Sex Offender Registry

[anakhouri]

So we are in the process of buying a house. Since we have a young kid and I am at home most of the day with him, safety is a matter of concern. I checked with the police department on the crime rate in the area (and they said all the calls they get are "My neighbor didn't mow his grass!"...I didn't know you could even call the cops over that) and looked up the sex offender registry.

Now, I agree that the sex offender registry is a good idea. I would like to know if there is a sex offender in my area. I will not use this information as a reason to harass the person in question. But it's good to know.

I was surprised that none of the offenders listed on the website had conviction details. 'Sex offender' covers a wide variety of crimes, and there's a difference between a 25 year old guy who had sex with his 15 year old girlfriend, and a guy who molests little boys (which I would be far more concerned about).

I would like to say they did their time and deserve privacy but when it comes to my son's safety I am a bit of a mama bear. And if you're a sex offender you have to know you're going to be stuck on a website for everyone to see so if you don't want to be there, don't offend anyone sexually. I have lots of conflicting feelings on the matter, actually.

What do you guys think?

[Fryk]

The problem with that right now is what you just demonstrated. "Sexual Offender" covers so many things, many of which aren't harful, that you don't know if they're a danger or not. And just because you say YOU won't harass the people on the list doesn't mean others won't.

It's a messed up system that needs to be targeted better.

[daleduke17]

The two problems I have with the SOR is the 17 y/o boy who had consensual sex with his 16 y/o girlfriend. Or, dependent on the area, two 17 y/o people having consensual sex. Along with the underage girl who purposely misrepresents her age as over 18, has sex, then only to announce she was underage and gets the guy in trouble.

Now, a lot of the other items on there, definitely keep them on the registry.

[HYHYBT]

Right: the *idea* is good, but it ought to be limited to those who are likely to be dangerous. My understanding is that even trying to hire a prostitute can get you on the list, and while that's a sleazy thing to do, it's not remotely close to being worthy of branding for life. Save it for the molesters, rapists, etc.

[blas87]

FamilyWatchDog has color coordinated dots to represent what KIND of sex offender that person is, so you know if they are a rapist, convicted of statutory rape, molested little kids, etc.

I'm a little more conservative than most and have my own opinions about older teen guys and guys in their 20s screwing young teenaged girls, and I know it's not a popular opinion, but I think they are scum. Sure, when I was 14, I slept with a few guys who were 18+.....and today, I think guys like that are total scum.

Nowhere near as bad as a rapist or child molestor, but if I had a young teenaged daughter and there was a guy in my neighborhood who screwed young teens, I'd want to know and be able to keep him away.

[Greenday]

To be quite honest, if a 25 year old is sleeping with a 15 year old, I heavily disagree with that. That pairing does not belong. Within 3-4 years, fine. But 10 years? Not that young.

As for the sex offender registry, for the most part, I feel that it is useless as it doesn't get updated. It also causes a lot of trouble for one time offenders. Hate mail for things they may or may not have done. It's an extremely inefficient system where I'd rather have no system at all than the current one.

[DrFaroohk]

In my state we had a guy go on a killing spree a few years ago, targetting people on the sex offender list. Thing is, the only people he got were the "harmless" ones, i.e. 19 year old screws a 16 year old, or the girl decides later that since she had two beers before sex, it must be rape, stuff like that.

So they updated it to give a general idea, like "sexual contact with a minor who has not yet reached the age of 16 when the actor is at least 5 years older than the minor". or "rape unnatural", which I don't know exactly what that means.

I don't necessarily think the 10 year thing is too awful. I know a girl who told me when she was 13 she slept with a 23 year old guy. Quite willingly. He never knew how old she was until afterwards, and according to her at 13 she could easily have passed for 18. If he'd been caught I'm sure he'd be on the sex offender list, but I doubt he belongs anywhere near it with the other perverts.

And what do they expect guys to do, ask for ID? I don't think that's reasonable. There's certain visible signs that someone has reached a certain age, and some people happen to develop those signs earlier.

[telecom_goddess]

back when I was 21 I slept with a guy who was 16 at the time. I did not know he was 16, since we met in college . If anyone had kicked up a fuss I could have been convicted as a child molester. And I don't think that's fair in those cases.

[Lace Neil Singer]

There's also the fact that most children are abused, not by some evil child molesting stranger, but by someone they know. You could be going all out telling your kids to avoid Mr Pervert at number six, while jolly Uncle Joe who you've known all your life is the greater risk.

http://www.ericdigests.org/pre-9217/sexual.htm

Boys and girls are most often abused by adults or older children whom they know and who can control them. The offender is known by the victim in 8 out of 10 reported cases. The offender is often an authority figure whom the child trusts or loves. Almost always the child is convinced to engage in sex by means of persuasion, bribes or threats.

Therefore, it makes more sense to, as well as teaching your children about "stranger danger", to teach them about bad touching, and what to do if someone, even a friend or relative, touches them. There are ways to do this without going overboard and scaring your kids.

[BlaqueKatt]

Therefore, it makes more sense to, as well as teaching your children about "stranger danger", to teach them about bad touching, and what to do if someone, even a friend or relative, touches them. There are ways to do this without going overboard and scaring your kids.

easiest way is to not teach them that their bodies are shameful...which takes a shift in mindset for the entire country.....

[kibbles]

I'm a little more conservative than most and have my own opinions about older teen guys and guys in their 20s screwing young teenaged girls, and I know it's not a popular opinion, but I think they are scum. Sure, when I was 14, I slept with a few guys who were 18+.....and today, I think guys like that are total scum.

Scum? Does that make the girl scum too?? JMO but it does take two.

[Greenday]

back when I was 21 I slept with a guy who was 16 at the time. I did not know he was 16, since we met in college . If anyone had kicked up a fuss I could have been convicted as a child molester. And I don't think that's fair in those cases.

You don't think it's fair that people be expected to follow the law? Especially something so simple? I mean, considering the penalty, it's not hard to be responsible about following the law.

Is it a turn on for someone to ID you before sex? No.
Will it prevent you from getting some ass? At that point, no.

Yes, I've done it before. It's better than going to jail.

[elsporko]

Sex crimes should be classified in two catagories, major and minor

Major-rape, molestation, that sort of thing

Minor- 19 year old having sex with 17 year old, grabbing a girl's butt, stuff that doesn't really hurt anybody in the long term



Minor crimes get fines, probation, whatever they get now. Major crimes in addition to jail time get castration. That will keep them from reoffending

[protege]

I'm a little more conservative than most and have my own opinions about older teen guys and guys in their 20s screwing young teenaged girls, and I know it's not a popular opinion, but I think they are scum.

When I was in college, I had a roommate who liked young girls. How young? Well, his "girlfriend" was about 12-13..and he'd known her since she was 11. Did I mention he was in his 20s Anyway, he'd constantly drone on about how good she was, and other details I'd tune out. He got pissed when I said something along the lines of "she seems a bit young." That's when I found out just *how* young she was...and about that time, he started going on about how it wasn't "statutory," because it was "consensual."

Sorry asshole, the law doesn't work that way. It sure threw him for a loop when she got pregnant...and when he tried to dump her, her parents went after him. He got busted, and from what I understand...disappeared.

[crazylegs]

or "rape unnatural", which I don't know exactly what that means

At a guess I would imagine that would be anal rape, and that your legislators have too much influence from the church.

I'm not a fan of the general public having access to sex offenders registers. As has been pointed out the vast, overwhelming majority of offenders against children (and adults - but that wasn't pointed out) are known to the victim in some way in more than a casual 'hello in the street'.

The list is an excellent way (if it is properly maintained) to prevent offenders from gaining jobs where they would get a position of trust.

From what I can see the list that is in the US needs a category for the following
Risk to the public
Risk of reoffending
Group at risk.

If the list is public, then the information should be so that the public can make an informed decision as to how to best protect themselves.