First photo of Jaycee Dugard since discovery

The first photo of Jaycee Dugard will be featured on the cover of People, out this Friday. People reportedly paid big bucks for this first photo.

Can't tell much from the photo, she seems quite happy and reportedly is happy to be back with her mother. But will be really interesting to find out the psychological effects of what has happened to her. I can only imagine... She is currently living with her mother and her children. Her children also just found out that Jaycee was their mother -- they thought she was an older sister.

It all just seems so disturbing. How can it be such a joyeous reunion? Definately for her parents. But did she have any recollection left of her parents? She had been hidden away and probably brainwashed for 18 years. It doesn't seem like she was trapped in that makeshift tent. So it's a wonder she never ran away from her captures. So there must have been significant "brainwashing". Which is why I find it difficult to understand how she can be so happy to be back with her family and not just confused/psychologically damaged.

It has also been revealed that the kidnapper, Phillip Garrido, was a registered sex offender. He was sent to jail for 50 years for kidnapping and raping another victim. He was let out after 11 years. I really believe in the punishing aspects of prison terms and believe criminals should be allowed some sort of life after prison. But if they have a serious pathology and are at risk of seriously harming other individuals, there needs to be some sort of monitoring. These people should not get away with keeping people in horrible conditions in their backyards for EIGHTEEN years.

I'm so happy for her family that have her back in their life. But really hope they have the patience and determination to care for her and her daughters. It will be very difficult to establish some sort of normalcy and integrate them back into society.