NationStates Jolt Archive

A Scottish mother is demanding that local residents be informed if there are any convicted sex offenders in the are:

http://scotlandtoday.scottishtv.co.uk/content/default.asp?page=s1_1_1&newsid=8841

Though I can't even begin to place myself in her shoes I'm highly scepticle as to what good can come from knowing there's a peodophile in the area. For one, as the article mentions, there's the risk of vigilanty groups carrying out mob justice, even worse a totally inocent person may become the target of false accusations. Secondly knowing that somewhere in your community there's an (ex)sex-offender in your area won't really help you - unless you'r prepared to lock your children inside at all times and deprive them of their childhood freedom. Lastly why draw the line at sex-offenders? What about murderors? Or theives?

Your opionions if you please.

I like to know if there are pervs living in my neighborhood. Of course, if they're innocent it's unfortunate but the information is still out there. Plus, vigilantes could get the information regardless of the availability of public data.

I agree with you, there is no beifit as to know if there are any in your area, chances are there are... there more common then i think most people realise.

ANd like you said, sex offenders can go straight, and lead a normal life again, they woudent need to be stared at in the street, gossiped about,

If they are living in a community, it means the goverment is confident he/she wont reoffend, theres no need for anyone else to know,

If i had been a sex offender, served my time and had counceling and went straight, the last thing id need is people yelling abuse at me, and avoiding me, being glared at in shops etc.

If i had been a sex offender, served my time and had counceling and went straight, the last thing id need is people yelling abuse at me, and avoiding me, being glared at in shops etc.Indeed, but the last thing any decent human being needs is being sexually assaulted in the first place.

I live in NY State and there is a state law, that goes in conjunction with school district regulations, that is already in place just like that.

O yah...
There's no mob justice here or any vigilantes taking the situation into their own hands so don't worry about that. All sex offenders should be posted so the public is made aware. They have permenant records, like everyone, which can be checked given any substantial reason such as residence or employment, so all that's happening is the public's attention is being facilitated towards recoginzing that which is already important.

Sex offenders recommit crimes at a higher rate than just about any other group of criminals.

We have Megans Law here in the states that lists sex offenders in a community. It also resticts where a convicted sex offender can live. I would much rather know who is a sex offender, and make it known to everyone. The child will be paying for that sick bastards act for the rest of thier life, I have no sympathy for the offender.

There's no mob justice here or any vigilantes taking the situation into their own hands so don't worry about that. All sex offenders should be posted so the public is made aware. They have permenant records, like everyone, which can be checked given any substantial reason such as residence or employment, so all that's happening is the public's attention is being facilitated towards recoginzing that which is already important.It was reguarly pointed out to us in our degree that in some States in the US paedophiles have to wear a bumper sticker or something to denote their status as a paedophile - is this the case where you are? According to the lecturers, the rate of vigilante attacks and reoffending was comparitively low in States that employed this tactic.

Just as anyone would want to know if there was a dangerous animal around, so should these people be known.

Megans Law is useful as you at least know what they look like and know where they live.

I have two near by. Both were convicted for attacking children. Further away is somebody that was convicted for violent rape.

As to the claim of a sex offender going straight? That is probably true for a small amount.

Pedophiles can't go straight.

I forget the girl that was recently killed. Buried alive in fact. Her attacker was a repeat offender......

Tell people not to abuse the setup. If the information starts getting used for vigilantism, the goverment will pull it.....

Indeed, but the last thing any decent human being needs is being sexually assaulted in the first place.

By the same token, though, the last thing a sexual offender needs is to be completely isolated and reviled by his community. That's a recipe for recidivism if ever I heard one.

I know that the FBI has a site where you can go and get names and addressesfor former sex offenders. I was surprised to find out that there are a couple in my neighborhood.

Just as anyone would want to know if there was a dangerous animal around, so should these people be known.

Megans Law is useful as you at least know what they look like and know where they live.

I have two near by. Both were convicted for attacking children. Further away is somebody that was convicted for violent rape.

As to the claim of a sex offender going straight? That is probably true for a small amount.

Pedophiles can't go straight.

I forget the girl that was recently killed. Buried alive in fact. Her attacker was a repeat offender......

Tell people not to abuse the setup. If the information starts getting used for vigilantism, the goverment will pull it.....

I take it you are not aware that those who are convicted of sexual predation upon a minor have some of the lowest rates of recidivism of any crime. Only about 1 in 40 or so reoffend.

I don't see much of a point in just telling people IF there are sex-offenders in the area, but naming them would be beneficial to the community. Sex offenders will more likely be deterred if people know who they are. I read that a city neighboring mine (I forgot which; I live in NC, US) started broadcasting the names of 'johns' over public-access TV, and successfully reduced prostitution. I think I'm a bit more liberal in the security vs. privacy area, but I am sure that you can reduce sexual crime this way, and it is always good if you can prevent this sort of thing.

I take it you are not aware that those who are convicted of sexual predation upon a minor have some of the lowest rates of recidivism of any crime. Only about 1 in 40 or so reoffend.
Is that with or without statutory rape charges?

I take it you are not aware that those who are convicted of sexual predation upon a minor have some of the lowest rates of recidivism of any crime. Only about 1 in 40 or so reoffend.

That's not my understanding. I absolutely want to know if there is a sex offender near me, particularly a pedophile. He has a high likelihood of re-offending, and I see him as a risk. I don't care particularly about his 'right to privacy'.

"In 1991, Dr. Quinsey published a study which data supported, vehemently, a specific predicting element of a sample of child molesters (Quinsey[12]). The recidivism of 136 extrafamilial child molesters was determined on an average of a 6.3 year follow-up. 43% of those in the study committed a new violent or sexual offense. 58% were arrested for an offense of some kind or were returned to the institution..."
http://www.corpus-delicti.com/danger.html

"Presents, for the first time, data on the rearrest, reconviction, and reimprisonment of 9,691 male sex offenders, including 4,295 child molesters, who were tracked for 3 years after their release from prisons in 15 States in 1994. The 9,691 are two-thirds of all the male sex offenders released from prisons in the United States in 1994. The study represents the largest followup ever conducted of convicted sex offenders following discharge from prison and provides the most comprehensive assessment of their behavior after release.

Highlights include the following:

Within 3 years following their release, 5.3% of sex offenders (men who had committed rape or sexual assault) were rearrested for another sex crime.

On average the 9,691 sex offenders served 3 1/2 years of their 8-year sentence.

Compared to non-sex offenders released from State prisons, released sex offenders were 4 times more likely to be rearrested for a sex crime.

The 9,691 released sex offenders included 4,295 men who were in prison for child molesting."
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/abstract/rsorp94.htm

I found a great link from the Bureau of Justice (http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/pub/press/rsorp94pr.htm) about the rates of recidivism among sex offenders in case anybody's interested.

A Scottish mother is demanding that local residents be informed if there are any convicted sex offenders in the are:

http://scotlandtoday.scottishtv.co.uk/content/default.asp?page=s1_1_1&newsid=8841

Though I can't even begin to place myself in her shoes I'm highly scepticle as to what good can come from knowing there's a peodophile in the area. For one, as the article mentions, there's the risk of vigilanty groups carrying out mob justice, even worse a totally inocent person may become the target of false accusations. Secondly knowing that somewhere in your community there's an (ex)sex-offender in your area won't really help you - unless you'r prepared to lock your children inside at all times and deprive them of their childhood freedom. Lastly why draw the line at sex-offenders? What about murderors? Or theives?

Your opionions if you please.

If it was felt that the person was dangerous enough to be worth notfying the community about, why is the person not in a mental institution? After all, they only would have gone to a conventional prison if they were in control over themselves. Most countries send people to prison as a mixture of punishment and behaviour modification. If the punishment is over, and the person wasn't disturbed enough to merit a mental institution, they should be free, and with all the same rights and privacy enjoyed by murders, petty theives, and people who don't pay their parking tickets, or have gotten their third convition for drunk driving.

Oh, I forgot to mention that the state of California conducted research about sex offenders and found that the rate of recidivism (http://www.corr.ca.gov/SexOffenders/Sexoffenderinfo.asp) within 5 years of release from prison was around 13%.

A Scottish mother is demanding that local residents be informed if there are any convicted sex offenders in the are:

http://scotlandtoday.scottishtv.co.uk/content/default.asp?page=s1_1_1&newsid=8841

Though I can't even begin to place myself in her shoes I'm highly scepticle as to what good can come from knowing there's a peodophile in the area. For one, as the article mentions, there's the risk of vigilanty groups carrying out mob justice, even worse a totally inocent person may become the target of false accusations. Secondly knowing that somewhere in your community there's an (ex)sex-offender in your area won't really help you - unless you'r prepared to lock your children inside at all times and deprive them of their childhood freedom. Lastly why draw the line at sex-offenders? What about murderors? Or theives?

Your opionions if you please.

I believe that sex offenders should face mandatory life sentences with no possibility of parole. If the government is going to utterly abdicate its responsibility and release sex offenders from prison, then the least it can do is inform citizens when sex offenders have moved into their area. If sex offenders face persecution, harassment, or other negative reactions...GOOD. They should. They gave up their right to bitch when they forced sex on a nonconsenting party.

Oh, I forgot to mention that the state of California conducted research about sex offenders and found that the rate of recidivism (http://www.corr.ca.gov/SexOffenders/Sexoffenderinfo.asp) within 5 years of release from prison was around 13%.
Now take out any and all charges of statutory rape and the rate of recidivism goes through the fucking roof.

Now I'm a lot older than most of you on here and I remember when I was a kid.
The children in our area were allowed to run free, we palyed in the local parks and went down to the local beaches and into the woods unhindered.

It was n't that there weren't sex offenders at the time and it wasn't that there weren't any in the area, what kept us safe is that we all knew who they were.
We children were warned to stay away from him/them, we were told to keep in groups and everyone looked out for us.
The basic ethos was if he/they kept away from us, he /they were left alone to get on with their lives.

Now I have a daughter.
She doesn't go out on her own, well very rarely and it pains me when I remember how much freedom I had at her age.
The reason she doesn't?
Because I don't bloody well know what the bloke/woman next door are like, I have no idea if there are sex offenders in the area.
Too much is kept 'secret' nowadays, too much is placed on the rights of the accused and it doesn't give a Toss about the victims and/or potential victims, too many people are too busy to stop and chat for a few moments, too many people are so soddin scared to open their front doors let alone dare to chat to an neighbour.

I don't wnat to know if the guy along the road is a sex offender so that I can shun him or set fire to his hose or drive him out, I want to know so I can tell my daughter that she and her friends need to keep away from him so that I can let her wander over to the park and have some freedom.

Now I'm a lot older than most of you on here and I remember when I was a kid.
The children in our area were allowed to run free, we palyed in the local parks and went down to the local beaches and into the woods unhindered.

It was n't that there weren't sex offenders at the time and it wasn't that there weren't any in the area, what kept us safe is that we all knew who they were.
We children were warned to stay away from him/them, we were told to keep in groups and everyone looked out for us.
The basic ethos was if he/they kept away from us, he /they were left alone to get on with their lives.

Now I have a daughter.
She doesn't go out on her own, well very rarely and it pains me when I remember how much freedom I had at her age.
The reason she doesn't?
Because I don't bloody well know what the bloke/woman next door are like, I have no idea if there are sex offenders in the area.
Too much is kept 'secret' nowadays, too much is placed on the rights of the accused and it doesn't give a Toss about the victims and/or potential victims, too many people are too busy to stop and chat for a few moments, too many people are so soddin scared to open their front doors let alone dare to chat to an neighbour.

I don't wnat to know if the guy along the road is a sex offender so that I can shun him or set fire to his hose or drive him out, I want to know so I can tell my daughter that she and her friends need to keep away from him so that I can let her wander over to the park and have some freedom.

I agree with you, I remember too - I'm 51. I live in a small village (pop. 750) in a remote area so my family and I can still live like that.

I just want to know who they are, as does the community. We're at greater risk than the convicted predator. He lost some privileges by committing the crime.