The show "Quincy" meant well, but sometimes when it tackled social issues it didn't get the facts exactly right. And, sometimes the show was just too trite and preachy in these shows as well. However, with "Who Speaks for the Children", the show is at its best. Not only does it expose the issue to pedophilia to light but it also got the facts amazingly correct and was way ahead of its time. It also avoided many of the mistakes other shows made in discussing these horrible people.
One advantage I have over the average viewer is that some time ago, I worked in a treatment center as well as at an outpatient clinic with both sexual offenders and their victims. After a few years doing this, I changed careers, as I realized that my providing 'treatment' made it seemed like these folks were treatable--something I came to realize is simply not the case. Fortunately, while this "Quincy" episode talks about outpatient treatment and treatment hospitals, it seems to espouse the view that such treatment often is of little, if any, value. However, back in 1981, states all over the US WERE behaving as if pedophiles could be treated instead of incarceration. Doctor Quincy and his friend (Joseph Campanella) are NOT espousing treatment in this episode!
The show begins with a child begin discovered dead. Sadly, the autopsy reveals that the girl was molested before being murdered. At first, the police go on the erroneous assumption that some stranger did this (though most molestations are done by people well known to the kids). Investigators are surprised to learn that the child's mother has a live-in boyfriend--and the pattern would sure seem like the man was the perpetrator. At first, Quincy doesn't believe this--the man was so nice when he met him. However, a special investigator (Campanella) teaches Quincy and the police about the true pattern of pedophiles as well as the myths. Not surprisingly, the mother doesn't believe the man could be guilty either--but a sick discovery convinces her that her daughter was his victim. The problem, however, is that there is another child in the home....and she's just disappeared.
I liked a few things about this show in particular. The psychiatrist treating the pedophile was a great character. He was arrogant and convinced himself he was 'curing' these people and wouldn't allow himself to be skeptical. I also appreciate how the show did not try to make excuses or make you feel sorry for the sexual offender--it was direct and unflinching. All in all, a VERY compelling and well written episode--one of the best from the series.