never had a long-term intimate relationship. It also notes that Smith had been repeatedly molested as a child beginning at age 7.
“Mr. Smith has not had an intimate relationship,” the report says. “His sexual encounters appear to have primarily involved molestation, including his own molestation by multiple perpetrators, or his victimization of others.”
Source: The Des Moines Register
Now, the Iowa Attorney General’s Office is no longer seeking the commitment of Smith citing hormone therapy relating to gender transition lowering the risk of recidivism.
The Storm Lake Times reported in November that Smith was “undergoing medical treatment that is needed prior to (Smith) potentially undergoing gender reassignment surgery” since October 2017 at Newton Correctional Facility. Joseph now goes by the name “Josie” and started using female pronouns. It is important to note that “Josie” is not listed as an alias for Smith on the Iowa Sex Offender Registry.
According to court records, the state dismissed the application for the confinement of Smith on January 9.
Attorney general spokesman Lynn Hicks wouldn’t comment on the reason for the dismissal other than to say “an offender’s hormone levels are an important part of substantiating an offender’s likelihood of recidivism.”…
…“We don’t believe we have evidence sufficient to prove Josie Smith has a significant chance of reoffending,” Hicks said late last week.
Smith was transferred to the Sioux City Residential Treatment Facility on January 11 for transitional release.
Hicks cautioned the public not to overreact to Smith’s upcoming release. Smith will be subject to sex-offender registration requirements for the rest of her life, Hicks said, which includes regular meetings with a probation officer and a listing on an attorney general clearinghouse.
“Josie Smith will be subject to strict sex-offender reporting required of those who commit the crimes she did,” Hicks said. “She’ll be subject to supervision for the rest of her life.”
The initial report on Smith suggested indefinite confinement at the Cherokee Civil Commitment Unit for Sex Offenders (CCUSO) in Cherokee, but that was premised on Smith having the sex drive of a man.
Dr. Tracy Thomas, former clinical director at CCUSO and a forensic psychologist said that the requirement for commitment is rigorous. It requires the state to “essentially prove an offender has a chance offending greater than 51% for the rest of his life.”
Lowering testosterone levels significantly as is done in gender transition, makes determining the possibility of re-offending because testosterone has a significantly higher impact on sex drive than estrogen does. Dr. Thomas also noted that there are no women confined at CCUSO.
“From an evaluator’s standpoint, our recommendation is based on whether someone is more than likely to re-offend,” Thomas said on Monday. “Between 5% and 15% of sex offenders re-offend, so it takes an extraordinarily high burden to prove someone has a 51% chance.”
Source: The Des Moines Register
Those are the facts. I’ve tried to handle with as little bias as possible.
Now, I’m taking off the “reporter” hat and putting on the “opinion editorialist” hat. As a mother, I feel compelled to comment on this case and what the implications are.
As much as the Iowa AG is saying don’t worry, this case has set a precedent. This is a sex offender — a pedophile — that has abused multiple children of both genders, including a child as young as 1 year old. Smith, who was considered a likely re-offender, is being released from confinement due to identification as a woman and taking female hormones. This new female identity is not listed on the Iowa Sex Offender Registry as an alias.
Simply put, this places children at risk.
Estrogen doesn’t erase past crimes or the sick, twisted thinking that leads to multiple counts of sexual abuse against children.
Not only that, what about the consequences of the actions that Smith committed prior to gender transition? Is there no longer any justice for Smith’s previous victims?
This is awful and dangerous on multiple levels.
If you don’t believe me, check out what conservative transgender activist Blaire White has to say about this case.
