Jerome Arps: Man Rapes Woman On Church Steps — Could Be Released Soon On Technicality

Jerome Arps — a New York-based repeat sex offender — has an extensive record of assault and is considered a danger to the public. But he may be released soon on a state-ruled technicality.

According to New York Post, in 2006, Jerome Arps raped a woman on the steps of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, on the 1000 block of Amsterdam Avenue. Since then, Arps had been imprisoned under a New York State ruling which allows the judicial system to keep the inmate imprisoned longer if he or she is deemed a threat to public, reports the news medium.

Well, as the New York State DCJS notes, a sex offender who is considered a threat to the public is labeled as “level 3.” And according to Jerome Arps’ registry on the website, he is at risk level 3.

However, New York Post reports that particular provision as having been changed in 2014.

“… a 2014 ruling by the state Court of Appeals has changed those rules. Now, pervs who serve their maximum jail time can be held only if they have a mental problem that is more serious than just a personality disorder.”

Psychiatric authorities think that, if he is released, there will only be a short time before Jerome is sexually offensive again. The cathedral incident wasn’t his first assault case. The same source states that, when he was a minor, he helped gang-rape a 14-year-old. Also, according to Arps’ registry information, he assaulted a 29-year-old female in August of 1997. During that time, he received a 18-month to 3-year sentence. Sometime after release, the 2006 incident happened.

As reports New York Post, New York State psychiatrist Dr. Frances Charder diagnosed Arps as a psychopath, specifically with antisocial personality disorder. Just to note, this personality disorder isn’t the same as the commonly-used “anti-social” category.

While the socially-accepted version of the phrase points toward someone distancing himself or herself from others, the clinical version — as defined by the United States National Library of Medicine — is as follows.

“Antisocial personality disorder is a mental condition in which a person has a long-term pattern of manipulating, exploiting, or violating the rights of others. This behavior is often criminal.”

To get a better understanding of the psychiatrist’s warnings, via New York Post, Dr. Frances elaborates on his thoughts.

“Mr. Arp’s psychiatric condition makes him strongly predisposed to commit future sex offenses… Mr. Arp’s ASPD along with his very high level of psycopathy have combined to produce a predisposition to gratify sexual urges in an illegal and deviant manner, without regard for the rights of others.”

And this is a man who is about to be released back into the general public?

The technicality comes from Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Daniel Conviser. The New York Post reports that, although he acknowledges that Arps committed the most recent sexual offense when he was 50, he says that Dr. Frances can’t technically prove that Jerome will commit similar offenses upon his release.

This ruling is projected to affect approximately 300 offenders. So, in order to get the pre-2014 provisions to stick, prosecutors would need to prove that there are serious mental issues in these individuals, rather than only personality disorders.

What do you think about Jerome Arps’ scheduled release? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section.

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