Sex Offender Registries
I posted about Maryland’s Halloween policy for sexual offenders a few days ago.
Sunny, from the Smashed Frog blog, visited People You’ll See In Hell and expressed her opinion that we are “uninformed.”
It’s always nice to have the opportunity to educate the uninformed.
Read the Human Rights Watch report, No Easy Answers, and pass it along.
http://hrw.org/reports/2007/us0907/
We need better answers.
Be part of the solution.
I certainly enjoyed Sunny’s post, but I feel that Sunny is also utilizing the same scare tactic that she’s claiming “the politicians” are using.
The law allows sexual offenders to relocate themselves on Halloween. It also allows sexual offenders to request the ability to not post a sign on their property, providing they have a good reason to do so. “Suzie and Joey” will undoubtedly have a good time on Halloween, because there are allowances made in the law to address those issues.
If a sexual offender has his children living on the premises, hopefully he will be upfront and honest with “Suzie and Joey” and explain to them that his predilection towards predation is wrong, and not try to make excuses about why he did what he did.
The trick isn’t to eliminate sexual offender registration. The trick is to get the right people registered and enable the registrations to provide some good to the community.
Regarding the statistic that sexual offenders are usually someone the victim knows, I’d agree with that completely. The sexual offenders and the pedophiles know that it is much easier to get what they want when the parents think they’re harmless.
Are registries misused? Yes, absolutely. Are they necessary? Yes, absolutely. Any tool that informs potential victims of risks in their surroundings has my vote.
Let’s talk about solutions.
Pro-pedophile activist groups are certainly pushing for an end to the ostracism by society of what they view as merely one of many sexual orientations and an end to the use of sexual offender registration lists. Their solution would be to have their activities and predations viewed as “normal” and for nobody to know who they are, so they’d have the best chance possible to find a “sexually compatible” child.
Do we, as a society, want to go with their solution?
People who have committed a sexual crime in the past, but who have made changes in their behavior and who have admitted their compulsions but taken steps to correct them, are also on the list. Is it fair for them to be on a sexual offender list 20 years after their actual crime? Well, that would depend on what they did, wouldn’t it? Let the judges and psychologists decide how long past an initial mandatory 10 year minimum an individual should stay on sexual offender registration lists.
Why 10 years?
Credit reporting agencies feel that someone who has declared bankruptcy should feel the effects of that decision for 10 years. While that person won’t have to put a sign on their door announcing their fiscal irresponsibility, they will be denied some of the finer things in life and will have certain limitations placed on them financially.
Are you going to be the person that tells a rape victim, or a child who has been molested, that the person who did it to them will be able to vanish into anonymity in less time it takes for a someone to recover from a bankruptcy? I’d like to be in the same room when you do.
There are people who don’t belong on sexual offender registry lists. I would imagine that there are quite a few who I would put into this category.
Those who have been put on the sexual offender registration list for some stupid act that wasn’t really part of their psychological makeup, like a 16-year-old football player who is arrested and charged with statutory rape for getting a blow job from a 14-year-old cheerleader, do not belong on the list. The solution for those people would be common sense and the ability for good judges to judge and not have artificial restrictions placed on them by politicians anxious for a few “tough on crime” votes.
While I’m sure Sunny is clever, and, given enough time, I’m sure would have a better answer for us, so far I haven’t seen much in the way of a solution coming from her direction. Maybe I missed something.
8 Comments »
The trick is to get the right people registered…
Agreed.
But at this time, the truly dangerous are hiding behind the faces of thousands who have never physically touched a child or anyone else for that matter.
J.D., your comment is encouraging and would not have been voiced even six months ago.
Although I understand your viewpoint, it also reflects an intellectual viewpoint, although your comment does attack the efforts of those you deem pro-pedophile activist groups, which shows you haven’t really explored the reality beyond your own thinking. Most persons in this country don’t do their homework and delve behind the surface and believe the fear which provides our lawmakers with the easy vote.
Unless you start asking questions–questioning the authority of those you elect–those same officials have fooled you.
As far as solutions, my hopes are that you would have actually read the recommendations of the Human Rights Watch report which I will list your review…but before I do that, let me assure you….my post is no scare tactic. Thousands have lost jobs, unemployment, custody of children, homes, self-respect because of these Draconian laws–many of who have never molested anyone. But rather than me try to convince you, I ask that you read the HRW report because everything you haven’t heard is included in that report…in fact, here is the link to a brief audio summary.
Recommendations:
–Repeal the Adam Walsh Act.
–Former offenders who have committed minor, non-violent offenses, such as prostitution between adults; non-lascivious indecency offenses, such as streaking and public urination; and consensual sexual activity with a minor who is within five years of age of the offender (statutory rape) should not be required to register
–Registration should be limited to former offenders who pose a high or medium risk of committing a serious crime in the future, either of sexually abusing children or committing a violent sex crime against adults.
–Former offenders considered low-risk for reoffending, on the basis of individual assessment, should not be required to register.
–Access to sex offender registries should be limited to law enforcement.
–Law enforcement officials should only release information about registered sex offenders on a need-to-know basis. This would include notification to the individual(s) victimized by the offender. When determining who else in the community should be notified, law enforcement officials should weigh factors such as the size of the community, the nature of the offense, the level of reoffense risk at which the registrant has been assessed, and the likelihood that access to the information will enhance the recipient’s personal safety or that of their children.
–States should eliminate public access to online registries of sex offenders as a form of community notification. (Registries were initially developed as a tool for law enforcement).
–States that do maintain online registries should only include information about offenders assigned a high level of risk, and only for so long as they are individually determined to pose such a risk.
–Neither states nor localities should have residency restriction laws that apply to entire classes of former offenders.
Once you’ve completed your research, email me and then we can talk solutions.
Oh, thanks for the information regarding the fact that offenders can request not to have a sign posted on their homes on Halloween. My hopes are that the fact their own children could be singled out is reason enough.
Sunny
Maybe this is like pro-imigration groups calling anti-Illegal imigration folks (like me) as racist but…
Human rights watch seems more interested in making sure pedophile’s rights are protected then protecting the innocent.
Our society has become more concerned with making sure the “criminal’s rights” are protected and forget the victims.
Pedophiles are actually physically involved with children. Many persons registered as sex offenders have had no physical involvement with children or with any person. If you read the Human Watch report, you will note how many different behaviors are considered sex offenses: public urination, streaking, etc.
I encourage you to at least skim the report to realize–at the very least–that the sex offender registries could be used more effectively as a law enforcement tool…as is now, the truly dangerous–numbering approximately 3%–are hiding behind the many that never laid a hand on anyone.
And if you have teenage children, talk about these laws. The last thing you want is your child on a list for dating someone considered “too young” by our lawmakers.
In that, you and I are in agreement. The sex offender registry can definitely be utilized more effectively. People who are on the sexual offender registry for offenses such as streaking, public urination and so on shouldn’t be, or at least be taken off that registry in a reasonable amount of time.
Rapists, molesters, serial flashers and others whose behavior indicates that they could be a threat to society need to be on a registry and their neighbors need to know who they are and what they have done.
I’ve been ranting via my blog Smashed Frog for over two years.
I have definitely made my voice heard.
Your turn.
If you’ve been impacted in some way by the unconstitutional sex offender laws of this country, I want to hear from you.
I’ve read so many heartbreaking stories all over the Internet. And many of those stories deserve to be read by a larger audience.
I have found that the laws become more “real” and more impact made with the general public
when a face is put on these laws…a human face. Your stories depict the pain, the collateral damage and the unintended consequences of the ex post facto punishment these laws impose on you and your family. (Contributors will remain anonymous).
Dear Governor Crist is an example of a story that hits home.
http://smashedfrog.blogspot.com/2008/01/dear-governor-crist.html
Let Smashed Frog amplify your voice.
Tell your story in your voice and in your own way. Don’t worry about perfection, just get your story out. Have a conversation with your keyboard.
Feel free to email questions or your stories in care of Sunny at the email address listed in the sidebar, under the zebra photo on my blog.
I can’t wait to hear from you. From people on both sides of this issue.
Make your voice heard.
Together we can take the politics out of protection.
To be fair and honest, i will read up on this with your blog.
I have yet to find a single case in california where I would disagree with a person’s name being added….case in point…every last sick fuck that surrounds my house, 9 within 2 miles, have been convicted of pc 288(a) LEWD OR LASCIVIOUS ACTS WITH CHILD UNDER 14 YEARS….coincidence? unconstitutional sex offender laws? or maybe each and every one of them is a sick fuck that deserves to die?
Ok nevermind…it took me 3 mins to read the front page of your blog to reject it out of hand….
“Moments before dismissal, the school administrator had come across a neighborhood mom distributing pictures of their dad to parents waiting for their kids.
The dad is a registered sex offender. His photo–and the family address–is listed for all to see on the Florida Sex Offender registry.
Although the pictures were confiscated, the damage was done.
These children face public hostility, fear, and loathing, parental unemployment, loss of their home, break-up of their families, threats, harassment, property damage and social exclusion every single day. ”
So instead of saving a single kid from being molested by a fucking sicko, you would rather others be spared the embarrassment of everyone knowing their dad is a POS?
“Friendships are hard to come by when parents won’t allow their children over at that house.”
this is your argument against sex offender registries,,,,joking right? ” ”
Don’t adopt the Adam Walsh Act ” I’ll stop right there and call you for what you are, a pedo enabler. let each and every one of those waste of flesh live under a bridge…hell they are lucky to have that gd bridge…any other time it would be illegal lodging, but since NO ONE wants to live near them, how about they go set up a tent on devil’s island…if they are allowed to live.
I will say this – there are a few cases that do NOT deserve to be on the list. And, being on the list is a devestatingly horrible thing for these people.
Two cases I can think of – one was in Ct. I think, about 4-5 years ago, where a guy grabbed a girl’s arm when she stupidly walked in front of a car. HE was charged with a sex offense – and he was a teacher, I think. It ruined his life. And, it pretty much happened just like that. The judge was very unhappy that he had to sentence this guy this way, but his hands were tied.
One I just read yesterday was a woman in FL, who was convicted of giving a blowjob to her HS boyfriend – she was 17, he was 15. She is now married and bought a house. FL is saying that she must move out of her house because she is within XX feet of a school. Hello??
The SO registry is yet another “Great Idea” which has been taken to a level of stupid that makes it a bad thing. As a society, we don’t need to know that an 18 year old had sex with his 15 year old girllfriend, or even that some guy pulled off the road and took a pee in the bushes. But those are both offenses that are mandatory SOR violations.
I don’t think we need to throw out the baby with the bathwater. We need to adjust the laws so that there is some ability for judges to use common sense.
The obvious concern here is that as more and more people who don’t belong there end up on the SOR, it cheapens the whole concept. If you personally know that your best friend’s cousin is on the list because he boffed his girlfriend, then the next time you see “SEX OFFENDER” you may wonder if the person’s offense was really worthy of all that.
And, for the record – the sex with a minor, under age 14? That is almost always so-called voluntary sex. It’s not “consensual”, because the child does not have the legal capacity to “consent”, but we should be able to make a distinction – especially if the guy is 17 or 18. If he’s 45, then hell yes he’s a pedophile.