In lite of the recent murders in Maine, Do you feel the sex offender registry protects children?
346266
I've never felt the sex offender registry protected anyone. Many people believe there is a high rate of re-offending among sex offenders. This belief is caused by the misinformation portrayed by the media looking for ratings and politicians looking for votes.\n\nThe facts are, according to the US Dept. of Justice that only 3.5% of sex offenders will be reconvicted of another sex crime. The same US Dept. of Justice report states that it is far more likely someone with a previous drug conviction will be convicted of a sex offence than a sex offender. Current and pending legislation ignores these facts. Another fact is there have been more sex offenders murdered by vigilantes in the past year than children murdered by properly registered sex offenders. Those few sex offenders who went on to commit the heinous crime of murder were also drug abusers, they were not registered as required by law and no law would have stopped them.  Addresses and Pictures on the internet did not save one single child.\n\nWhile it is true there are some high risk offenders it is also true that most on the registries are not high risk. The majority of people on the registries go on to live a crime free life and reunite with, or build a new, family. These families do in fact include children. Are we to wait until one of these children are killed before changes are made? How many more murders must happen? \n\nThe only real way to protect our children is parental supervision. The vast majority of these highly publicized cases the past few years could have been prevented if the child's parent/guardian were present. In this day and age anyone who allows a 10 or 11 year old to walk the streets alone should be charged with child endangerment. Let's not forget that less than 10% of all sex crimes are reported. This means that for every sex offender in your neighborhood there are at least 9 who are not on the registry because they have not been reported or caught yet. \n\nIt is time for community groups, professionals and lawmakers to come up with solutions that will help stop the cycle of child sex abuse, and all sex crimes. The time for continuing to punish offenders who completed their court ordered sentences and their families for a crime someone else MIGHT commit needs to end. 80% of all sex offenders report being a childhood victim of sex abuse. Most never reported this and therefore never received victim treatment. With these facts in mind let's remember that today's victims are tomorrow’s offenders. Will the registries prevent this? NO
96940
Because it gives parents a false sense of security. I hope they make registries for arsonists, drug dealers (especially dealers that sell to kids), people with violent tempers, corrupt politicians and cops, and murderers (they can even list those convicted of manslaughter in with the murderers so people will assume the worse, like they do with the sex offenders.)\n\nJust keep in mind that not all sex offenders are pedophiles. Most people tend to lump them all together.
554384
We are way too easy on those who decise to abuse children. Here is my answer to these people who abuse our loved ones\nSex Offender Legislation “Wish List” \n1-GPS and lifetime supervision/treatment Law The failure of today's solutions regarding sexual offenders is because we are stuck in the strategy of “public notification” rather than “controlling offenders”. The current model puts the burden on parents rather than offenders, and makes the wrong people work to prevent abuse. Remotely (GPS) knowing where an offender is at all times throughout his lifetime can help to prevent that offender from creating new cases of sexual abuse.\n2-Include all known offenders in the management plan-for life. It is wrong to include just those under supervision since the Meagan’s Law was written. People do not ever age out of this behavior so why an old is charge less important than a new charge. Sexual offences are the most under reported crimes (according to the FBI). The fact that a molester has not been arrested recently does not necessarily means he has not offended.  In my opinion all offenders should be included in any plan, regardless of when their offense occurred. I believe some states have done this already. \n3-Put all offenders , levels I, II or III on the website . I believe Florida does this. The leveling tool is very poor and pedophiles often end up with only a level I because they did not use force, and they superficially complied  with treatment. The way the leveling system works pedophilic “groomers” who do not use force (and are the most busy of all offenders with hundreds of victims) are often not level III’s and therefore are able to have their offense relatively unknown. In New York for example offenders can lawyer up and reduce the “level” they get at their hearing. Molesters can assert they are “non violent”, “sober”, ect, and get the “points” reduced or get the judge to “override” the scale. Currently the public notification system is failing. All offenders of all levels should be on the website. \n4- “Victim Shield Law”.  As you know one of the few protections we offer rape victims is “Rape shield laws”, in order to at least try and prevent a rape victim’s sexual history from being put on trial rather than the rapist. In child sexual abuse cases there are no “Rape shield laws” to prevent the victim, or the victim’s family (often the mother) from being made the center of negative attention. In the past defense lawyers for rapists would portray rape victims as promiscuous, today child molester’s lawyers portray victims and victim’s mothers as manipulative, litigious, unreliable, angry, mentally ill, sociopathic, medicated, or undedicated. Because we as a society love to blame women, especially mothers, molesters have been able to harness the misogyny in our culture in order to escape responsibility for their offences. Like the old rape cases that would revolve around the victims sexual past, today molester cases revolve around a child or a mother’s real or fictional problems instead of the focus of attention being the sexual abuse committed by the offender. I do not know if there can ever be a “victim shield law” to prevent the victim/victim’s mother being put on trial rather than the molester, but I know it would help victims avoid being re-traumatized in the system and help society hold sexual offenders accountable. One of the things to always remember with offenders is they are control seekers, and will take any opportunity to attack rather than just defend. They feel entitled to their behavior and see being held accountable as an injustice they are being forced to suffer, and they have zero guilt in harming any number of people (even their children) in order to escape the consequences they deserve.\n5-Plea deals down to “Endangering the welfare of a minor”. Despite the underlying behavior being the sexual abuse of children offenders are oft
1056068
While you are warning your 11 year old, please make sure you add more than just the false sense of security that the registry provides. Teach your child about good touch/bad touch. Teach them to tell if ANYONE touches him/her. The reoffense rate for sex offenders is 3.5% reconviction. Sadly though, 90 to 95% of child molestations occur, by another child, a relative, a close friend, a babysitter, a teacher, a coach, etc. Don't just use the registry. Teach your children well.
180640
I don't think the Sex Offenders Register is available for public use, simply because we would end up with the Sun runnign lynchign campaigns all over the place! THere is a good FAQ article from the Guardian here:\nhttp://society.guardian.co.uk/children/story/0,,1689260,00.html\n\nIf you have any serious concerns and evidence I woudl go to your local police station and discuss it with them.
450831
Paedophiles are attracted to jobs that will give them easy access to children.  \n\nI don't at all agree with you when you say that "little is being done" about this problem.  In education, for example, anyone who wants to work in a school must undertake a criminal background check.  The problem is with people who are paedophiles, or potential paedophiles but who have no criminal record.  There is also a problem with people who have been suspected but never convicted, in a legal system that has a presumption of innocence until guilt is proven.  I notice that you are from Cheshire and so you will be very aware of the case of Ian Huntley, which was a tragic illustration of the great difficulties that exist in this area.
716299
The justice system is so royally screwed up that I sometimes wonder if we might even be better off without one at all.\n\nAs someone who was abused by a sexual offender in the past, I would love to know why the accused offenders are getting more sympathy than the victims? That's no different than how the system currently works. Some officials won't believe a kid no matter what they say so the offender is never tried for their crimes and continues to do it.
1180310
sex offender registry
574700
I come from Boston,and our newspaper has printed over 350 articles in the last year about sexual predators using my space to get to kids,so yes, some may have been murdered.\n                Parents,do not let your kid post a profile.My space was originally for musicians to communicate with eachother,but somnehow it has gotton way out of hand.It serves no good purpose.Un like Yahoo answers that actually helps some people.
532851
It is nothing new.  It has being going on since time immoreal.  It effects all classes of society, all professions, all religions, the rich and the poor, the young and the old.  It is a curse.  It ruins more people's lives than any other form of abuse.  The do-gooders claim that the perverts are ill and need treatment.  They pay far more attention to them than they do to the victims.  Pedophiles are manipulative, clever and use tactics that can only be imagined.  I will not give any details but suffice is to say that they use language, threats and intimidation on their child victims.  The vast majority of men who have been indecently assaulted when young, seldom if ever tell anyone about their experience.  Most women also keep it 'secret' only informing their husbands when things go wrong much later in life.  Consequently the perverts appear to be 'getting away with it'.  I have worked in law enforcement and everytime the issue of capital punishment arrises (UK), I honestly and sincerely advocate the death penalty for anyone committing a serious sexual offence on a child under the age of ten.  I really mean it.  In my experience, and in many documented cases, they are incapable of being 'cured' of their sick and evil habits.  If an animal was to do what some of these people do to their young, they would be 'put down' immediately. Some of the true stories that I was told by young and indeed elderly people about their experiences as much as fifty years ago would make the strongest of stomachs, retch.  Teachers, doctors, judges, police officers, solicitors, and any other group of people you can imagine are preying on the young of society in every country of the world.  It is a sad, sad state of affairs when we cannot protect them.
553693
NO! This information should not be made available! It is unconstitutional and in the majority of cases it is ex post facto and due process of law is not followed. \n\nFurthermore, rehabilitated former sex offenders have a 5.3% recidivism for re arrest and 3.5% recidivism for re conviction. Out of that 3.5%, 1.2% are recidivists who offend a child. The registries are nothing but feel good, knee jerk legislation. They have not and will not save one child. Your child has a larger chance of being harmed by a drug dealer/user, drunk driver, playground accident, drowning and parental neglect than they have of being harmed by a rehabilitated former sex offender. \n\n90 to 95% of sex offenses are committed by someone known to the child in their family or the families circle of friends, as well as, coaches, teachers, police and other people in positions of authority. \n\nStranger danger is not prevalent. You are the only one that can protect your child. Parental Supervision while the children are out playing or while they are on the internet is paramount to their safety.
246514
The sex offender registry is basically a combination of McCarthyism blacklisting and the Scarlet Letter. \n\nEvery American is granted Due Process of the Law by the Constitution. This means they cannot be punished until proven guilty beyond a shadow of a doubt in a court of law. \n\nThe sex offender registry is a list of people that "might" be a threat and "might" commit another crime. They are being punished for a crime they have NOT even committed yet. \n\nThe only way for this to be Constitutional is if they courts could PROVE beyond the shadow of a doubt that this person is going to offend again. But unless the judge is a psychic... \n\nThey also require sex offenders to live a certain distance from a school. This gives the public a false sense of security. If a pedophile is psychotic enough and has the sexual urge to kidnap and molest a child, the distance rule is not going to stop him. That is like a bank robber worrying about getting a speeding ticket in his getaway car. \n\nOver 90% sex offenses on children happen with someone they already know and have access to.
984652
Actually, Megan's Law doesn't stop abuse. It only names those who are sex offenders. Study after study in the U.S. show that the majority of child sexual abuse is committed by people the child already knows - parents, step parents, family relatives and friends, babysitters, coaches, teachers, youth pastors, etc. So this fact makes it unlikely that you can protect your child from danger by looking at such a registry. You're better off screening the adults who know your child, and being careful which of these adults are alone with your child. They're more likely to offend than some stranger down the street or in the next town over.
342477
Many people confuse the term sex offender with pedophiles and rapists. There are many instances where this is not the case. These people are not threats to society and should not continue to be punished as such. \n\nAs far as "better safe than sorry"... what ever happened to "beyond the shadow of a doubt" that our legal system was based on? These people won't be crying that out when some kid accidently sees them naked thru the sliding glass window and they end up on the list.\n\nAnd then what is next? A list so we know if there are drug dealers in our neighborhood? People with Aids or Herpes? (I would like to know if the girl I just met has either... and it is my right to know, right?)\n\nThe List is Unconstitutional on the basis of Due Process of the Law. The list was created because they say that pedophiles (not all sex offenders, but pedophiles) have a likelihood of offending again. So they are on this list for a crime they MIGHT commit. They are given these restrictions as punishment for a crime they MAY or MAY NOT commit in the future? Is this Minority Report? \n\nElvis Presley was a sex offender.
343144
It is absolutely 110% wrong! These vigilante murders should cause the registries to go away! At the very least, make them available only to law enforcement, which was the original intent along with the fact that originally they were only for Violent Sexual Predators. In the case of Mr. William Elliot, he was convicted of having consensual sex with an underage girl. I wonder, how does his death now make this past girlfriend of his feel? Do you think she feels like she is to blame for his death?\n\nI was molested twice as a child. I am not a victim, I am a survivor. I do not feel that my abusers deserve death at all. I can thank God and my parents for my views of morality. I can thank them also for my love of fellow man and the knowledge that I have about rehabilitated former sex offenders. I do my homework. I know that they can be rehabilitated. I know that they can lead normal productive lives. I know that they have less chance of recidivism than all other crimes with the exception of murderers. I know that 90 to 95% of sexual abuse is by someone known to the child. I know that many of the horrendous crimes against children are committed by drug offenders. Cocaine is the most often used drug by these people. I know that drug abusers, drug dealers, drunk drivers, gangs and parents have a higher rate of murdering children within a year than any registered sex offender. Learn the facts. Get active and make this Country abide by the Bill of Rights and the U.S. Constitution.
1110889
Had he hit this child and hurt her, he would have been charged with maybe not having control of his car. Most likely a misdemeanor. Had he hit her and she died, most likely he would have been charged with involuntary manslaughter and maybe 3 to 5 years prison but NO Sex Offender Registration. I guess we all need to remember when kids run out in front of us that we should hit them. Isn't it sad that this country has come to that? And the non voting people are the most to blame. \n\nI hope you all can see this is just one stupid instance for being on the registry. I will try to find some more.
727379
i live in maryland too but all that i know is that they could {im not saying they are going to}get arrested for coming near and touching children. i looked up te offender registry because i sorta had the same kind of problem....you can print it out.... yes i tried it... if you want to get them removed try your hardest... but most likely they wont so i would start a petition....