toldailytopic: Registered Sex Offenders: should there even be such a registry?

[Nathon Detroit]

The TheologyOnline.com TOPIC OF THE DAY for March 9th, 2010 11:11 AM

toldailytopic: Registered Sex Offenders: should there even be such a registry?

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[Oh no... it's Sozo]

Yes, I believe that morgues should keep a registry.

 

[CabinetMaker]

The TheologyOnline.com TOPIC OF THE DAY for March 9th, 2010 11:11 AM

toldailytopic: Registered Sex Offenders: should there even be such a registry?

No. It accomplishes nothing and many people who end up on such lists are convicted of non-sexually based crimes such as urinating in public. (Gross yes, but not really a sex crime that threatens others.) Those that deserve to be on the list because they are truly dangerous seem to learn how to avoid complying with the rules of the list and fly under the radar until they get caught for another sex crime, usually a particularly violent crime. At the least, the high level sex offenders should be sentenced to life in prison without parole. Those that have killed in the commission of their crime should have a very short life in prison as in waiting for their execution date.

Perfect solution? No. But these people are dangerous and generally cannot be rehabilitated. We should be able to acknowledge such a fact and deal with it in such a way that these people will no longer be threat to society once caught the FIRST time.

 

[Nathon Detroit]

It seems like every morning there is news of another young girl abducted, raped, and murdered. And every day the suspect fits the same description.... registered sex offender.

Are we nuts????

Why do we let this continue??? What kind of a savage nation are we that intentionally places sex offenders back into the community to terrorize innocent women and children?

We act as if we are being "civil" and "progressive"... so willing to give another chance that we sacrifice innocent people in the name of being merciful. It disgusts me. We aren't being civil or progressive.... it's barbaric and backwards to allow these animals to be free to strike again and again.

 

[ebenz47037]

No. There shouldn't be a sex offender registry. Anyone who sexually abuses children should be executed (or, at the very least, the parents of the victim should be allowed 1/2 hour alone with the offender).

 

[GuySmiley]

Yes, I believe that morgues should keep a registry.

This. Although you hear stories of some questionable things putting people on the registry. But yeah, real sex offenders should be in the morgue.

 

[Granite]

No. It accomplishes nothing and many people who end up on such lists are convicted of non-sexually based crimes such as urinating in public. (Gross yes, but not really a sex crime that threatens others.) Those that deserve to be on the list because they are truly dangerous seem to learn how to avoid complying with the rules of the list and fly under the radar until they get caught for another sex crime, usually a particularly violent crime. At the least, the high level sex offenders should be sentenced to life in prison without parole. Those that have killed in the commission of their crime should have a very short life in prison as in waiting for their execution date.

Perfect solution? No. But these people are dangerous and generally cannot be rehabilitated. We should be able to acknowledge such a fact and deal with it in such a way that these people will no longer be threat to society once caught the FIRST time.

Overall I agree with this. If an individual made a terrible mistake, honestly wants to turn their life around, and is never given an opportunity to do so because of registries and the inherent ostracism that goes along with them, I don't see how that benefits society. Plus as you said it's possible to get listed as a sex offender without ever having harmed anyone.

 

[Cracked]

Anyway you look at it, the current system is not as good as it should be and requires improvement.

 

[Nathon Detroit]

Anyway you look at it, the current system is not as good as it should be and requires improvement.

So..... do you..... have any suggestions?

 

[Cracked]

So..... do you..... have any suggestions?

This is hard for the Christian. I don't want any child to be hurt ever. At the same time, I want to show mercy to even the most depraved among us.

I think what CabinetMaker stated is pretty good.

However, to be fair, I wonder how many of those who are convicted of a sex offense do not repeat it.

 

[Nathon Detroit]

This is hard for the Christian. I don't want any child to be hurt ever. At the same time, I want to show mercy to even the most depraved among us.

Maybe we should listen to God?

Ezekiel 13:19 “And will you profane Me among My people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, killing people who should not die, and keeping people alive who should not live, by your lying to My people who listen to lies?”

 

[Cracked]

Maybe we should listen to God?

Ezekiel 13:19 “And will you profane Me among My people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, killing people who should not die, and keeping people alive who should not live, by your lying to My people who listen to lies?”

I knew that you'd bring out this verse - I have foreseen the future!

In truth, we both know that this is not a cut and dried issue for a number of reasons.

The verse reads somewhat differently in the NIV version - I've never noticed before. Also, the context is something to consider.

17 "Now, son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people who prophesy out of their own imagination. Prophesy against them 18 and say, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Woe to the women who sew magic charms on all their wrists and make veils of various lengths for their heads in order to ensnare people. Will you ensnare the lives of my people but preserve your own? 19 You have profaned me among my people for a few handfuls of barley and scraps of bread. By lying to my people, who listen to lies, you have killed those who should not have died and have spared those who should not live.

20 " 'Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am against your magic charms with which you ensnare people like birds and I will tear them from your arms; I will set free the people that you ensnare like birds. 21 I will tear off your veils and save my people from your hands, and they will no longer fall prey to your power. Then you will know that I am the LORD. 22 Because you disheartened the righteous with your lies, when I had brought them no grief, and because you encouraged the wicked not to turn from their evil ways and so save their lives, 23 therefore you will no longer see false visions or practice divination. I will save my people from your hands. And then you will know that I am the LORD.' "

I see your point though - God in the law had it so some would die for their crimes.

 

[Lighthouse]

Yes, I believe that morgues should keep a registry.

:thumb:

Although I do agree with CabinetMaker in regard to the fact that some people are put on the list for non-sexual acts. Or for things that are later to be determined as non-offenses with new laws. And the biggest problem is that they don't list what the offense was. So you can find out you have a sex offender living next door but you don't know if they are a child molester, a rapist or if they urinated in public [indecent exposure].

 

[Oh no... it's Sozo]

:thumb:

Although I do agree with CabinetMaker in regard to the fact that some people are put on the list for non-sexual acts. Or for things that are later to be determined as non-offenses with new laws. And the biggest problem is that they don't list what the offense was. So you can find out you have a sex offender living next door but you don't know if they are a child molester, a rapist or if they urinated in public [indecent exposure].

CM makes a good point. You wouldn't want to be executed because you were wearing boxers, and forgot to zip that day.

 

[Rusha]

No, there shouldn't be a registry for sex offenders. Child molesters and rapists should be put to death.

 

[Lighthouse]

I actually have a bit of a personal stake in this issue. My best friend from the time I was eight has to register because he was falsely accused and there were no witnesses to back up his story. His attorney told him if he didn't plead guilty he would go to prison. So he signed an agreement for probation. And since he did this no one was able to testify that she was a known liar in regard to things like this. She even lied about me once. Of course there were four ear witnesses that I was not guilty. I say "ear" because she accused me of making sexual comments toward her. And the messed up part is what really happened is she instigated the conversation toward that by asking me if I'd ever have sex with her. I avoided answering the question, then she turned around and accused me of initiating that line of dialog.

She later confessed to all the people she had lied to that she was lying. Most of whom didn't believe her anyway. So there were plenty of witnesses that she lied about such things. There were also witnesses that she lied about certain things in her statement about what had occurred earlier in the day. But since he signed an agreement that was all ignored.

All this to say, my mom told me she had found his name on one of the websites. She already knew this story so she expected that was why, but the website gave no indication, whatsoever, what his offense was. And according to the official records [her statement] it was non-violent and their age difference was only a year. But there is nothing to alert anyone to the fact that it was not for rape or child molestation. So if someone were to get it in their head that they wanted to take down a violent sex offender for some reason they would have no way of knowing he wasn't even accused of a non-violent crime.

Of course, if he hadn't signed the agreement he might have been proven innocent.

 

[The Graphite]

Yes, I believe that morgues should keep a registry.

You beat me to it. But, that may be too easy an answer. Not all sexually-oriented crimes are capital crimes, mind you.

Public nudity, buying pornography, and other similar crimes that don't sexual assault may be punished with a public flogging. Should such individuals be "registered sex offenders?"

Naturally, our legal system would keep track of such offenders, and I certainly think the public should have access to such a list. Especially considering there is no such thing as a "right to privacy."

 

[Prolifeguyswife]

There is zero doubt in my mind that if we had the death penalty for child molesters and rapists, beautiful, 17-year-old Chelsea King would be alive today. Instead, she was brutally attacked and killed by a registered sex offender, John Gardner, who had previously assaulted a 13-year-old girl.

Now, I know some of you take offense to the idea that rapists and child molesters should (as the Bible says) get capital punishment for their crimes.

I would hold out for the death penalty, but as an alternative, I would also accept castration and eyelid tattoos that say "sex offender", "terminal pervert", or "keep your kids the heck away from me" if these guys are going to be released back into society.....actually, no, that's still not good enough. Death penalty it is.

Oh, and I'd love to hear the sissies - er, moral relativists weigh in on this one. Guys? Was it wrong for Chelsea King to be raped and murdered? While you hem and haw over that one, I'll just decisively say that yes, it was horribly wrong, and no, it would not be wrong to punish her killer.

 

[Granite]

There is zero doubt in my mind that if we had the death penalty for child molesters and rapists, beautiful, 17-year-old Chelsea King would be alive today. Instead, she was brutally attacked and killed by a registered sex offender, John Gardner, who had previously assaulted a 13-year-old girl.

Now, I know some of you take offense to the idea that rapists and child molesters should (as the Bible says) get capital punishment for their crimes.

I would hold out for the death penalty, but as an alternative, I would also accept castration and eyelid tattoos that say "sex offender", "terminal pervert", or "keep your kids the heck away from me" if these guys are going to be released back into society.....actually, no, that's still not good enough. Death penalty it is.

Oh, and I'd love to hear the sissies - er, moral relativists weigh in on this one. Guys? Was it wrong for Chelsea King to be raped and murdered? While you hem and haw over that one, I'll just decisively say that yes, it was horribly wrong, and no, it would not be wrong to punish her killer.

Yes, of course it was wrong for her to be murdered.

The only thing that gives me pause is a one-size-fits-all kind of sentencing for sex offenders. Any criminal, for that matter.

 

[InHope]

The TheologyOnline.com TOPIC OF THE DAY for March 9th, 2010 11:11 AM

toldailytopic: Registered Sex Offenders: should there even be such a registry?

Yes, there should be a registry. However, that registry should only include people convicted of dangerous sexual crimes-- In other words, child molesters, rapists (by force or by use of drugs, though statutory rape could maybe be ignored), child pornographers, and maybe even pimps/madames. The registry should specifically list the crimes committed. I do not think that streaking, public urination, or even sexual harrassment charges should result in being added to the registry.

By the way, here's some recidivism rates/stats I found online:

♦ Overall recidivism rate for new sex crimes: 13.7%6 ♦ Recidivism rate for child molestation: 12.7%7 ♦ Recidivism rate for child molestation within families: 8.4%8 ♦ Recidivism rate for rape: 18.9% In contrast, the general rearrest rate for people released from prison was 68%. The highest rates were stealing motor vehicles (79%) and possessing or selling stolen property (77%). http://www.ncianet.org/publicpolicy/publications/SexOffendersReportJan2006.pdf

Also:

http://www.sexoffender.com/sorecidivism.html
http://blogs.wsj.com/numbersguy/how-likely-are-sex-offenders-to-repeat-their-crimes-258/
http://www.csom.org/ref/ref.html
http://www.livescience.com/strangenews/060516_predator_panic.html


Edit: Actually, I think all crimes should be a matter of public record and accessible by anyone through an online database.