How do you feel about the Sex Offender Registries?
370136
If they don't update their address it's not much use but it's something at least. If their crime is proven and if they're allowed to live, they could just brand it on their forehead: "CHILD MOLESTOR, RAPIST" etc...
378424
Check with your local law enforcement. Sex offenders should be registered. Pedophiles target children, not older adults, but to be sure, contact your police department before jumping to conclusions.
1022378
To the person who is a Criminal Major. You are being taught what they want you to know, not what the truth is. To the person who mentioned a different study of each type of crime, you can read that exact study at the link this asker posted. \n\nThe recidivism rate for sex offenders is very low. It is much lower than any other crime, with the exception of murder.\n\nOne of you stated to ask the child. Well, I was molested as a child twice. Once at 6 and again at 11. I am not a VICTIM. I am a SURVIVOR. You will find if you talk to many of these people who are now adults they are survivors. We have several in our Yahoo support Group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/roar_4_freedom\n\nBecoming a Survivor isn't easy, but it can be done. As many of us can attest too. The main thing that makes one a Survivor is learning to forgive. That is the problem with the many different therapists that have the victims in therapy. They only teach them that they are victims and they should hate. This is not the case and should not be a part of therapy. In many therapies this isn't done and these children lead productive normal lives.\n\nThe memory of what happened to them as a child will always be present, it is what they do with that memory that makes them a victim or a survivor. \n\nIf any of you were molested as a child, get into a good therapy session. Even if you are now an adult. You are also more than welcome to join our support group that I posted above.
354350
Ever been in prison?  Do you have to register as a sex offender?
840253
Use yahoo, google, or ask and type in Sex Offender Registry then the state and you should be able to find the registry
345280
They should not have to live that way. It is definitely not right. Rehabilitated former sex offenders deserve, along with their families, the rights all Americans deserve. The right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, once they have paid their debt to society. \n\nTo prevent these murders from happening the United States needs to get back to the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights! They need to take down all the Registries. The original intent of these registeries were for LAW ENFORCEMENT and only for the Violent Sexual Predators. That is how it should be!\n\nAmerica wake up! You will be next. Your Civil Rights are eroding daily with the Patriot Act and similar laws. Eventually you will see, but by then, it will be too late.
27250
Do a web search using the name of your state and the term "sex offender registry".
516731
Canada is not as hysteria filled as the U.S. They realize there is no reason to make the registries public. The U.S. originally was to have them available only to law enforcement as well. That has all changed and now we have vigilantes out killing people. I wonder if it will take a rehabilitated former sex offenders child or spouse being murdered to stop the insanity?
296911
I am amazed that even though a sex offender pleaded down that they still do not have to register as a sex offender.  Any thing that is public record is not slander.  If he was arrested and it was in the paper then you can let people know.  Was the original offense against a child?  There are different classifications of sex offenders as well. Every state has their own laws.  There are federal laws in place for sex offenders as well. You can also go to Oprah's website they is alot of information on sex offenders there.  Recently on her show she has been pushing for stiffer penalties for sex offenders. That might be a good jumping board for you.
39497
I think the history of the list is different from state to state as far as when it first came into existence. \n\nI also think that it should exist, however, it should be more specific about the offense or divide the list into several groups. Some offenders were at college Frat parties and hooked up with a 16 year old posing as a fellow college student. They are not really a threat to society like the troubled people that are sexually attracted to children. Some people were naked on a boat or tent on their campsite and were unknowingly seen by passers by that happen to be minors. They are not exactly pedaphiles.\n\nIt is not really fair that they are put on the same list as the ones with psychological disorders. But the public seems to stereotype them all into one big group.
795725
First of all try to realize there are many more sex offenders who have never been caught and are not registered. You may live near or work with one and not even know it. Try not to become a vigilante in your frenzy to protect children.\n\nA registered offender can be designated as habitual or non-habitual, and aggravated or non-aggravated. Perhaps this is what that listing is referring to.\n\nDepending on the state you live in, being registered does not necessarily mean they cannot be with children, especially if they have finished their probation. Mostly it limits how close to a school they can live based on their offense.\n\nIf you go out of your way to make life more difficult (than it already is) for this person, it will only increase his chances of re-offending.
36096
The national list is www.nsopr.gov\nNational Sex Offender Public Registry
558238
If you are with your children, supervising them, then you wouldn't need a registry to do it for you. It is your responsibility as a parent to supervise your children at all times. If you will look at the horrendous crimes against children, they are children that were not being supervised by a parent. Also, 90 to 95% of sex offenses occur by someone known to the child within the family or close friends. Stranger danger is not all that prevalent and the registries do nothing but provide a false sense of security.
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.
25932
Crime does not pay!  looking up criminals?  pay up! \n\nahaha ooo I crack myself up! \n\nSeriously, I don't think there is something like that for every crime.  I'm sure there is a sex offender registry for your state but I dont know for other crimes.
900126
The first few posters don't have a clue as to what they're talking about - strictly speaking from the emotions rather than from logic. Because California has been registering sex offenders since 1947 and Megan's List goes back to 1944, the felony sex offenders who did molest children did their offenses WAY back (like 40 years ago) and we don't think it proper to put someone in state prison for life for child molesting (25 years, but not life). And since California has something like 107 different offenses that qualify someone for a sex offender in this state, many of these are felony sex offenders, but the majority are not child molesters.\n\nI wonder when society is going to realize that a sex offender is an offender but not necessarily a child molester or child rapist. \n\nAlso some of you stated that they should clear out the petty thieves and place the sex offenders back into prison. Ever hear of the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights? Ex post facto? Do these concepts ring a bell with anyone?  Once you have paid the consequences at the time of sentencing, the government cannot re-arrest you to pay additional consequences for the same offense. \n\nI seriously doubt if the GPS requirement will go through. The state currently has 1,000 high risk sex offendes on GPS. This initiative is talking about placing 80,000 anklets on felony sex offenders. The cost is astronomical and seriously limited technologically. The California Department of Corrections has a hard enough time handling the 1,000. Multiply that by 80 and it's nearly impossible.  \n\nTwo other considerations - the state has not had an epidemic of sexual offending by strangers, never has. Most of these stranger danger cases have happened in other states and opportunistic politicians (Sharon and George Runner, sponsors of 83) have taken advantage of the public hysteria. We do have interfamilial child sex abuse cases, as do all states. Yet GPS will not work within homes. Expensive and useless technology.\n\nThe other consideration - the politicians who were up for reelection wanted 83, the public wants it, but the experts who deal with the problem day in and day out (parole agents, the California Coalition on Sex Offending, CALCASA (84 sexual assault advocacy centers), and many, many others thought it was a red herring. \n\nIt's hardly a liberal judge thing letting people out of prison. If anything, California is a punitive state when it comes to criminal justice system. But our prisons are extremely overcrowded. We just went on a prison building spree to build spaces for 100,000 prisoners in the past 20 years; we now have 173,000 in state prison alone. The feds have threatened to take it over. This propsotion will just add to the problem and may be the tipping point to a federal take over. \n\nYou reap what you sow. California has been in a get tough on crime for a long time, but the taxpayers don't want to pay the bill. something's got to give.
540257
No, the registries should not be public. Let me tell you what exactly these registries are doing. #1. They have never and will never save a child. #2. The original intent of the registries were for Sexually Violent Predators and for law enforcement only. They should still be that way. #3. Have you ever heard of the Edward G. Byrnne Fund? That is WHY the states have so many on their registries. They get more money. Your tax dollars as a matter of fact. Some states, especially Florida have deceased, deported and people that don't even live in Florida on their registry. This is called double dipping. Some states have the Offender pay to be registered. This is also called double dipping. But you people just go right ahead and let the Government eat up your tax dollars for something that will NEVER work. Sex offenses are committed 90 to 95% of the time by someone known to you and/or your child. \n\nWe can spend billions of dollars on a registry that will never work. It is based solely on knee jerk, vote grabbing legislation. But, our Seniors do without their medications, our children suffer in the schools because there isn't enough money for education. Many of our children have no health insurance. So go ahead and be all for something that will never work. Waste your tax dollars. Allow the politicians and the media to brainwash you. As for me, I will continue to research and learn.