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September 12, 2007

Major Human Rights Watch report about sex offender sanctions

Thanks to this post at Sex Crimes, I see that Human Rights Watch has released a major new report about sex offender law and policy, entitled "No Easy Answers: Sex Offender Laws in the US."  The lengthy and wide-ranging report is available at this link, and here is an excerpt from the summary:

Federal law and the laws of all 50 states now require adults and some juveniles convicted of specified crimes that involve sexual conduct to register with law enforcement — regardless of whether the crimes involved children.  So-called “Megan’s Laws” establish public access to registry information, primarily by mandating the creation of online registries that provide a former offender’s criminal history, current photograph, current address, and other information such as place of employment.  In many states everyone who is required to register is included on the online registry. A growing number of states and municipalities have also prohibited registered offenders from living within a designated distance (typically 500 to 2,500 feet) of places where children gather — for example, schools, playgrounds, and daycare centers.

Human Rights Watch appreciates the sense of concern and urgency that has prompted these laws. They reflect a deep public yearning for safety in a world that seems increasingly threatening. Every child has the right to live free from violence and sexual abuse. Promoting public safety by holding offenders accountable and by instituting effective crime prevention measures is a core governmental obligation. Unfortunately, our research reveals that sex offender registration, community notification, and residency restriction laws are ill-considered, poorly crafted, and may cause more harm than good:

  • The registration laws are overbroad in scope and overlong in duration, requiring people to register who pose no safety risk;
  • Under community notification laws, anyone anywhere can access online sex offender registries for purposes that may have nothing to do with public safety.  Harassment of and violence against registrants have been the predictable result;
  • In many cases, residency restrictions have the effect of banishing registrants from entire urban areas and forcing them to live far from their homes and families.

The evidence is overwhelming, as detailed in this report, that these laws cause great harm to the people subject to them.  On the other hand, proponents of these laws are not able to point to convincing evidence of public safety gains from them. Even assuming some public safety benefit, however, the laws can be reformed to reduce their adverse effects without compromising that benefit.  Registration laws should be narrowed in scope and duration. Publicly accessible online registries should be eliminated, and community notification should be accomplished solely by law enforcement officials. Blanket residency restrictions should be abolished.

September 12, 2007 at 05:00 PM | Permalink

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Comments

The SCOTUS left the door open a crack in Connecticut Department of Public Safety v. John Doe, 01-1231, and Otte v. Doe, 01-729.

Could there be a question of rational basis/due process now that more is known? Here is a refresher: Supreme Court upholds sex offender registration laws

Posted by: George | Sep 12, 2007 7:10:10 PM

It doesn't matter how irrational these laws are, or how many victims result from them. Americans are stupid and are freaked out about children being molested moreso than anything else except terrorism, and will continue to allow politicians to milk this fear by enacting dumber and dumber laws to harm "sex offenders" (whatever they deem the term to mean). There is simply ZERO hope for reform here.

Posted by: bruce | Sep 14, 2007 3:24:28 AM

I am as horrified by rape and child molestation as anyone else, but these laws go too far. I know a man who, at age 18, had consensual sex with a 16-year-old. He served a year in jail and probation. In the five years since his release, he can't live in town, can't enter the public library (it's attached to a community center with children's programs!), and is harassed constantly. His photo and address are posted for all the world to see. Unless the laws change, this will be the rest of his life. He did something wrong, no argument, but this punishment does not fit the crime.

It is tragic that the current laws make no distinction between the severity of crimes or the likelihood of reoffending. These laws make it almost impossible for a "sex offender" to ever try to put a life back together and live a productive life. Murderers get released from prison without having to be put on a registry.

Posted by: Krista | Sep 15, 2007 1:40:37 AM

I am as horrified by rape and child molestation as anyone else, but these laws go too far. I know a man who, at age 18, had consensual sex with a 16-year-old. He served a year in jail and probation. In the five years since his release, he can't live in town, can't enter the public library (it's attached to a community center with children's programs!), and is harassed constantly. His photo and address are posted for all the world to see. Unless the laws change, this will be the rest of his life. He did something wrong, no argument, but this punishment does not fit the crime.

It is tragic that the current laws make no distinction between the severity of crimes or the likelihood of reoffending. These laws make it almost impossible for a "sex offender" to ever try to put a life back together and live a productive life. Murderers get released from prison without having to be put on a registry.

Posted by: Krista | Sep 15, 2007 1:40:49 AM

Benjamin Franklin

o They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.

o Even peace may be purchased at too high a price.

o The man who trades freedom for security does not deserve nor will he ever receive either.

o The strictest law sometimes becomes the severest injustice.

o Whatever is begun in anger ends in shame.

o Half a truth is often a great lie.

o Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do.

o Being ignorant is not so much a shame, as being unwilling to learn.


Abraham Lincoln

o The best way to get a bad law repealed is to enforce it strictly.

Posted by: ZMan | Sep 19, 2007 4:35:16 PM

I am a Registered Sex Offender, and I went to Miami, Florida this past June - in protest - to live under the Julia Tuttle Causeway with the other RSO’s who are forced to live there. These laws do nothing to protect anyone from anything. In fact, while I was living there I witnessed many children coming to fish under the bridge without any adult supervision. The only way you can keep former offenders, who have paid their debts to society and are trying to rebuild healthy, stable lives, away from children is to put them on the moon. The most successful sex offender treatment programs teach former offenders the importance of establishing proper boundaries and how to identify their inappropriate thoughts and feelings so that they may intervene with them before they trigger inappropriate behavior. Moreover, these important treatment programs teach us that isolation is dangerous and unhealthy. Forcing former offenders into isolation is dangerous to society and is counterproductive to the very goals for which the mechanisms exist in the first place.

Thank you to the Human Rights Watch group for this important report. Let’s hope it will begin to sway public opinion before this social powder-keg blows up in our country’s face!

Posted by: Terry Brown | Sep 24, 2007 8:54:28 PM

“If we can imagine how we would build a system to address sexual abuse if the victim was our daughter and the offender was our son then we will be closer to the right response.”

Dr. William Samek, The American Justice Foundation - www.amjf.org

Posted by: Terry Brown | Sep 24, 2007 8:55:17 PM

I am married to a man who has to register as a sex offender. The law is so unjust and has gone too far, not only when it comes to the sentencing, but when it comes to puting these men and women on probation. Who are those people who are probation officers? How much control do they have? Where do they receive their educatiion? I have never been in trouble with the law. I was brought up by a wonderful Christian mom. I gave my life to Christ at age 16, but that did not mean that I was perfect or without troubles. I had plenty since I have cerebral palsy and had to live the type of life where everyone made you feel like you did not belong. I know that is how my husband of three months feels also.

Sex crimes against children should not go unpunished, but how does one know if someone will offend again? I think the law is so corrupt because the word "sex offender" is now a taboo word. You hear it and automatically you assume the worst about the person. Or you are made to think petiphile.

My husband served 8 years in prison for a molestation crime against a child that happened in his own home,while he was totally drunk and did not know that this child had come into the room and gotten into bed with him. He stopped the second he realized that it was the woman's child that had been living with him. He had never done anything against a child before and has never done anything since. He has to live with what he did for the rest of his life.
He gave his life to Christ while he was a prison and continued living faithful to God when he got out of prison. But because we now have a society that has no compassion when it comes to those who are trying so hard to get their life back on track; many people are suffering needlessly. His probation officer did not like me from day one because I was tired of people being mistreated. I had my own opinion and they did not like that. They want to feel powerful and they want to do all they can to get their probationers back in prison.
It is scary how easily someone can fall into this catagory since there are many false reports now that get men and women in trouble as a sex offenders. Teachers, School bus drivers, principals, deans, deacons, youth counselors, fostor parents, parents,and just about anyone can someday be accuse of sexually offending a child and whether it is true or not is where things become a big problem. Kids have to be believed and so you are in a spot if you are ever accused. And if you are found guilty even if you are not guilty then your life is over. You will have no peace of mind no matter how much time you serve in prison. And if you get out of prison and get put on probation, then yes, you might as well live on the moon, like Terry Brown said.
My husband was told he could not go anywhere where there are any children. Not lot of children, but any children. Now you tell me how that is even possible. And although his probation officer did not want to approve any home or apartment that he was trying to purchase or rent, she let him stay at a motel that was run down and had children living there who wandered alone in the halls sometimes half dressed. Where was their protection? Or is it that children are poor or have parents that have been in trouble with the law so that it doesn't concern those who say they are protecting children from sex offenders. I think that is sad. I am praying that something is done soon- to get this crime that is becoming so widespread- into the minds of those who can teach people to not only be cautious, but also to be fair.
I have not lived with my husband for 2 months because of probation. We were attending church every sunday and wednesdays, he owns a small business so it kept him very busy, and still he had to attend weekly meetings, take test they wanted him to take, meet with his PO when he was suppose to, and call in to say where he was going, what the place was and want the address was. And this was regular probation. Now he has been in jail over a month for violation of probation that started with the fact that I was living with him and was not suppose to be living with him. But during the hearing that never even came up. They instead came up with him missing one of his meetings although he had called in to tell them that he had something he had to do that day. They also brought up that he was late to meeting with his probation officer one day, and that he was seen at a park sometime back in 2006. Now these people were nit picking into his files at anything to get him back in jail. The probation officer and surveillence officer he had are anti- christians so they dispice and mock him when he brought up God in any conversation they had. So the word "Christian" is also becoming a taboo word. What will happen when morals will no longer even matter.
My husband was sentenced to 3 months in jail and intensive probation when he gets out. This is so rediculous, but that is how some people run other people's life into the ground. I do not even know if I will be able to live with him once he gets out, so my life is in limbo. I love my husband and I pray that God will be with us through this difficult time in our lives and that someday someone will wake up and give those who are not drinking anymore, are working and doing everything possible they can to live a decent and respectable life a chance to do that before they die in jail not accomplishing all the good they could have done! God bless America!

Posted by: Diana Aranda | Oct 9, 2007 4:34:36 PM

Were are the sex offender treatment providers? The courts are now mandating sex offender treatment and have been dealing with RSO for the past 10-20 years. They know what the RSO is really like and generally know what is a better policy to REALLY make society safer. It is a disservice to society for all that the treatment providers (ATSA, etc.) or prefessionals are not the ones referred to for rational laws. Lawmakers have somehow accepted ill-conceived policies from the likes of John Walsh. Why are the treatment providers not speaking up? They are directly involved with the RSO and many will reiterate the majority of the findings by Human Rights Watch. Lawmakers are making society less safe and abusing the rights of offenders. Things will change only when politicians are recognized as ignorant when supporting irrational sex offender laws.

Posted by: js | Oct 10, 2007 7:39:40 PM

What an excellent report by Human Rights Watch. It would be fantastic if our legislators actually heeded their propositions. As the wife of a Sex Offender, I identify with nearly every topic they bring up. I spent the last seven hours reading the entire report, most of it aloud to my husband, and I can't tell you how many times we concurred with the points they brought up. Sometimes I feel like we are the only ones who go through this nightmare of a life--like emotionless robots--but now I know that there are others just like us who have issues with the Sex Offender laws. There is never a day when I don't feel the stress and anxiety that these restrictions create. I suppose I am just collateral damage.


DJ
Graduate Student, Human Geography

Posted by: DJ | Oct 20, 2007 2:19:05 AM

I am also married to a sex offender and find that the Sex Offender laws in Maryland are also unfair.

Everytime my husband sees his probation officer, more of his rights seems to be taken away. For Holloween, he has been ordered to stay home from 6pm til the morning so that the children and parents can feel safe while there children go trick or treating.

Once again my husband has had to remind them that his crime was not for child molestation. He was told that it did not matter. He said it did because he would never hurt any children and to be labeled as one is an insult to him and his family. Also, we could not give children candy and had to put a sign on our door that we were not giving out candy.

He has had to fight for his right to live at home with our children, his right to live in neighborhoods without perimeters.

What hurts him the most is that he wants to be involved in his children education in school but only if he lets the principal know that he is a registered sex offender. He doesn't want to do that because he feels that would bring more harm to our kids.

My husbands crime happened when he was 21 years old to a woman who was 6 years older than him. What really bothers him the most about his charge is that he can't remember it ever happening. Because he was so young when it happened and uneducated with a IQ of a 3rd grader at the time, the police department took total advantage of getting a guilty plea from him the night they took him in to custody over a week later. he also received poor representation from a lawyer who was only after a paycheck. He was charged with second degree rape but her lawyer managed to pull off first degree. My husband was told that 1st degree gave lesser time so that's what he pleaded to at the advice of his lawyer.

While in prison, he learned how to read and write and received his GED. He did research on his case and realized that he was screwed over.

We want to fight against the unjustice publicly but do not want our children to suffer and he doesn't want the people we associate with to feel uncomfortable and become judgemental. It hurts me to my heart to see my husband suffer because the man that I love is a very nice, hard working, and good husband and father.

My prayer is that God will open a door that will allow his case to be reviewed again. If he had very good legal counsel they could have seen that his rights were violated from the moment the police arrested him. I also pray that if my husband was wrongly charged that the victom will decide to come forward and tell the truth.

Posted by: Mrs. Notfair | Oct 31, 2007 12:14:04 PM

My name is Fima Estrin and I live in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
I came to US as political refugee on human rights violations in former USSR
I am russian jew, and I got a lot of discrimination in USSR
My parents are Holocaust survivors.
But I got the worst thing in USA, never possible in communist country.
I was set up with my computer, convicted as a s..x offender for computer p..rn.
Now I do not have job and can hardly survive under police database
supervision, named s..x offender registration. Nobody want to hire me,
I think because of police database.
And I have family. Who cares? Dirty polititians are playing their
dirty games for more power.
I would like to send you some links to publications about my criminal
case. I was forced to confess to the
possession of internet digital pictures of p..rn in deleted clusters
of my computer hard drive. My browser was hijacked while I was
browsing the web. I was redirected to illegal sites against my will.
Some illegal pictures were found on my hard drive, recovering in
unallocated clusters, without dates of file creation/download.

I do not know how courts can widely press these charges on people to
convict them, while the whole Internet is a mess.
You can find all links to publications about my case here

http://estrinyefim.newsvine.com/_news/2007/06/23/798199-internet-porn-hysteria

Posted by: Fima Fimovich | Jan 16, 2008 1:07:04 PM

My name is John Rajab I have no molestation cases or rape but stupid drunken lewdness and a indecent assault and battery on a adult. I am reg as a level three offender for the nine years with no options of lowering my status because of a deadline myn attorney missed. I live in massachusetts and feel I have been singled out. I did ten yrs behind the wall and was released with every intention on doing good things. i bought a home started a business and got married also had a baby. Now I lost my home my job and my family due to harrassment on a regular basis. Whoever has not sinned throw the first stone.

call me 413-519-1970 if you need interviews

Posted by: | Mar 20, 2008 2:27:49 PM

Everyone is talking about protecting our society by putting these sex offenders on the internet,however your hurting these people family. Thier children will constantly be teased at school,in the play ground and even at school bus stops all it takes is one ignorant parent to make a comment in front of their child then the teasing start.I personally feel like it should be some sort of guidelines to what your can see about others on the internet.we take these people and lock them up for 5-20 years thinking that they are being CORRECTED so it is called,then thats not enough you display there life story on the internet i don't feel this is a form of correction. We need to find a way to fix the problem i believe this just makes things worst.If someone wants to commit a crime it will be done regardless of what is shown on the internet.We don't have a web site for convicted drug dealers asking us to keep our kids safe we still have prostitution in our neighborhoods.It's just so many issues to deal with why stay focused on one issue.Besides many of the people that suppose to protect our community are the ones committing most of our crimes.We need to address all crimes and find a better way to do so.

Posted by: tasha | Apr 2, 2008 12:41:18 AM

I know a sex offender. Hes my ex bf n he told me. He lives near a school. His name is James Rusell Crandell.

Thanx

Posted by: Estanne | Apr 19, 2008 12:08:54 PM

i am a sex offender, "sexual misconduct w/ a minor" i did 2 and 1/2 years in prison and am now finishing up 4 yrs of probation...i can't get a job making over $6.50 an hour, i'm harrased and judged on a weekly basis, etc...where does the madness stop?...all these laws are ludacris...i meen come on...i'm still with the "so called victim"...we've been together for 9 yrs and we have a 6yr and 2yr old...and are getting ready to get married...i believe child molesters, rapists, drug dealers, violent predators should be profiled on the internet, but come on there has to be guidelines...read the constitution people...everything that has to do with whats going on to sex offenders is sooooooo unconstitutional...we need to start a petition, do our research, and take it to court on the grounds of being unconstitutional and discriminitory...WAKE UP U.S. CITIZENS...PLEASE!!!!!!!

Posted by: terry dalton | Jun 16, 2008 5:12:38 PM

i am a sex offender, "sexual misconduct w/ a minor" i did 2 and 1/2 years in prison and am now finishing up 4 yrs of probation...i can't get a job making over $6.50 an hour, i'm harrased and judged on a weekly basis, etc...where does the madness stop?...all these laws are ludacris...i meen come on...i'm still with the "so called victim"...we've been together for 9 yrs and we have a 6yr and 2yr old...and are getting ready to get married...i believe child molesters, rapists, drug dealers, violent predators should be profiled on the internet, but come on there has to be guidelines...read the constitution people...everything that has to do with whats going on to sex offenders is sooooooo unconstitutional...we need to start a petition, do our research, and take it to court on the grounds of being unconstitutional and discriminitory...WAKE UP U.S. CITIZENS...PLEASE!!!!!!!

Posted by: terry dalton | Jun 16, 2008 5:14:34 PM

Until the last few weeks, I have been unaware of the sex offender registry laws in Ohio. I knew the registry exists, but that's about it. Unfortunately, I have been violently shoved into awareness. My husband was just recently arrested and charged with voyeurism. it's still in the courts and we don't know what will happen, but I'm just so appalled that this kind of thing has actually made it's way to a state law. He is charged with a 3rd degree misdemeanor of which carries a MAXIMUM sentence of only 60 days in county jail and a $500 fine. Keep in mind this is only a few steps up from a speeding violation! He has no prior record of any kind- not even a speeding ticket. However, if convicted, he will be listed on the sex offender registry for 15 years! All of the housing restrictions will apply. What ever happened to the punishment fitting the crime? I'm not here to argue about the registry itself. I do believe there is a time and a place for it, although it definitely needs to be revised and restricted. But because of the new laws that were put into effect in July of 2007, anyone convicted of any "sex crime" will "automatically" be placed on this list. The decision has been totally taken from the immediate judge dealing with the case. I, of course, am also very concerned for our children. We have 4. All of which are 5 and under, so they will have to deal with this their whole lives. I am not a very politically involved person, but again, I have been violently shoved into awareness. I can not, in good conscience, sit back and let this happen to my family, or anyone else's. I will fight this until the day I die if I have to. If you have any suggestions of where to start and who to contact, please let me know!

Posted by: Jaime | Jul 4, 2008 6:09:11 PM

I am a retired minister working with a young man right now who is going thru these same disturbing scenarios I am reading here. He was born to a crack-cocaine mother who was passed along by society and loving caring society, and eventually adopted only to turn 18 and sent back to his mother who rejected him a second time where he learned from the harder meaner streets of our society. He is slightly retarded, and comes from a totally dysfuntional family where incest seems to be the norm. He alleges that he never committed the sexual crime in first place but was set up by one of his dysfuntional (my word) family members. He was incarcerated at 22 and held in county jail of Lexington County South Carolina for one and half years with a public defender supposedly working in his behalf! Wrong, so wrong!! He was forced into a plea bargain just to get out of jail thinking he could do more good out of jail than in jail. Once he signed that document it sealed his doom to a life of pure hell. He can not find a job beyond menial work and will never be able to live out a healthy whole life as an adult. I have know him for two years and just now realizing how unfair some of our laws really are. I pray all Americans wake up and pay attention more to other atrocities perpetuated on sometimes innocent bystanders in the name of justice and to "cure" or "fix" our criminal society. I would be willing to help with any organization who might be able to help Todd with this overwhelming problem. He needs an attorney to correct this, but this will cost over $7000 which he nor no one he knows has that kind of money!! Is this a country where justice rolls down like thunder as stated in the Bible!! I don't think so! Anyone who wishes to communicate with us, please call @ 803-358-6588; we need to hear from others. Pastor Doug and his friend Todd

Posted by: Doug Lewis | Jul 24, 2008 4:46:17 PM

It is 13 years later,my husband is incarcerated still.I married him after the crime as a promiss to stand by him if he would turn himself in and repent by changing, felt if I loved up untill then I should try and---well there is a lot more to it that set me up to become ingulfed in a nightmare. I have tried to believe "everyone can change, deserves a second chance Etc." tried to let go of the past and strive for a hopeful future, believing that with faith and counseling a pediphile could change, especially if they repent and want to make things "as right as possible" and turn themselves in (however not untill AFTER he was discovered). I was not equipted to make this decision and I have payed the price, however I am opting out before the price is dearer; as I can't bear the very thought of another child molested and me being so lame and uneducated to have believed in rehabilitation. I won't take the chance of remaining married to him. I will be selfish and not punish myself further with fears of him reoffending--worse of thoughts that I stayed with someone that quite possibly will reoffend. OK call me weak, but I have endured 13 years and I have wittnessed to many flaws that are very much still in tact, cunning being the most dangerous one-- I am divorcing and moving on. I feel a failure as I had such belief that "love heals all" and alot more--but there is no time to go into it. But there is time to tell other women, who may be standing by these men (maybe you did all you could to bring them to justice and vindicate the child, be their voice) it doesn't matter--listen to these mens words when they are off guard, they will "slip" you will see they are still objectifying and fantasizing about children, don't let them fool you that it's in a "caring way", it's not. They love alright--their own sick gratification. No conscience, that's how they dupe you, sneak in, become your "kindred spirit" because they ARE predators- they get kids the same way, telling them they like the same things, enjoy the same hobbies, pets movies way of thinking, they are mimics and fantastic manipulators. That's how they get women (the ones that do) as well, women serve as "safe places" they live off them, move into their homes and stalk from there, and the woman is unawares because these guys are phycopaths, it's all about power and if you think on it, you have made excuses for a lot of rage from them (unreasonable rage) I don't think they really even like women. But that't just my take after 13 years of trying to believe the best. And no I'm not an idiot, just a woman who was never educated about this type of person, same as most of you--don't believe the hype that they change, they either stop out of fear or they go on--but those thoughts are driven by a faulty wiring system that no phyciatric expert has ever found a way of curing. The thoughts will plague them always and you will always be with a time bomb. I wish I had only not had so little knowledge and used more wisdom then heart in remaining with someone who can't "love" others, if they did they would respect and honor them. I kept looking for "good fruit on the tree" so to speak, after it had been nurtured--as the scripture goes---however, I see not even a hint of a blossom, I heard a lot of flowery words though. So I for one am hoping even stronger sex offender laws are passed so they can not even get probation, parole, keep them on a preserve somewhere, a sex offender colony. The risk is to great, my family is a shambles, spilt due to my determination to see him through to rehabilitatio if he promissed to change. I did't know a person could even begin to lie so terribly, but think about it, (I do now, 13 years later! but better late than never)lies and manipulation is how a person survives undetected to age 38-40 they are master cons, self serving. Women do a good concensus of your new bf past- why no car- why no home of his own- why living with his mother- why divorced- what does ex say-a history will unfold that has provided a parasitic life for these flattering, charming, many times extremely good looking predators, these are their tools beware! Teach your children! Remind yourself! Search information on the profile of phycopaths and sociopaths and you will find the sex offender and pediphile mind. They will be your everything so they can have a secure base, they will write you songs and poems and swear to love undying; while their thoughts are on their fantasies. Watch their eyes dart about excitedly and fixate on a child---believe me, (sadly)I didn't know what I was observing in the begining of my relationship---after years of trying and talking through the crime and just watching him, I KNOW what I had been observing--what I hadn't been able to put my finger on when he got that excited look--now I can tell you it's the same look and pacing you wittness in a wild cat or animal at feeding time at the zoo--once they see the prey they pace and look frantic with desire to get at it----truth. You don't want to be between them and their desire. Same these pediphiles will say, do, anything to get what they want. And now the sentences are so harsh and they know it, so there is a worse danger--that they will kill to hide the crime, so I say build and Island.

Posted by: Sue Hancock | Aug 14, 2008 5:18:57 PM

Try upholding all this to my 11 year old who has been sexually abused by her biological father and now doesn't trust any man. I think all sex offenders should rot in jail for the rest of their lives. I believe there is no cure for this sickness they have. It is a mental problem and they are NASTY!!! I agree with Sue Hancock. I think they should have more laws to keep these sick people in jail til the day they die.

Posted by: Maria | Dec 3, 2008 7:25:52 AM

Ok but Maria - you are missing the point really. Not ALL sex offenders molested someone. That's the point of this entire discussion. The law is too broad. The law needs to deal with men like your Husband who've done horrible things, differently from a guy who was Entyced into a crime by a decoy, a police posing as a minor, or in cases where men consent to sex with girls under 18, who asked for sex, wanted to have sex, etc.... too bad women like you aren't opening your mind to that.

Posted by: miles | Jan 8, 2009 6:47:23 AM

Sexual predators need to be supervised. As a mother of a child who was a victim, I know. They usually serve for a short time, but the victims live that trauma for the rest of their lives. They had no rights, abusing a child.
As to a predator being entyced by a police officer - better that way, because they would of taken advantage if it would of been a child.
However, what I don't understand are those that are currently being young individuals being considered predators because they had a girlfriend who was not 18 and had consented sex, they break up and then they are charged with a sexual crime. Those individuals are having they lives destroyed for no reason. Just look out there and see how many young ladies are sex active these days, that go after guys! So these laws have to be looked at in more than one way. I have been an activist against sex offenders, but I can tell you...these laws are hurting some that don't deserve it. Sexual predators cannot be roaming the streets free endangering kids lives, but there are innocent people out there that should not pay for someone out there wanting to do vengeance.

Posted by: Vicky | Mar 12, 2009 11:02:54 AM

ok i know first hand how being a sex offender feels im one in the 4th degree...and it sucks i served my time also became a christian and looked forward to a new beginning but that wont happened a met a wonderful woman with 3 kids and im inlove but now cps says i cant live with her and if i do she will lose her kids i think that its wrong and unfair i have done all that was asked of me registered and moved far from schools but being told u cant live with the one u love is just heartbreaking and i dont understand why why why cant someone do the time and not be punished all their lives .

Posted by: nick ok | Apr 3, 2009 2:12:45 AM

There are two different discussions going on here. If you want to be an activist and try to reform the laws that are hurting these young men who have consentual sex with someone two years younger that is fine. Just make sure that in the process you are not advocating for more rights for the sex offenders who vicitimize over and over again. Look up Dru Sjodin and what happened to her because a level 3 sex offender was allowed to live his life and not have it restricted. When you are typing your comments think about your loved ones. All this talk about rehabilitation is crap. There is no evidence of any kind that rehabilitation works for sex offenders. As for these women who chose to marry a sex offender, that was your poor choice. I'd be interested to see if any of these women are well educated women from good homes and backgrounds free of abuse and violence. My guess is that they too have been a victim at one time or another. They are prey for these sick men and are so easily manipulated. Worse then that they are having babies with these men and so the cycle continues. Disgusting.
Devoted Wife and Mother

Posted by: Jean | Jun 28, 2009 11:28:31 PM

I am the father of a son that was wrongly accused of a sex offense with a minor... The girl told us she was 16, she admitted in court to consentual sex.. my son was forced into a plea bargain from a lawyer that was only wanting money.. he did nothing to protect my sons innocence.. evidence that would have proved my son was innocent was never permitted in court.. for instance.. the cell phone calls from the girl after the sex.. the conversations with friends she knew.. the text messages she sent my son.. the new phone number so her parents wouldnt know she is talking to him.. contavt with my son on a website on the internet.
My son has to register for 10 yrs. cant find a job.. he lives with me and now i cant live in certain places.. or go certain places... and yes.. his probation officer told me that she will put him back in jail... I agree that these sex offender laws are stupid and rediculous.. they need to be changed.. i know my son made a mistake.. but to punish him for the rest of his life? and the harrassment he gets.. registration should be confidential.. not posted on the internet for everyone to see.. if u do that.. make drug dealers and crack addicts register.. ruin their lives like u r these 1st time offenders...
My son, like most offenders is trying to make something of himself.. he paid his price.. served time in jail.. is on probation.. and yes i believe everyone deserves a second chance and they can change if they want too... but restricting them solitry confinement for life wont work.. only make things worse.......thanks

Posted by: Kevin | Oct 3, 2009 5:23:44 PM

Please sign the petition for Michael Moore to do a documentary on the injustice system. Sex offender laws are one of the many unjustices and need to be reformed for those who are not a threat. Please go to:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/ask-michael-moore-to-document-the-injustice-system

Posted by: Yvonne | Dec 31, 2009 12:24:49 AM

I think all of us should march in front of the white house to try to change these laws. It does'nt matter if anyone sees us they see us now. Lets band together to make our second class citizenship first class again.

Posted by: john rajab | Apr 29, 2010 11:07:55 AM

I was accused of a sex crime in 1993 in the State of Georgia, the alledged victim told the prosecutor that the acusation was false, the prosecutor refused to listen, and said "I have your statement, I will proceed to prosecute" End result, I was given a first offender treatment, adjudication of guilt with held, probation for 10 years. Here I am now in Florida 18 years later, with a sex offender GPS, Classes, Restrictions, you name it imposed upon me, and there has not been any further acusations, but yet here I am today this very minute being punished for a sex crime that I did not commit, and was never found guilty on, only accused of. Where does the madness stop? I have filed in Federal Court, they dont even want to hear it. This is Unvelieveable and just down right horrific, I cannot even go to church without being persecuted, pretty sad. It has to stop some place, and the real sex offenders need to be dealt with, and given the proper and fair treatment, and then allowed to live a liberty.

Posted by: Wayne Dorsey | Oct 17, 2011 11:29:04 AM

Persecuted Sex Offender

Posted by: Wayne Dorsey | Oct 17, 2011 11:30:08 AM

Citizen

Posted by: Wayne Dorsey | Oct 17, 2011 11:32:19 AM

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