时代周刊:揭秘性罪犯治疗 和性犯罪者一起接受治疗(8)（在线收听）

Whether you believe that therapy can redeem someone like Kevin, or the other men we've been speaking about, may depend on whether you believe people can learn empathy.

一个人是否相信心理治疗能拯救凯文那样的人，或上文提到的那些人，可能取决于他是否相信人们能学会同理心。

Researchers at the University of Cambridge published a study in March

剑桥大学的研究人员今年3月发表的一项研究表明，

that suggests subjects' ability to empathize with others

受试者与他人产生情感共鸣的能力

had little to do with their genetic makeup and more to do with how they were raised.

与他们的基因构成基本无关，更多的是由他们的成长方式所决定。

Empathetic people are made, not born.

同理心是后天培养的，而不是与生俱来的。

Many of the men Cheryl and Jennifer counsel experienced emotional, physical or sexual abuse themselves when they were young.

许多咨询过谢丽尔和詹妮弗的人自己年轻时也有过遭受情感、生理或性方面的虐待的经历。

As the therapists often say in group, "Hurt people hurt people."

就像治疗师们经常在小组讨论中说的那样，“受害者也会变成加害者。”

At sentencing hearings, Cheryl testified to the likelihood that a sex offender can reform based on their history.

在量刑听证会上，谢丽尔试图证明，性犯罪者是可以根据他们的过往改过自新的。

But there are no guarantees.

但并不能保证他们一定会这么做。

In October, the Supreme Court will consider a complicated case challenging the federal laws that govern some sex offenders.

今年10月，最高法院将审议一个考验约束某些性犯罪者的联邦法律的复杂案件。

The decision could allow hundreds of thousands of convicted offenders to move more easily across state lines

审理结果可能会减轻成千上万已经被定罪的罪犯跨越州界的难度，

and eventually remove their names from the sex-offender registry.

甚至给予他们从性犯罪者名单中除名的机会。

Even if that suit fails, civil rights proponents and victim advocates will likely confront each other again in the nation's highest court.

即使诉讼失败，民权倡导者和受害者维权人士也可能在美国最高法院再次交锋。

A Colorado federal judge recently ruled that the state's sex-offender registry is unconstitutional.

最近，科罗拉多州一名联邦法官就裁定，该州的性犯罪者登记制度违宪。

He said the list constitutes cruel and unusual punishment

他表示，这份名单上的惩罚措施太过残酷，且不同寻常，

because it can subject these men to ostracism and violence at the hands of the public

比如罪犯们可能会遭受到来自公众的排斥和暴力，

and that it fails to properly distinguish between different types of offenses.

而且，名单也没有合理区分不同类型的犯罪。

In an attempt to resolve the tension between public safety and individual redemption,

为了解决公共安全与个人救赎之间的紧张关系，

the law has settled on an imperfect compromise: sex offenders are inscribed on a registry, sometimes permanently.

该法律做出了一个并不完美的妥协：将性犯罪者登记在案，有时甚至是永久性登记在案。

But they are also ordered to attend therapy to get better.

但他们也被要求要接受治疗以便好转起来。

The bad men are left in limbo.

那些坏人则被留在了地狱的边缘。

Inside the small taupe house, Cheryl and Jennifer work to move through that limbo, one conversation at a time.

在这座灰褐色的小房子里，谢丽尔和詹妮弗努力地想穿过这一地狱，一次只安排一个对话。

As the bright winter sun sets and the office grows cold, a group therapy session comes to a close 45 minutes after it was supposed to.

随着明亮的冬日夕阳西下，办公室变得越来越冷，这场集体治疗在原定结束时间的45分钟后才真正结束。

The men rise from the worn couch and pull on their coats and hats.

男人们从破旧的沙发上站起来，穿上大衣，戴上帽子。

One has to head home to meet his parole-mandated curfew.

其中一人必须赶回家，因为假释规定了他要宵禁。

The man with the ankle bracelet needs to charge his battery.

戴脚镣的男子则要回去给脚镣的电池充电。

They file out slowly, loose floorboards creaking under their feet.

他们排着队慢慢地走出了房间，松动的地板在他们脚下吱吱作响。

Tomorrow, Cheryl and Jennifer might text some of these men to see how they're doing.

明天，谢丽尔和詹妮弗可能会给这些男人发短信，问问他们过得怎么样。

They might call their wives or bosses or parole officers.

也可能会给他们的妻子、老板或假释官打电话。

They'll review the homework the men have turned in and prep for individual therapy sessions.

她们会检查这些男子交的作业，并为单独治疗做准备。

After those meetings end and the men leave the house for good, Cheryl and Jennifer may never know what becomes of them.

课程结束，那些人永远离开那间屋子之后，谢丽尔和詹妮弗可能永远也不知道他们之后会怎么样。

Mostly, they hope they won't read about them in the news.

大多数时候，她们都还是希望，不要在新闻上看到他们。