TAUNTON -- Therapists at the Franklin County House of Correction, where former priest James Porter served time for molesting children, gave the pedophile generally glowing reviews for his sex offender treatment, according to jail records.

`` Mr. Porter appears to have benefited from therapy. Mr. Porter has now learned the skills to successfully control his sexual offending, if he elects to do so,'' a therapist in the jail's sex offender program wrote in December 1998.

The records, comprised of scores of treatment documents, including a letter from a victim, were ordered released Friday by Judge David McLaughlin, who said the records indicate Porter waived confidentiality to them.

Porter's lawyer Michael Farrington had argued that the records were privileged.

During the two-week hearing in Taunton Superior Court, Farrington had argued that the records indicated that Porter, 69, successfully completed treatment to counter testimony by prosecution experts. Two psychologists, who appeared for the prosecution, said Porter was terminated from treatment at the Massachusetts Treatment Center for the sexually dangerous in Bridgewater, where he was transferred in 2000.

Porter was cited for touching the buttocks of a fellow inmate and swearing at guards, according to testimony.

Porter was serving an 18- to 20-year prison sentence for molesting 28 children while a priest in the 1960s in the Fall River Diocese, including several at St. Mary's Church in North Attleboro.

At the Franklin County House of Correction, Porter entered a sex offender's treatment program in July 1995 that included weekly group therapy and other treatment.

Porter, according to the records, took responsibility for his sexual offending conduct and continued participating in therapy even though he completed the program.

During testimony, a psychologist called by the prosecution said sex offenders can suppress their feelings, and that Porter continued to minimize his sexual deviant behavior.

According to a timeline in the records, Porter started becoming interested in 10-15 year-old boys in 1958 while attending the seminary. He molested his first victim in 1960 when he graduated from the seminary.

The record is not more specific.

From 1960 to 1970, according to the timeline, Porter had `` 100-plus victims'' through his involvement with church activities.

In 1971, after he was no longer an active priest, Porter started dating females but still had `` pedo fantasies,'' according to the timeline. The timeline includes information about his intimate behavior with his wife Verlyne, whom he married in 1976. He continued to have deviant fantasies.

In 1989, his wife found out about his past behavior when a victim called his home. Porter was convicted in 1993, and he and his wife divorced in 1995.

Although he successfully completed therapy at the jail, he was criticized by others in the group in a heated session on July 12, 1998, for appearing not to listen to others, his tendency to `` pontificate'' and for his display of a `` superior attitude.''

In an undated letter signed `` a victim and survivor of you, Father Porter, the person wrote, `` You made me hate myself, and feel terrible guilt and shame.''

`` Don't minimize or excuse any of your acts and use every means and avenues available to you to insure that you will not reoffend and put others through what you have put me through,'' the letter writer said.

McLaughlin will decide whether there is enough evidence to hold a trial on the state's request to keep Porter locked up at the Massachusetts Treatment Center. The judge didn't indicate when he will issue his ruling, but did give lawyers until the end of business Tuesday to file written briefs.

DAVID LINTON can be reached at 508-236-0338 or at dlinton@thesunchronicle.com.