Ok, before I get started, no, I've never committed a sex offense(that I know of... Virginia does have some weird laws though), so I have no hidden agenda with this post.

However, our treatment of sex offenders really grinds my gears. For those of you who aren't in this country, basically ANY sex offense gets you put on a sex offender registry for life, which essentially is akin to a scarlet "A" on your chest. This registry is publicly accessible, so anyone who cares can look you up on the internet. Furthermore, some states are placing living restrictions on people, so that they can't live within a thousand feet of a school, school bus stop, playground, or church. The end effect is that many people have to move, and the areas they can move to are pretty restrictive.

Additionally, it can sometimes be much easier to become a sex offender than you might expect. I'm a little hazy on the details, but I seem to recall an ESPN article about a 17 year old guy who was serving prison time for receiving a blow job from a 15 year old(I might not be clear on the details there). The 15 year old initiated everything. For some reason, this was a felony sex offense. He could've received a reduced sentence if he admitted his guilt, but he would've been a sex offender and wouldn't have been allowed to live with his sister. Practically every male alive is thinking the exact same thing from when they were 17: "There but for the grace of god go I".

Now, I realize I've brought up one extreme example, so let me narrow this down to several key questions:

1) Do you agree with the existance of the sex offender registry at all? Has having kids affected anyone's view on this?

2) Do you think that being labelled a felony sex offender should be reserved for only the most heinous sex crimes? If so, would this change your attitude to question 1?

3) Do other countries have similar laws?

On the first question, I'm inclined to say that a publicly accessible sex offender registry is cruel and unusual punishment. In general, I think that once you do the time, you shouldn't continue paying for the rest of your life. If you really feel like somebody can't be left alone, look at it on a case by case basis, and I'm sure there's a better way of handling it than notifying everyone in the area. We treat murderers better than we do sex offenders.

Sorry, I don't have much to add to this except that I believe that sex offenders are nasty, vile, disgusting human beings.

On a lighter note, I am reminded of John Turturro's great character, Jesus Quintana from the classic comedy, The Big Lebowski. I remember when they show him having to go house to house to admit that he is a sex offender with that big bulge in his pants. And then whey they show him polishing the bowling ball, just hilarious.

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Originally posted by MajorNougat:
1) Do you agree with the existance of the sex offender registry at all? Has having kids affected anyone's view on this?

I do agree we should have knowledge of those who live among us. Most will agree these guys are, more often than not, repeat offenders & some believe this thought process is incurable ("Once a pedophile, always a pedophile"). Having 2 children of my own DOES make me more aware of potential threats around them & is the only reason I look up my neighborhood from time to time.

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2) Do you think that being labelled a felony sex offender should be reserved for only the most heinous sex crimes? If so, would this change your attitude to question 1?

I do think they should rethink the term. According to the map of my neighborhood, I have over 200 sex offenders living around here. At the same time, I have no real clue how bad some of them are. I had seen a story on '20/20' about a 16 year old kid who had downloaded some porn onto his parents computer. He had no idea that there was kiddie porn attached to it. Somehow, the FBI became aware of this & arrested the kid after confiscating the computer. HE was labeled a sex offender for this & it took years to clean up his record. He WAS a kid! Also, I do know of someone in my neighborhood that is on the list, but it's for peeing in public! So, yeah, something MUST be done about these frivolous labels. I'm pretty sure the number of TRUE sex offenders would drop considerably around here. By TRUE I mean of someone that has actually assaulted, or attempted to assault someone SEXUALLY. If someone has downloaded pictures of children, maybe it should be investigated whether or not it was intentional. In the case of the 16 year old, it clearly wasn't. I mean, really, what teenager wants to move DOWN the developmental pole? When I was young, it was "the MORE developed, the better!"

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3) Do other countries have similar laws?

I know New Zealand has a registry for the extreme cases (murder, rape, assault, etc.), as I believe should be the case over here.

Oh, & if having their names in a registry seems cruel & unusual to you, Florida, Montana, Louisiana, Oklahoma, & South Carolina give multiple offenders the death sentence & Texas is soon to become the sixth!

Good one, FKA ! "Eight year olds, dude."

I'm glad I started this thread, if for no other reason than to remember the Jesus. Don't fuck with the Jesus. Thanks FKA and M_B.

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Sorry, I don't have much to add to this except that I believe that sex offenders are nasty, vile, disgusting human beings.

Well, I don't necessarily disagree with this(I'm certainly not defending the actions of sex offenders), but this seems like a substantial generalization. I'll assume you mean those who commit "extreme" sex crimes.

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Most will agree these guys are, more often than not, repeat offenders & some believe this thought process is incurable ("Once a pedophile, always a pedophile")

I feel like I've seen statistics presented both sides for this. I don't think anyone denies a correlation, but I'm curious to see the strength of the correlation. I did a cursory google search and couldn't find anything immediately. I'll look some more, but do you have any numbers?

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Having 2 children of my own DOES make me more aware of potential threats around them & is the only reason I look up my neighborhood from time to time.

Just out of curiosity, how do you behave differently when you find out if someone's a sex offender?

Also, I'd love to hear from somebody who knows something about abnormal psychology(that's kind of a shot in the dark), but it seems likely that we should be able to pin down those who are more psychologically likely to be repeat offenders and handle them more carefully. I'm moderately concerned that placing someone's name in a publicly accessible registry could have something resmembling a self-fulfilling prophecy. If everybody looks at you expecting a sex offender, I don't doubt that you're more likely to become a sex offender(or repeat as one).

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Oh, & if having their names in a registry seems cruel & unusual to you, Florida, Montana, Louisiana, Oklahoma, & South Carolina give multiple offenders the death sentence & Texas is soon to become the sixth!

Yeah, that does seem pretty cruel and unusual. Then again, I tend to view the death penalty in general as cruel(Texas, Florida, and Virginia have made sure it isn't unusual).

I've never used the registry before. I admit that this is a touchy subject. There really is no way to determine how or why sex criminals do what they do. I suppose they have that "little devil" on one shoulder, but the flippin' angel on the other one got wasted or raped to death somewhere along the line.

There are many people who need care and concern, whether they be actual sex criminals and mass murderers or only potential ones. Being ostracized and feeling that there is no way to express yourself except through anti-social behavior is something which SHOULD be obvious and diagnosable if humans are acting human, but I realize that it's very easy to turn a cold shoulder to someone who seems strange, "evil", or withdrawn. Unfortunately, this eventually causes hardships and heartbreak for many people.

We are all God's children. If you cannot believe that, then how about this? We are all your children. Not just the victims, but the victimizers. Now, THAT IS SCARY.

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Originally posted by MajorNougat:
[QUOTE]I feel like I've seen statistics presented both sides for this. I don't think anyone denies a correlation, but I'm curious to see the strength of the correlation. I did a cursory google search and couldn't find anything immediately. I'll look some more, but do you have any numbers?

Here's a pretty extensive list of NUMBERS that should satisfy you. At the very bottom you'll notice it says the behavior is HIGHLY repetitive. It doesn't give a percentage, but I'm willing to guess that we wouldn't want to take chances with any potential threats.

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Just out of curiosity, how do you behave differently when you find out if someone's a sex offender?

Well, I'm just more aware of ANYONE around my children. I don't look up names & addresses, I just watch for suspicious activity. I used to go to a park & just relax, but now, I'm ever watchful for unwanted attention placed on my kids. Such as, someone there without kids, just pacing around the playground. I HAVE seen a few shady characters that didn't seem to belong & I NEVER let them out of my peripherals as I watched my kids play.

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I'm moderately concerned that placing someone's name in a publicly accessible registry could have something resmembling a self-fulfilling prophecy. If everybody looks at you expecting a sex offender, I don't doubt that you're more likely to become a sex offender(or repeat as one).

The thing is, this happens to alot of innocent people in different situations. I, for one, was labeled a drug dealing, violent individual. Police have harassed me on many different occasions. There was even a time I went to Taco Bell, when I was 16, & scared the crap out of everyone in the building. I wasn't doing anything, but standing in line. I looked down at a small child & he gripped his mother's leg for dear life. She turned & saw me & actually pushed the entire line forward by about 3 feet! I look behind me & nobody is standing directly behind me. I could actually put my arms straight out & spin & not touch a single person! I've described my appearance in the 'Police Problems' thread & I admit, if you don't know me, I look like I could kill you & not give a second thought. This is an appearance I've worked very hard for because I'm actually very weak from my medical problems & this keeps the sharks from circling.

I bring this up because despite my "label" I was still myself. I could've easily taken advantage of people & become what they thought of me, very easily. In the suburbs, they don't test you, & appearance is everything. I had to fight everyday of my life in the city, but when we moved, I gained a reputation as a gangster from the city & I was not to be F**KED with. The rep was all I needed. My point is, it's not what people think of you that makes you what you are, it's what you think of yourself. A pedophile isn't a pedophile because everyone thinks they are, they are because they feel they are. Same with a rapist or any other sex offender. It's not like that don't know that they'll be labeled for life if they're caught, they get off on what they're doing & they WON'T stop until they're caught. Sometimes, that still doesn't stop them. Have you ever watched 'To Catch a Predator'? There are episodes where you see these guys come in that house "VERY SORRY" for what they've done. They cry & plead & swear they'll never do it again, but weeks later, you find these same guys back again!

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Originally posted by Monkey_Boy:
Here's a pretty extensive list of NUMBERS that should satisfy you. At the very bottom you'll notice it says the behavior is HIGHLY repetitive. It doesn't give a percentage, but I'm willing to guess that we wouldn't want to take chances with any potential threats.

I know I sound obsessed with numbers, but I do think they can be important in this case. I found the opposite side presented here. I'm not convinced that being four times more likely than a non-previous sex offender makes someone especially likely to commit a sex crime.

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Well, I'm just more aware of ANYONE around my children. I don't look up names & addresses, I just watch for suspicious activity. I used to go to a park & just relax, but now, I'm ever watchful for unwanted attention placed on my kids. Such as, someone there without kids, just pacing around the playground. I HAVE seen a few shady characters that didn't seem to belong & I NEVER let them out of my peripherals as I watched my kids play.

Certainly watching out for your kids is a good idea, but how would this be any different if there wasn't a sex offender registry? My question is how does having a public registry affect how you look out for your kids. What do you do when you discover somebody in your neighborhood is on the registry.

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My point is, it's not what people think of you that makes you what you are, it's what you think of yourself. A pedophile isn't a pedophile because everyone thinks they are, they are because they feel they are.

Understand that I'm not defending the actions. You do the crime, you do the time. I have no problem with that. When it comes to punishmnt, I believe that humans MUST be treated as though they act entirely of their own free will. However, that doesn't mean that societal factors don't contribute to who a person is. Based purely on percentages, a black person is more likely to commit a murder than a white person. Does this mean that black people are just more likely to "be murderers"? Of course not. Obviously growing up in the inner city is the problem, not the race. Growing up in the inner city isn't a valid excuse when it comes to punishment, but it certainly suggests that we can reduce the murder rate if we reduce the struggles of inner city youths. Likewise, it's important to note any factor that increases recidivism. Do you really believe that social ostracism does not in any way contribute to recidivism? If you haven't had any experience with psychology's self-fulfilling prophecy, let me know and I'll try to do my best to explain it. It's shockingly powerful stuff, and fascinating too.

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Have you ever watched 'To Catch a Predator'? There are episodes where you see these guys come in that house "VERY SORRY" for what they've done. They cry & plead & swear they'll never do it again, but weeks later, you find these same guys back again!

Yeah, I've watched that show on occasion, although I pretty much hate all forms of reality TV.

I can see why the list exist for certain crimes. I think there are people added to the list that should not be on there. Obviously the 17 year old kid who got imprisoned for having less then sex with a 15 year old simply should not be added by any means. When I was 18 I was dating my wife, who was 16 at the time. I can't imagine actually getting a prison sentence for that. That's of course only one example, but I'm imagining there are others that are one time offenders who will be labeled for life over relatively normal behavior.

I'm torn about the affect of the list on society though. In once sense I can undestand why people would not want to move near an obvious repeat offender. At the same time, I know people who obsess that something might happen to their child. That kind of unreasonable fear, while not nearly as damaging as an encounter with a sex offender, can be damaging on its own. Added to the fact that most molestation is initiated by someone the family knows, I'm not sure how much good the registry is doing.

While I agree with the sentiment that the definition of "Sex Crimes" is too broad, I think the register is unnecessary. This is more because I don't think those people should ever, ever have been let out of prison in the first place.

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Originally posted by less_success:
I'm torn about the affect of the list on society though. In once sense I can undestand why people would not want to move near an obvious repeat offender. At the same time, I know people who obsess that something might happen to their child. That kind of unreasonable fear, while not nearly as damaging as an encounter with a sex offender, can be damaging on its own. Added to the fact that most molestation is initiated by someone the family knows, I'm not sure how much good the registry is doing.

Excellent points less. I don't have anything to add on from that aside from seconding those concerns.

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Originally posted by Dork:
I don't think those people should ever, ever have been let out of prison in the first place.

I dare say you're dehumanizing people for one action. I do have less of an issue though if you simply believe that the punishment for an extreme sex offense should be life in prison. However, if the biggest concern is that they'll repeat, I just feel like there are better ways to deal with it than a variant of vigilante justice.

Just out of curiosity, did anybody feel strongly about it one way or another right when Clinton signed it into law? If so, has time(or kids) changed your view of the law?

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Originally posted by MajorNougat:
I'm not convinced that being four times more likely than a non-previous sex offender makes someone especially likely to commit a sex crime.

I take it you've never been sexually abused or raped as a child? My brother was ALMOST raped by a man in the hallway of our apartment building, but my mother heard him whimpering & she just so happened to be cutting chicken with the largest butcher knife she had. I was across the street at the time talking with friends when suddenly a man bursts through the front door of my building & my mom wasn't far behind, knife high in the air! My brother was traumatized for weeks, maybe months, until he managed to push the experience into the back of his mind & seemingly forgot about it. My sister was nearly kidnapped when she was 4. Someone was holding a ball out to her from their car & if it wasn't for one of the neighborhood kids seeing what was going on & telling her to run who knows what would've happened? Right when the guy heard them yell, he sped off, so his intentions couldn't have been pure.

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Certainly watching out for your kids is a good idea, but how would this be any different if there wasn't a sex offender registry?

While the registry doesn't seem all that important, it's a consequence of being convicted. No, I don't look up individuals to scope them out, but it woke me up to the fact that I can't take the safety of my children for granted. I probably wouldn't watch them as close as I do, if I hadn't seen all those red dots in my neighborhood.

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However, that doesn't mean that societal factors don't contribute to who a person is. Based purely on percentages, a black person is more likely to commit a murder than a white person. Does this mean that black people are just more likely to "be murderers"? Of course not. Obviously growing up in the inner city is the problem, not the race.

The problem with a sex offender is, it doesn't matter where or how they grew up. The thing that makes these guys so dispicable & beneath humanity is they KNOW what they're doing is wrong. They get you to trust them, & then they pounce. Murders are usually crimes of passion or out of necessity, sex crimes are done because of a perverted need to do them. The fact that they always go after relatives FIRST, let's you know how devious they are. They're perfecting their skill. They start on someone that already trusts them & work their way up to strangers. This was the case with my brother. I had actually been with him to see the guy that eventually tried to rape him. The guy was nice enough, he made us cookies & he had all sorts of model ships & things that kids just think are awesome. He got to my brother by asking him to see if the people upstairs from us was home because he wanted to see them & they weren't answering the door. He followed him very closely up the stairs & when my brother knocked & said, "I guess nobody's home." That's when he was attacked.

The fact is, most can't be trusted not to do it again. Once is never enough. This isn't like stealing or even murder. There are guys who've stolen one thing their entire life & never did it again & there are those who murdered someone & never touched another person. Sex is very different. I don't know of a single case where a person had sex only once. It feels good, they want more, but what happens if the wrong thing feels good? Will they stop because it's wrong? I don't think so. Four times is a pretty big number to me & it says that if the opportunity came, they would more than likely take it.

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I dare say you're dehumanizing people for one action. I do have less of an issue though if you simply believe that the punishment for an extreme sex offense should be life in prison. However, if the biggest concern is that they'll repeat, I just feel like there are better ways to deal with it than a variant of vigilante justice.

I don't see a better way to deal with it. The thing is, alot of these guys start with something small & seemingly innocent & work themselves up from there. When they finally get caught, they may stop for a time, but it will soon call them back. Keep in mind, these guys didn't just do it once out of curiosity, this is something that is instilled in them. They truly can't help themselves & for those of us out there that can become potential victims, the registry is our only defense. I must say, if anything, they should spend a looooong time in a mental facility, at the very least. Let 'em out when "it" doesn't work anymore.

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Originally posted by Monkey_Boy:
While the registry doesn't seem all that important, it's a consequence of being convicted. No, I don't look up individuals to scope them out, but it woke me up to the fact that I can't take the safety of my children for granted. I probably wouldn't watch them as close as I do, if I hadn't seen all those red dots in my neighborhood.

OK, so right there, you've admitted that the PUBLIC registry itself is not necessary. It sounds to me like you're arguing more for education about the dangers of sex offenders and how to help your kids best avoid them. If there's education that can actually help people protect their kids, I'm all for that. I don't grasp at all how a PUBLIC registry is necessary for that, if that's all it's used for.

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The problem with a sex offender is, it doesn't matter where or how they grew up.

Quite frankly, I think you're wrong here, and the easiest way to demonstrate is that people who were sexually abused are more likely to become abusers.

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The thing that makes these guys so dispicable & beneath humanity is they KNOW what they're doing is wrong.

Ok, so they know they're wrong. If you've ever had an addiction(even a small one), you know that environmental stressors can trigger a relapse. Likewise with sex offenders, if you truly feel that all of them have an incurable addiction, then you have to acknowledge that environmental stressors WILL affect whether and when they repeat. Hell, in one sense, many addictions and problems can be tied to feeling alone in the world. I don't see it as beneficial to contribute to that.

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The fact is, most can't be trusted not to do it again. Once is never enough. This isn't like stealing or even murder.

I think that murdering and stealing both become easier and more acceptable in your mind the more you do it... until you get caught. I think getting caught has a bigger impact, and I also think that getting caught makes you less likely to do it in the future. That said, if you know somebody is likely unable to exercise restraint, don't let him out of the mental hospital. If you do, keep close tabs. That seems simpler to me.

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I don't know of a single case where a person had sex only once. It feels good, they want more, but what happens if the wrong thing feels good? Will they stop because it's wrong? I don't think so.

Yes, people have sex more than once because it feels good. It also won't get you thrown in jail and it isn't morally wrong. Some people will be able to exercise restraint in the future, some won't.

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They truly can't help themselves & for those of us out there that can become potential victims, the registry is our only defense.

If they TRULY can't help themselves and are powerless to avoid doing it again, don't let them out. I still don't see how the registry has actually helped, because it isn't going to keep anybody from repeating, and the way I see it, can only make them more likely to do it. I feel like these measures are knee-jerk reactions to satisfy the public and it is very dubious whether they actually make any difference at all. You've even said, you used the registry for education and nothing more. You don't use it to look up specific people. So why do we need to post specific people? The only reason I see remaining is shame, and I don't we can all agree that we aren't going to humiliate them into behaving properly.

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Originally posted by MajorNougat:
If they TRULY can't help themselves and are powerless to avoid doing it again, don't let them out. I still don't see how the registry has actually helped, because it isn't going to keep anybody from repeating, and the way I see it, can only make them more likely to do it. I feel like these measures are knee-jerk reactions to satisfy the public and it is very dubious whether they actually make any difference at all.

I'm not sure what you mean by "making them more likely to do it, again". That doesn't seem like a very good arguement. It's kinda like my mother telling me & my brother to quit calling my sister a "whore". We were just kids & heard the word & just used it ALL the time & since our sister happened to be a girl, we always called her that when we were name-calling. My mom used to always say, "She's going to turn out to be one if you keep on." Of course, she didn't. Sure, the registry might only be there to make the public more comfortable, but it is our right to know who we're living nextdoor to, especially if there are kids or women in the household who could fall victim to a "relapse".

On your point of not letting out the ones who TRULY can't help themselves, who makes the decision on who's fine & who's still a threat? It's not that simple. I mean, if you see the guys on 'To Catch a Predator', they seem genuinely sorry for their actions. They cry, they say how they're getting help, but in another state, there they are again! Why not abolish the registry & keep them ALL locked up, would that be a better way to go? I'm sure if you actually asked them, they'd rather be out on a registry than locked up for life in prison.

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You've even said, you used the registry for education and nothing more. You don't use it to look up specific people. So why do we need to post specific people? The only reason I see remaining is shame, and I don't we can all agree that we aren't going to humiliate them into behaving properly.

I don't, but others might feel safer to know exactly who they are living next to. It probably is shameful to be placed on the list, but their victims are scarred 1,000 times worse than that. I don't feel sorry for any of them one bit. Yes, there are very low level offenders on the list, such as the public urinator & it sucks, but I think we have a right to know of any potential threats in our neighborhood. I haven't heard of any violence falling on those on the list, so it's not affecting the public's conscience. Just think, if they had this registry YEARS AGO, we would have been educated on the guy that went after my brother. He was actually on parole for pedophilia, we just didn't know it. Once again, a repeat offender. When my kids get older, I'll probably be checking the list a little closer, just to make sure I know everything going on in my neighborhood. Right now, I'm everywhere they are, it'll be different when they leave the house on their own.

First of all, I do appreciate those of view who have weighed in on this. As the first topic I've started, there was a slight concern it would be a complete dud. Nobody wants to be a dud.

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Originally posted by Monkey_Boy:
I'm not sure what you mean by "making them more likely to do it, again". That doesn't seem like a very good arguement. It's kinda like my mother telling me & my brother to quit calling my sister a "whore". We were just kids & heard the word & just used it ALL the time & since our sister happened to be a girl, we always called her that when we were name-calling. My mom used to always say, "She's going to turn out to be one if you keep on." Of course, she didn't.

No, you miss the point. You called your sister a whore. You didn't treat her like one. Ok, have you heard of the Zimbardo prison study? At Stanford, a psychologist had subjects simulate being guards and prisoners(at random). The study lasted about a week before the students had become their roles a little too completely. The guards became power-hungry assholes and the prisoners became lifeless, depressed, and detached. It wasn't acting anymore. They had become what they were acting.

Likewise, there was another study where several students were chosen at random from a new class. The teachers(unaware a study was being performed) were notified that these students were gifted. Amazingly, the students actually performed better in the class and even left it with a higher IQ(which supposedly can't change), despite being randomly selected and not actually gifted.

Both of these suggest that if you view a person a certain way, their behavior can and frequently will change based on how they are viewed. That is the point I'm trying to illustrate. I'm not sure how else to present this phenomenon. It just flat out exists. Likewise, a person isn't just either a predator or not. I believe there's a line. Most of us are far enough to the point that we couldn't understand the attraction to kids. Others might have a moderate attraction that they can control, and others might be severely out of control. I think the ability to control it is affected by how we view that person. Certainly many people it just won't matter. With some it will. Once again, can you seriously not picture feeling ostracized contributing to a relapse?

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Sure, the registry might only be there to make the public more comfortable

Honestly, I don't buy punishment for the sake of making some people feel comfortable. I can acknowledge punishment for justice and punishment for deterrent, but punishment for comfort? Not buying it.

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but it is our right to know who we're living nextdoor to, especially if there are kids or women in the household who could fall victim to a "relapse".

Who deemed it to be our right? Is that in the constitution? I don't remember seeing it.

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On your point of not letting out the ones who TRULY can't help themselves, who makes the decision on who's fine & who's still a threat? It's not that simple. I mean, if you see the guys on 'To Catch a Predator', they seem genuinely sorry for their actions. They cry, they say how they're getting help, but in another state, there they are again! Why not abolish the registry & keep them ALL locked up, would that be a better way to go? I'm sure if you actually asked them, they'd rather be out on a registry than locked up for life in prison.

I find it difficult to acknowledge an argument generated from a TV show that is getting you to watch by preying on your fears. Of course it shows repeat offenders. It probably seeks them out. I admit that some can be sociopathic, and that's a trait we need to be on the lookout for, not just predators.

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I don't, but others might feel safer to know exactly who they are living next to. It probably is shameful to be placed on the list, but their victims are scarred 1,000 times worse than that. I don't feel sorry for any of them one bit.

Once again, you say that others FEEL safer, but do you really feel that they ARE safer? Yes of course I feel much worse for the victims than the criminals. That isn't my argument though. My argument is about fair justice for the criminals.

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Just think, if they had this registry YEARS AGO, we would have been educated on the guy that went after my brother. He was actually on parole for pedophilia, we just didn't know it. Once again, a repeat offender. When my kids get older, I'll probably be checking the list a little closer, just to make sure I know everything going on in my neighborhood. Right now, I'm everywhere they are, it'll be different when they leave the house on their own.

Ah, you say having the registry would've helped. If by helped you mean educated, once again, there are other ways to educate. Talk about it. Maybe have a registry that doesn't name people. That'd do the trick, right?

I understand wanting to know who is looking over your kids, and I don't have a great solution for that, but that more makes me feel like sex offenders should be watched closer by law enforcement rather than by the public.

No, duds do suck & we all know the Major is not a dud ! I also appreciate your stand on this issue, but if no one disagrees with you, where's the fun in that?

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Originally posted by MajorNougat:
Most of us are far enough to the point that we couldn't understand the attraction to kids. Others might have a moderate attraction that they can control, and others might be severely out of control. I think the ability to control it is affected by how we view that person. Once again, can you seriously not picture feeling ostracized contributing to a relapse?

Ummmm, they already committed the crime & I'm pretty sure NOBODY was looking at them like a sex offender before that. The difference between these studies & your examples is these guys weren't treated like criminals BEFORE they became criminals, they raped & molested on their own accord. The true test for EVERY ex-con is if they can blend back into society despite the fact that some people will view them differently. It's not like EVERYONE will treat them differently, only those who feel the safety of their family is at stake. I wouldn't say they've been ostracized because of the list, they have the same problems most ex-cons have. They are mistrusted with the very thing they were arrested for. If you were arrested for stealing, people won't trust you around cash. Murder, people will fear you might do it again. Same goes for molestation or rape.

If I was convicted of a sex crime, you can certainly bet I wouldn't be expecting a single woman in the country to be in a rush to date me afterward. Are you HONESTLY saying you would let a known sex offender babysit your children? I mean, there's no chance of him taking advantage of your children UNLESS you didn't let him watch them BECAUSE he was a convicted sex offender. Is that what you're saying?

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Who deemed it to be our right?

Okay, maybe "right" wasn't the correct word, but I would still say we deserve to know of potential threats to our families.

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Of course it shows repeat offenders. It probably seeks them out.

Umm, actually the offenders seek them out. Do you understand how the show works? They pose as 12-14 year old boys & girls & these men send photos of genitalia & talk of sexual acts, all the while truly believeing they're talking to a kid. The repeaters show up in completely different states or counties, traveling many miles in order to fulfill their fantasies.

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My argument is about fair justice for the criminals.

Fair justice for a rapist or child molester would be chemical castration, I also believe ANYONE caught drinking & driving should be serving time for attempted murder. I don't believe in the death penalty, I'd rather you live with the consequences of what you've done & that they TRULY change your life. I've been told I have an extreme vision of "justice", but that's me . I just think a punishment should prevent you from wanting to do it in the first place. If you still do it knowing the consequence, all you can do, is blame yourself. Jail & fines don't seem to be enough for these people.

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Ah, you say having the registry would've helped. If by helped you mean educated, once again, there are other ways to educate.

Actually by "helped", I meant, there would've been a RED DOT on his address & we would've known not to trust him. Ever since the registry has been available, my mother has looked up her own & the neighborhoods of all of her kids. She would've known & she would've made sure we did too.

What you seem to have trouble understanding is most of the victims of these guys CANNOT protect themselves & the police can't be everywhere. They've taken advantage of the weak & have lost any trust they once had. Sure education is great, but knowing who to stay away from is even better. Really, they shouldn't be within AT LEAST 30 feet of children, anyway. They might not tell you, but you can find out for yourself. As I said, I'd expect to be treated like a leper if I had done such a thing.