National Offender Database

[jong_1]

http://www.familywatchdog.us/Default.asp - key in your address and it provides location data on sex offenders. A number of states have or maintain a similar system, but not all at this time.

[Credo]

I am not taking a position, but is it  fair to keep punishing people after they have paid their due?

[Spooky7272]

I am not taking a position, but is it  fair to keep punishing people after they have paid their due?

 
  Is is fair to put children in harms way after a person who "paid his  dues" has a recidivism rate of 90%? How is it "punishing" them by  letting people know that theses dangerous people live nearby?

[QuisUtDeus]

I agree with Spooky.  The problem is that most of these people reoffend.

 

The other thing is that it makes people aware about what's around them.  Not just the ones listed.  But the fact that there are predators everywhere and you can't identify them.  We should watch our kids at all times because you never know what kind of person someone is until it's too late.  Their pictures only show up after they've done something bad.

 

And it's not like they stole cash from someone.  The victims suffer the effects for a very long time.  I don't see it unfair that they bear some of the same burden.

[Paul]

Is is fair to put children in harms way after a person who "paid his  dues" has a recidivism rate of 90%? How is it "punishing" them by  letting people know that theses dangerous people live nearby?

It's punishing them because by labeling them "sex offender" for the rest of their lives and letting everyone know that, they're not going to be able to get any sort of decent job, are very restricted on where they can live, and there's the risk of the rest of the neighborhood driving that person out. With little chance to live a normal life, perhaps that's part of why they reoffend

Have anything backing up that 90% figure?
 

[QuisUtDeus]

It's punishing them because by labeling them "sex offender" for the rest of their lives and letting everyone know that, they're not going to be able to get any sort of decent job, are very restricted on where they can live, and there's the risk of the rest of the neighborhood driving that person out. With little chance to live a normal life, perhaps that's part of why they reoffend

Have anything backing up that 90% figure?

Well, we have to separate the kinds of sex offenders.  A rapist, for example, has a different reoffense rate than a pedophile.  It's much lower, probably like 3-10% from what I have read.  And some statutory rapists, say a 21 year old with a 16 year old girlfriend, are probably 99% not going to reoffend.

 

A predatory pedophile is a different matter.  That's why there are different "classes" of sex offenders.  An offender classed at a high level is expected to reoffend in many cases.  It's just a matter of time.

 

Spooky was talking about people who hurt children.  And yes, they should bear a temporal punishment for this the rest of their life.  If nothing else, it will reduce or eliminate time in purgatory.  Children are affected much differently by sex than adults, and always in a negative way.

 

I don't see what having a difficult life post-conviction has to do with sex crimes.  Saying that because they have a tough life is a reason (even a partial one) for them to rape someone else is non sequitur at best.

 

Don't want to be on the database?  Keep your hands to yourself.  It's that simple.

[JLeigh]

Here's the problem I have with the permanent "sex offender" label: They don't distinguish between real sex criminals and those unfortunate 18 year old shmucks who had consensual relations with a 16 year old. Mom and Dad find out that their little Angel slept with that horrid Johnny so they sic the law on him. So now this 18 year old is branded for life as a "sex criminal". That's just wrong.

 

As for the real sexual criminals? They should be branded. They have lost their right to live a normal life.

[QuisUtDeus]

Here's the problem I have with the permanent "sex offender" label: They don't distinguish between real sex criminals and those unfortunate 18 year old shmucks who had consensual relations with a 16 year old. Mom and Dad find out that their little Angel slept with that horrid Johnny so they sic the law on him. So now this 18 year old is branded for life as a "sex criminal". That's just wrong.

 

Yeah, that's a good point.  They do have different classes of sex offender on the registries, but as soon as people see "sex offender" they don't look any farther, and a knuckleheaded teenager ends up being treated the same as a predator.

[jong_1]

I think it's prudent to bear in mind that the CITIZENS of each state have a very high level of input in deciding whether or not this information is made available via the legislative process. Below are a couple of examples of states (Nebraska, Minnesota) and the sites they maintain to inform the public:

 

Nebraska: http://www.nsp.state.ne.us/sor/find.cfm

Nebraska State Statute 29-4002 declares that sex offenders present a high risk to commit repeat offenses and that efforts of law enforcement agencies to protect their communities, conduct investigations, and quickly apprehend sex offenders are impaired by the lack of available information about individuals who have pleaded guilty to or have been found guilty of sex offenses and who live in their jurisdiction. Because of that, the legislature determined that state policy should assist efforts of local law enforcement agencies to protect their communities by requiring sex offenders to register with local law enforcement agencies as provided by the Sex Offender Registration Act.

This information is to be used to provide public notice and information about a registrant so a community can develop constructive plans to prepare themselves and their family.  Sex Offenders have "always" been in our communities.  The notification process will remove their ability to act secretly.

Sex offender registry information shall not be used to retaliate against the registrants, their families, or their employers in any way.  Vandalism, verbal or written threats of harm are illegal and will result in arrest and prosecution.

Minnesota: http://www.doc.state.mn.us/level3/search.asp, (Dept. of Corrections website)

 

http://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/stats/244/052.html (Minnesota state statute)

[jong_1]

 

Here's the problem I have with the permanent "sex offender" label: They don't distinguish between real sex criminals and those unfortunate 18 year old shmucks who had consensual relations with a 16 year old. Mom and Dad find out that their little Angel slept with that horrid Johnny so they sic the law on him. So now this 18 year old is branded for life as a "sex criminal". That's just wrong.

 

I don't believe that is a completely accurate statement. The states are flagging individuals who are high risk sex offenders and this is the information being made available to the public. For example, Minnesota provides info on LEVEL 3 Predatory sex offenders and they use a risk assessment scale to determine this:

State of Minnesota:

Subd. 2.    Risk assessment scale.  By January 1, 1997,
the commissioner of corrections shall develop a risk assessment
scale which assigns weights to the various risk factors listed
in subdivision 3, paragraph (g), and specifies the risk level to
which offenders with various risk assessment scores shall be
assigned.  In developing this scale, the commissioner shall
consult with county attorneys, treatment professionals, law
enforcement officials, and probation officers.