Just a mom, I agree that it is wrong to characterize an abused child as "ruined." People say that all the time. "He ruined that child's life." Sexual abuse is a terrible crime, which should be severely punished, but children can and do recover from all types of abuse. There are many examples if we care to look. Oprah is a survivor. I'd say she's doing okay.
We are all in agreement that children must be protected. The disagreement is in how that is best accomplished. Residency restrictions on sex offenders do not protect children. A 2007 Department of Corrections Minnesota Study concluded that residential proximity to schools or parks did not affect recidivism. Rather offenders were more likely to reoffend outside of their neighborhood where they would not be recognized. In a discussion of recidivism, it is important to note that while some sex offenders do reoffend, they have the lowest rate of recidivism of any type of offense as stated in the U. S. Department of Justice Study of 2003. Sex offenders reoffended at a rate of 5.3%. Those offenders who were child molesters reoffended at a rate of 3.3%. Other types of crimes had a recidivism rate of around 75%. It is a myth that sex offenders are highly likely to reoffend. Furthermore, there are unintended consequences of residency restrictions. While many think that all sex offenders are pedophiles and rapists, that is another myth. The vast majority pose no threat to our communities. States report that only a small percentage of sex offenders are dangerous. In 2007 Vermont considered less than 1% of the sex offenders in the state dangerous. Thousands and thousands of registered sex offenders in Texas never touched a child or forced a woman. Many are teens or young adults who either consensually touched or chatted online with a slightly too young girlfriend. Others are juveniles caught in doctor play. Some are young people pulling a prank, such as streaking or texting a nude photo to a friend. Any residency restrictions affect not just pedophiles but those whose youthful indiscretions are no worse than those of most adults in their youth. Another unintended consequence of residency restrictions is the effect on the families of sex offenders. Because a father many years ago when he was 19 consensually touched his 16-year-old girlfriend, his children will be forced to leave their homes and schools, and his wife will be forced to leave her home and job. Why disrupt these lives unnecessarily? So what is the answer to protecting our children? Common sense laws based on facts are important. Even more important is an educated community. Parents must first educate themselves and then their children. Because 90% of child victims were molested by someone they know, highlighting the idea of stranger danger over the much more likely danger of a friend or relative is counterproductive. No law is as effective as an aware parent and community.
Exactly, Sandihr! Even someone who takes a life is not automatically labeled a murderer. Yet tens of thousand of young men are on the sex offender registry for doing no more than most young people do. Consensual sex or touching with an older teen or chatting online, etc. is not the same as someone who molests a child or rapes a woman. These laws must be reformed to better protect our communities. reformsexoffenderlaws.org
Thank you Victoria Advocate for bring to light the fact that not all sex offenders are pedophiles or rapists. In fact, only a small percentage ever touched a child or forced a woman. Tens of thousands are young men who touched or chatted online with a slightly too young girlfriend. The reason so many people think all sex offenders are dangerous perverts is because they listen to legislators looking for easy votes and media stirring up hysteria for ratings. Then there's the thousands of dishonest people making money from the unfair misery our justice system inflicts on these young men. That's the vast majority of the counseling providers and those administering all the tests such as the polygraph. While sex offenders pay many fees, the tax payers are still footing the bill for policing these young men who pose no threat to anyone much less a child. Law enforcement needs to focus on pedophiles and rapist rather than chasing after young people who have done no more than young people have always done, whether we approve or not. As responsible citizens we must educate ourselves on this issue and demand that the laws be reformed to better protect our communities. reformsexoffenderlaws.org
I'm all for petitioning our government, but it's our duty to understand the issue first. Anyone who wants to protect children from pedators should demand that the all but useless sex offender registry be cleaned up. Law enforcement is so distracted by policing teens and young adults for consensual touching and other so called crimes that there aren't enough resources to adequately monitor child molesters and rapists. You won't get the facts from politicians and the media. Politicians want easy votes and the media want sensational stories. reformsexoffenderlaws.org
Anyone who wants to protect children from pedophiles should be interested in cleaning up the now all but useless sex offender registry. Law enforcement is so distracted by policing teens and young adults for consensual touching that they don't have the resources to monitor child molesters and rapists. The reason so many people think that all sex offenders hurt little children and force women is because that's what politicians and the media want us to think. We seldom get the truth from someone running for office or from Nancy Grace. Most politicians only care about easy votes and the media only cares about sensational stories for ratings. It's our duty to know the facts before we petition our government. reformsexoffenderlaws.org
Newsletter
Just a mom, I agree that it is wrong to characterize an abused child as "ruined." People say that all the time. "He ruined that child's life." Sexual abuse is a terrible crime, which should be severely punished, but children can and do recover from all types of abuse. There are many examples if we care to look. Oprah is a survivor. I'd say she's doing okay.
We are all in agreement that children must be protected. The disagreement is in how that is best accomplished. Residency restrictions on sex offenders do not protect children. A 2007 Department of Corrections Minnesota Study concluded that residential proximity to schools or parks did not affect recidivism. Rather offenders were more likely to reoffend outside of their neighborhood where they would not be recognized.
In a discussion of recidivism, it is important to note that while some sex offenders do reoffend, they have the lowest rate of recidivism of any type of offense as stated in the U. S. Department of Justice Study of 2003. Sex offenders reoffended at a rate of 5.3%. Those offenders who were child molesters reoffended at a rate of 3.3%. Other types of crimes had a recidivism rate of around 75%. It is a myth that sex offenders are highly likely to reoffend.
Furthermore, there are unintended consequences of residency restrictions. While many think that all sex offenders are pedophiles and rapists, that is another myth. The vast majority pose no threat to our communities. States report that only a small percentage of sex offenders are dangerous. In 2007 Vermont considered less than 1% of the sex offenders in the state dangerous. Thousands and thousands of registered sex offenders in Texas never touched a child or forced a woman. Many are teens or young adults who either consensually touched or chatted online with a slightly too young girlfriend. Others are juveniles caught in doctor play. Some are young people pulling a prank, such as streaking or texting a nude photo to a friend. Any residency restrictions affect not just pedophiles but those whose youthful indiscretions are no worse than those of most adults in their youth.
Another unintended consequence of residency restrictions is the effect on the families of sex offenders. Because a father many years ago when he was 19 consensually touched his 16-year-old girlfriend, his children will be forced to leave their homes and schools, and his wife will be forced to leave her home and job. Why disrupt these lives unnecessarily?
So what is the answer to protecting our children? Common sense laws based on facts are important. Even more important is an educated community. Parents must first educate themselves and then their children. Because 90% of child victims were molested by someone they know, highlighting the idea of stranger danger over the much more likely danger of a friend or relative is counterproductive. No law is as effective as an aware parent and community.
Exactly, Sandihr!
Even someone who takes a life is not automatically labeled a murderer. Yet tens of thousand of young men are on the sex offender registry for doing no more than most young people do. Consensual sex or touching with an older teen or chatting online, etc. is not the same as someone who molests a child or rapes a woman. These laws must be reformed to better protect our communities.
reformsexoffenderlaws.org
Thank you Victoria Advocate for bring to light the fact that not all sex offenders are pedophiles or rapists. In fact, only a small percentage ever touched a child or forced a woman. Tens of thousands are young men who touched or chatted online with a slightly too young girlfriend.
The reason so many people think all sex offenders are dangerous perverts is because they listen to legislators looking for easy votes and media stirring up hysteria for ratings.
Then there's the thousands of dishonest people making money from the unfair misery our justice system inflicts on these young men. That's the vast majority of the counseling providers and those administering all the tests such as the polygraph. While sex offenders pay many fees, the tax payers are still footing the bill for policing these young men who pose no threat to anyone much less a child.
Law enforcement needs to focus on pedophiles and rapist rather than chasing after young people who have done no more than young people have always done, whether we approve or not.
As responsible citizens we must educate ourselves on this issue and demand that the laws be reformed to better protect our communities.
reformsexoffenderlaws.org
I'm all for petitioning our government, but it's our duty to understand the issue first.
Anyone who wants to protect children from pedators should demand that the all but useless sex offender registry be cleaned up. Law enforcement is so distracted by policing teens and young adults for consensual touching and other so called crimes that there aren't enough resources to adequately monitor child molesters and rapists.
You won't get the facts from politicians and the media. Politicians want easy votes and the media want sensational stories.
reformsexoffenderlaws.org
Anyone who wants to protect children from pedophiles should be interested in cleaning up the now all but useless sex offender registry. Law enforcement is so distracted by policing teens and young adults for consensual touching that they don't have the resources to monitor child molesters and rapists.
The reason so many people think that all sex offenders hurt little children and force women is because that's what politicians and the media want us to think. We seldom get the truth from someone running for office or from Nancy Grace. Most politicians only care about easy votes and the media only cares about sensational stories for ratings. It's our duty to know the facts before we petition our government.
reformsexoffenderlaws.org