The problem of Paedophilia

[Jenny A]

I voted other, so I think I'm pretty much obligated to explain why.

First of all it's possible to agree with multiple answers without contradiction. Some of the answers are about what pedophiles are like, some are about whether pedophiles are bad, and some are about what to do with pedophiles. None of the answers differentiates between pedophiles who have actually had sex with a child and those who have not.

So, I think that:

Pedophillic thoughts are not intrinsically bad, but pedophillic actions are. Nevertheless, active planning of pedophilic behavior is bad. Continually thinking about something you shouldn't do isn't a great idea either.

Convicted and/or self confessed pedophiles should be assessed on a case-by-case basis and should be treated based on potential effectiveness of treatment. After release from prison, convicted pedophiles should be monitored and prohibited from jobs and volunteer positions working with children.

I really have no idea just how much pedophillic thoughts are under the conscious control of the individual, but I'm sure there is some control.

Pedophiles should be allowed an outlet for their sexuality (cartoons, etc), as long as children are not harmed. I'd agree with this generally, because I simply don't agree with victimless crimes. But I have no real idea whether it makes the pedophile more or less likely to act on their desires with real children. I think that whether it's a good idea should depend on that.

If pedophiles are deemed to be a potential risk to children by a medical professional, they should be isolated from the public/monitored.--- This one puts a hell of a lot of faith in medical professionals in an area where medical professionals track record isn't so good. I'd say without conviction of a crime, this one is a bad idea unless the pedophile volunteers.