{"id":54248,"date":"2014-08-02T08:14:58","date_gmt":"2014-08-02T15:14:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/theavtimes.com\/?p=54248"},"modified":"2015-02-14T22:37:21","modified_gmt":"2015-02-15T06:37:21","slug":"consider-an-alternative-to-fear-and-judgment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theavtimes.com\/2014\/08\/02\/consider-an-alternative-to-fear-and-judgment\/","title":{"rendered":"Reader: “Consider an alternative to fear and judgment”"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Convicted<\/a>
Convicted serial rapist Christopher Hubbart was released July 9 and placed in a residence at 20315 East Avenue R, an unincorporated area of Los Angeles County. Read more about the reaction to Hubbart’s release here<\/a>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

By High Desert resident Carmen Scherubel<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Christopher Hubbart has become the name everyone loves to hate.\u00a0The once-quiet, bedroom community of Lake Los Angeles is now peppered with rapist signs. Daily \u201cpeaceful\u201d protests at the property include people with bull horns, revving motorcycles, people shouting messages of hate, and those who decorate the fence line with garbage, hate signs and pillowcases. Some people are there past midnight shining their headlights into the windows and honking their horns. Most of these things are done by rational, well-meaning people. Threats to the guards and Mr. Hubbart are fueled daily by this unrest. The only one sitting quietly by is Mr. Hubbart. His Constitutional Rights are violated on a daily basis and he does not have one complaint. This has truly brought out the best and the worst in the Community.<\/span><\/p>\n

I have been involved in this since almost the beginning. I was part of the mission to keep him OUT. I wrote the letter that over 12,000 people signed. I researched myself blue in the face for months to find any legal way to prevent the placement. During the process, I learned what is and isn\u2019t possible, what will and won\u2019t happen, and WHY. There is so much the Community does not understand about the Sexually Violent Predator (SVP) program, what Liberty Healthcare\u2019s role in it is and who these people are who participate in the program. In retrospect, I would have done many things differently had I known then what I know now.<\/p>\n

Here is a quick primer: The SVP Act was enacted to\u00a0keep\u00a0dangerous, repeat sexual offenders off the street. These people have completed their sentences, are subsequently labeled SVPs through a legal process, and are then subject to temporary civil commitment through the Department of State Hospitals.<\/p>\n

Once committed, these patients have the option to go through an intensive treatment program designed specifically for sex offenders. It is not a one-size-fits-all program. Approximately 90% of the patients OPT OUT of the treatment program as it is quicker and easier to be released. Also, this program requires total, verifiable honesty. If crimes have been committed and were unreported, they can be held to answer for them. The 90% are eventually released without conditions. No parole, no treatment, no GPS, no supervision\u2026.just OUT.<\/p>\n

About the remaining 10%: These are the people who have an earnest commitment to change their behavior. It is this very small group of people who are managed by Liberty Healthcare in the Conditional Release Program (CONREP). Their voluntary participation can add many years to their commitment and also makes it very difficult to be released as they are held to a high standard. These are the few people who wanted to help themselves and agreed to a longer commitment; and a controlled, supervised reintegration following the years-long inpatient phase. THESE are the patients who are being placed into the community. Christopher Hubbart is one of the few who requested treatment and followed through.<\/p>\n

Liberty Healthcare manages the CONREP program for the State. This is the outpatient phase of the patient\u2019s treatment and is designed to reintegrate them into society slowly and safely while in an extremely controlled environment outside the State Hospital. Since 2003, Liberty Healthcare has been the CONREP supervision program for SVPs in California. They have a 100% success rate, verifiable by court records. Not one of their CONREP participants has ever committed a crime while in the program. A few have been returned to the State Hospital due to infractions in their contract, however not once for any criminal behavior. None have ever removed or attempted to remove their GPS units.<\/p>\n

Meeting with Christopher Hubbart<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Now that I more completely understand the program, the next step was to find alternatives to protesting something that can\u2019t be altered. Part of this had to be meeting with Christopher Hubbart, the man I most feared, to ask him what his intentions were. I don\u2019t know the Christopher Hubbart from over two decades ago, just what I have read including all the exaggerations (over 100 victims) and sensationalism. I went through the process to be able to meet with him. I am so glad I did that. It was important for me to have a complete perspective. I now know who he is today and how committed he is to his program. He has a faith in God as well as a meditation and prayer practice. He listens to his iPod a good portion of the day, and keeps himself busy by cleaning his house, journaling and painting. He is very close to his doctors and talks to them very regularly.<\/p>\n

The guards say he is one of the nicest patients they\u2019ve had. His care team is his lifeline and he is very appreciative of each one of them. He looks forward to each day as his new chance at living a productive life and being in harmony with those in it. More than anything, he doesn\u2019t want people to live in fear of him. He is extremely cognizant of why people do fear him and he understands why the protestors are out there. He holds no animosity toward anyone. There will be some that won\u2019t ever trust or accept him. His hope is that, in time, he can prove to be the exception\u2014the one who did keep his promises and also one who can give hope to others who are trying hard to change their lives as well.<\/p>\n

\"[Painting<\/a>
Painting by Christopher Hubbart. (Contributed by Scherubel)<\/figcaption><\/figure>My impression is that Chris is completely sincere and I feel that with absolute certainty. He is very soft spoken, has a genuine smile and was very pleased that his first visit with someone outside his care team was a positive experience. I brought him a small painting that he\u2019d done many years ago. It had been in his mother\u2019s home and was sold in her estate sale not too long ago. I wish you could have seen the look on his face. He lost his mother just over a year ago and it was something sentimental that he painted for her. He showed me the paintings he brought along with him to Lake Los Angeles and also some that are in progress. They are extraordinary, scenic watercolors. He answered all my questions openly and candidly. He was happy to answer my questions and never hesitated. We had a long conversation and I walked away feeling very encouraged for him and also for those who have yet to consider an alternative to fear and judgment.<\/p>\n

Chris wrote a humble and heartfelt letter to the community and it is waiting for the doctor\u2019s approval before it can be released. Since there is so much unrest within the community, the doctors are hesitant to allow it. Chris wishes it could have gone out two weeks ago, but that was not possible. Some day when things calm down, you will read it. He read it aloud to me.<\/p>\n

Chris wants to spend the rest of his life helping where ever he can, continuing to paint, and learn to fly fish one day. He wants to live productively and give back to the community that is now his home. He is grateful to be here and loves the extraordinarily beautiful desert vistas. He truly wants to meet people but his supervisor and doctors are being very selective.<\/p>\n

We all have a stake in Chris\u2019s success<\/strong><\/h3>\n

People can and do change. It happens every day with proper care, a sound support system and commitment. It is all about recovery. The shame is that there are 90% who don\u2019t go through treatment since it is easier to get out without it. We have a person living here who knew that but wanted treatment at any cost, even if it meant he never got out. He spent years longer in the hospital than he ever would have had he elected not to do the program. For that, I think we are ultimately as fortunate as he is.<\/p>\n

We all have a stake in Chris\u2019s success. Working against his success is akin to putting a noose around the community. Although I have very little doubt that he would be successful even if most everyone completely ignored him, I think the opportunity here is for your Community to \u2018own\u2019 this. The Community can be empowered while doing the same for him. The Antelope Valley can be a great model for how this absolutely CAN successfully work.<\/p>\n

Chris is participating remotely with a newly-formed community group to look at positive ways to ensure a successful and safe reintegration. One of the ideas at our first meeting was to ask him if he would be willing to hold classes for the residents so they could learn how to stay safe from potential crimes. Although he will not be able do this in the near future, he said he would gladly do something like that as soon as it is approved. He\u2019d probably do it tomorrow if he could. Another idea from the group was for him to work in concert with law enforcement to help them solve crimes or maybe help in catching someone before they strike again. There again, it is something he would be very open to doing. There is within him the sense of obligation to pay back for his transgressions so this is an important part of his continued success in having an honorable life from here forward. Our next meeting is August 13th 10:00 AM at [removed]<\/strong>. We welcome the community to bring their constructive ideas. Subsequent meeting dates and times will be addressed as some may prefer an occasional evening meeting.<\/p>\n

Telling Chris to \u201cGO HOME!\u201d is squandering valuable time. He IS home. Time might be better spent working with our legislators to resolve important issues. We should work on things we CAN change.<\/p>\n