Sex Offender OFFENDERS UNFAIRLY TREATED? They should be treated as others after released? (Share you thoughts)

Question

Now, I have a question about Sex Offender Laws. (My sister and I argue about this all the time. I respect his opinion but I don't think that he respects mine, but we love each other just the same). lol Don't you think that it is unfair to require sex offenders to register even after they have payed their debt to society and have served time? Now, I know that many of you will point out that sex offenders have an illness and they are likely to repeat the offenses. (I agree with both) However, I think that bank robbers, people who assault others with deadly weapons and etc are also mentally ill. These population are also known to be repeat offenders but they dont register in a specailized database. (If we make a rule for one crime, we need to be consistent across the board and have this same standard for other crimes) I know we want to protect the innoscent & least amongst us (children) but doesn't it bother you that people who batter children are not treated with the same indignation?

Answer 1

I am a retired Police Officer with over 25 years of service. Before I left the police dept. I became very involved with these sex offender laws. First after doing a lot of research I found that the US Dept. Of Justice Bureau Of Justice Statistics on Recidivism says that within 3 years of release from prison 3.5% of sex offender criminals will be reconvicted of anouther sex crime. This is one of the lowest recidivism rates amoung all criminals with exception of murders. The other thing I found was that over 90% of sexual assaults are commited by a person known to the victim and over 50% of those are family members. The other thing that many of you missed is that just because someone is listed on the sex offender registry does NOT mean they sexualy assaulted a child. Also in some state including Michigan they have people listed on the sex offender registry that were not convicted of any crime. (Holmes Youthful Trainee act) So I would be very careful to what information you think you have based on what you saw on a sex offender registry. Futhermore many states while doing a fair job of classifying sex offenders as to the level of danger they are to the public, most states do a very poor job of classifaction and some states make no attempt at all to classify. If we are to have a sex offender registry it should be limited to those who are the greatest danger to re offend. The way the federal goverment and states are doing it now is based on those we elect to office trying to show you the public how hard they are on criminals, sex offenders. They know that they will get a lot of free media when they come out with new hard sex offender laws. The elected officals are blowing this issue out of line. Tim P.

Answer 2

Depending on the nature of the crime of the sex offender-- I believe that any misconduct with a child is morally wrong. However a sex offender could be a 19 year old sleeping with a 16 year old...which is completely absurd, you don't magically become a woman on your 18th birthday. Even if its consentual, its still a crime. However the 63 year old with the 6 year old is completely different, they should be monitored because chances are they will do it again. The real problem with the whole sex offender laws is the lack of balance in the gender gap. If a woman molests a boy, she wont even go to jail and get 2 years probation. That 25 year old blonde teacher is a prime example of this. Although if a man molests a girl, hes serving 10-20 years in federal prison getting raped in his asshole. I'm sorry but women fought hard for and won rights about 60 years ago so they should be held just as equally accountable. Just because men are genetically programmed to want sex does not excuse the fact that the same crime based on a gender is far worse on the males side of the fence. Equality and Justice for all!

Answer 3

People who batter children and or their spouses should also be on that list for offender status report to society...People who commit the other crimes are only mentally ill when deemed so by psychiatrists and when are treated for their mental illness usually aren't dangerous to society as a whole but I do think they should be monitored after release to be sure their meds are being taken as they should. As far as sex offenders go? That is an illness that can only be fixed by castration or hysterectomy...If not register their butts so the rest of us know to stay away...

Answer 4

Before reading your explanation I would have completely disagreed with you. You make good points and I understand your perspective though. Although bank robbers and assaulters have psychological problems too, there's definitely a different level of personal fear people feel toward them. Being robbed or assaulted doesn't affect a victim in the same way that sexual assault/rape/molestation does. Sexual Assault victims have mental and emotional problems for many years if not forever. I think that's the main reason it's so important to give people the right to know if sexual offenders live in their area. If it saves one person from the pain of a sexual assault at the cost of a sexual offenders expense, it is worth it.

Answer 5

Only 3-7% of people who commit sexual offenses ever reoffend. About 98% of offences you hear about in the news our new offenses. 87% are committed by people the victim knew, not by strangers or a known predator. Also, they claim the leveling system represents the likelihood of reoffence. Truth is, some people spend at least 20 years label is a high risk offender, while living harmless, productive, risk free lives. Then there are some labeled as low risk, who are constantly involved in risky situations or behavior. There is also a gender bias, women are very rarely labels as high risk, and men are rarely labeled low risk. I do not understand why so much of the general public seems to be unaware of the facts. People who commit sexual offenses are not "sex offenders", they are merely individuals who have made a mistake in their lives, admittedly a very serious mistake. They should be given an opportunity to live safe, healthy, productive lives.

Answer 6

They should be treated worse. They are the ones watching and preying on children as they play. Sex offenders are the ones who are stalking women so they can find their next victim to rape. As a mother to small children I wouldn't want to live close to a sex offender. They are treated differently in prison because of their sick behavior, why should we give them any special clearance for what they have done. They have ruined the lives of many innocent children, and stole the confidence of many women. How many people actually know that they live near a sex offender unless they have Watch Dog, of the community they live in sends out flyer's. What they have to do is nothing compared to the many lives that they have destroyed.

Answer 7

Are you kidding me? You're going to compare a low life child molester who should be tortured day and night to a bank robber? What planet are you from? And that mentally ill argument is Bull! They know exactly what there doing. Insofar as child abusers, they not only serve time and should also be tortured daily, but they are on a watchdog board that many people unfortunately don't know about. But child abusers abuse there own children or the children of there partner. They don't go kidnapping children randomly off the street to go and beat the chite out of them.

Answer 8

No. I think registering is a great idea. They get a slap on the wrist as punishment especially out west. The Scarlet letter idea is perfect, Let the whole world know what you did. Maybe it will be a deterrent for others who want to commit this crime. I asked a similar question. plz look at it.

Answer 9

YOU could be mentally ill if you honestly think most criminals are mentally ill. As for sex offenders...(not sure about the women) but the men when released WILL do it again. Most got away with it so many times, it became ingrained in them. Like our lieahaulic, moneyahaulic, sexahaulic ex-president...incorrigible and always at it again.
Priests need prison chaplin assignments if pedophiles...or AIDS prison population chaplin. I knew one once...don/t know that he was a pedophile but he was one nervous AIDS prison chaplin/priest. Almost bonkers! But that would be stressful...Hope you don't lump spankers/punishers/disciplinarians in with kid beaters/abusers.
Spanking is OK if done correctly and not in anger!

Answer 10

one word:
political
the population has a different response to this crime, which is why there are different laws.

it might make great sense to reduce our use of oil by letting gas prices go up but it is a political nonstarter.

we are a representative democracy and you can't get elected if you think sex offenders should be treated equally. this is the nature of politics.