Can Citizens and Children Find Justice in Iowa?

Is probation for committing serious offenses becoming a judicial trend in Iowa? Hardin County Judge James McGlynn sentenced a 61-year-old grandfather, Dean E. Hilpipre of Alden, to probation after Hilpipre repeatedly molested his then six-year-old granddaughter. He was convicted of the crime of lascivious acts with a child.

Apparently, no adult was first to report the crime. The child's 14-year-old sister reported the crime to a school counselor, who obviously followed up with authorities. The Des Moines Register didn't say whether the school counselor called the Department of Human Services, law enforcement, or both.

The victim's family had a big problem with Judge James McGlynn's sentence of probation. Deputies said one woman could possibly face criminal charges after a verbal outburst.

That's right, sentence her to jail for shouting obscenities at Judge James McGlynn after he sentenced the pedophile to probation. She was photographed but not identified. Was she a family member?

Just as with Rep. Chip Baltimore's (R-Boone) OWI with a gun case, prosecutors and the defense attorney made a plea deal asking for probation. That was the Center for Creative Justice in Ames, Iowa. Creative? I'll say. And it smells bad.

Is there a crime that wouldn't call for probation as a sentence upon conviction? How safe is society from armed drunk drivers and pedophiles when they remain free? Has anyone you know been violated or killed while a no-contact order is in place? When ordered by a court to stop drinking, do alcoholics stop drinking outside of jail?

I'd say a pedophile with an alcohol problem should spend some time in prison thinking over their options and getting some involuntary practice with sobriety.