[mango23]

Originally Posted by crisp444

I don't buy the whole idea that the world has gotten worse and that it's now more unsafe than ever for children to play outside. My parents played outside and walked home from school when they were children, I played outside when I was a child (didn't walk home from school because I took the bus), and I plan to allow my children to do the same. Life is too short to live with unreasonable paranoia. I believe I once read that a child is far more likely to die in a car crash on the way to soccer practice than to be abducted while playing outside or walking to school.

In most cases these are not random crimes. If the child walks home everyday along the same path once someone has zeroed in on them it is just a matter of time. Any time you do something consistently you increase the chances of being a victim of crime. I would say thousands of children, maybe even yours, have been stalked many many times and nothing happened for one reason or another and you never even knew it. I used to know a guy who lived in a van and would sit for hours and watch children with binoculars. I don't know if he ever acted on his urges but there are a lot more of these guys out there then you can ever imagine. Some act out but most never do, they are out there though and they are watching. The chances are probably greater one of your children have been stalked at one time or another then not, even though they may never have seen anyone. Why would you serve up your children to one of them on a silver platter?

[Marlin331]

Originally Posted by mango23

In most cases these are not random crimes. If the child walks home everyday along the same path once someone has zeroed in on them it is just a matter of time. Any time you do something consistently you increase the chances of being a victim of crime. I would say thousands of children, maybe even yours, have been stalked many many times and nothing happened for one reason or another and you never even knew it. I used to know a guy who lived in a van and would sit for hours and watch children with binoculars. I don't know if he ever acted on his urges but there are a lot more of these guys out there then you can ever imagine. Some act out and most never do but they are watching. Why would you serve up your children to one of them on a silver platter?

You have a point that many abductions are not random crimes; they are done by people who either know the children or have observed the children for a while. However, the chances of a specific child by abducted in his/her lifetime remains extremely low, too low for me to actually recommend to someone that they NOT let their child walk to school (if close enough) or play outside with friends. I mean, I could stop going to work in Midtown Manhattan due to fear that the highrise might be a target of a terrorist attack, I could stop taking the subway for fear of being assaulted, and I could stop traveling by airplane due to fear of a crash. However, when weighing the miniscule risk of any of this happening with the benefit and convenience I get from continuing these activities, the choice to me is clear.

In my opinion, children should be given some independence, and that starts with allowing them to explore the neighborhood in which they live, including traveling to friends' houses, school, and the park or pizza parlor on foot or by bike. I can understand setting geographic boundaries for your 5-8 year old, requiring that s/he doesn't wander out of a small radius without a friend, but it is very distressing for me to hear that many parents in safe neighborhoods don't even let their 10-12 year olds ride their bikes to baseball practice.

There's a point where you just have to say "enough is enough." I hate to see parents' paranoia stifle their children's sense of independence, creativity, and adventure. Set boundaries, but make sure that they are reasonable ones.

This is a good read for anyone taking part in this discussion: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/13/fashion/13kids.html

[ChrisA70]

And this is a reason my 10 year old does not walk home alone. I am sorry to you non believers that this state is loaded with these losers and everything is still paradise, but here is a graph I found 42.5 THOUSAND of them, and this is a 2008 graph. CA and FL are the top of the list. Go ahead discount my findings with some bs excuse for this...

[StilltheSame]

Crisp,

I agree that you need to let you at some point and give children independence. But, as a parent you also need to be aware of your circumstances. I remember as a child going out at noon and coming home at dark. I think its a different world, and I think that technology and ease of travel contributes to the increased risk. I know that when I think of my child missing my chest throbs and I cannot imagine the pain of those parents and loved ones. We lived in South Florida where its very transient and quite crowded so I can easily see how children go missing. You rarely see children playing without parental supervison muchless walking to school or with friends at elementary school age. So I may by overly cautious, and I may be doing them a disservice, but I will know I did everything I thought I could.

The most recent story to scare me was a child whose playmate was kidnapped around the time of Jaycee Duggard. She rode her bike to the store with her playmate. They dropped their bikes and went into the store. When they came out only her bike was there. The friend went around the corner of the store to look for her bike - she screamed and was pulled into a car - never to be seen again. Another lesson for me as a parent. Problem is my mind isnt twisted enough to keep up with these sickos -so they will always have some new twisted way.

[markhunt]

Originally Posted by compelled to reply

Of course you are moving to a better place, but what isn't fair is saying that the entire state is unsafe for children. Try comparing Belle Isle to Oviedo and it's surrounding areas, and the latter is an overall more wholesome environment as well.

Regardless, safe travels to CT.

Why would I compare Belle Isle to Oviedo, rather than Oviedo To Avon, CT?

Statistically (per capita), CT is a safer state to live in (and that includes children), than Florida.

The 10 safest states for kids - Parenting & Family

Safest States - WalletPop

However, for myself having grown up in CT and then living 7 years here in FL, I don't need the statistics to to draw my conclusions from what I see and experience from living in both states. But that part is JMHO.

In a way I'm glad I had the chance to come down here and experience living in Florida. I took a lot for granted when I was in CT. Living here has opened my eyes and given me a whole new appreciation for my roots and home in New England.

[markhunt]

Originally Posted by OrlandoRE_Miracle

Why move all the way back to CT. Try NC instead.

Westchester NY and CT is where we are from. My family and wifes family have been there for generations. Plus being sandwiched between NY and Boston has is perks too.

Once home, Pennsylvania will be as far south as I venture.

[beachmouse]

It's a different world in the sense that kids are far safer now than when we were growing up. The number of kidnappings of children by strangers is about 100 per year; 60% of those kidnappings are of teenagers.

In terms of risk assessment and kids, the far bigger concerns are child suicide and getting them to wear a seatbelt.

[Mt.SNOW]

My heart goes out to that mother of her lost child. I can't even imagine.
I live in a town of about 1000 and we have 8 pet. that are registured anyhow.
I live an hour away from Toledo where this is a reacuring situation their also, their were 2 girls within a couple of weeks of each that were abducted and both were found dead.
Its a scary world we live in, and yes I let my kids outside but not without a watchful eye.
There we a group of men that tried to abduct my neighbor(which has not happened ever out in the country where I live)but it does and can happen anywhere at anytime.
I don't think that I would let them walk home alone ever anywhere in the US.

[Mike1306]

Originally Posted by ChrisA70

And this is a reason my 10 year old does not walk home alone. I am sorry to you non believers that this state is loaded with these losers and everything is still paradise, but here is a graph I found 42.5 THOUSAND of them, and this is a 2008 graph. CA and FL are the top of the list. Go ahead discount my findings with some bs excuse for this...

I would like to see where that graph is gettings it's data because I think it is way off.

As I have stated in similar threads like this, the reason Florida always shows so many more registered offenders is because their system of tracking them is worlds better than most other states.

Here is an article, a bit old but still shows what I am talking about.

USATODAY.com - Survey: Many states losing sex offenders

At one time states did not require all sex offenders to register, only the worst of them while Florida was making them all register.

Yes, Florida does have a lot of sex offenders but nowhere near the most per capita.

According to the FBI Uniform Crime Reports for 2008 there are 22 states with a higher per capita forcible rapes. Would't it be reasonable to assume that states with more rapes per capita are going to have more sex offenders?

Table 5 - Crime in the United States 2008 (http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/cius2008/data/table_05.html - broken link)

No BS here, just facts.

[♥♥PRINC3Ss♥♥]

One thing I never understood is why school buses have their stops so far away from the children's homes. If you gonna provide a service, at least do it the right way. One of the girls that was quoted here, had a 1 mile walk. The mother was a single parent, so obviously she didn't have a choice. Not everybody has a car or a flexible work schedule. I blame the school bus system.

I remember when I was in school our school bus stops were about a mile away too. There was no reason why they couldn't pick me up in my street, they had plenty of time. Maybe some county workers needed the gas money for their bonuses.