registered sex offenders??? (Washington, Media, Bedford: violent crime, how much, felony)

[pitt_transplant]

Thats your opinion that its cruel and unusual. Its not a fact. It doesnt factually violate any right. It is not unusual to tell people what you did. It is not cruel to force someone to tell the truth. Even if its less than flattering.

Idealy that would be nice to fix/help people. If it worked.
But man has to admit that it can't fix everything/everyone.

Law is based in ethics of a society and protection of a community.
While you are reading about sex offenders...read up on how many jails dont do what they are suppose to do. They just take the money and check off a list. People die in prison from not getting life sustaining medication. So therapy...yeh right....
You really dont know the way it REALLY is. Some things/people..no matter what you do...ever get better. If it was so great/effective than the majority of criminals of that nature wouldnt be re-offending.

Prisons are just another part of the system providing jobs out of society's problems to stimulate economic growth. Public defenders...also a part of the system to help the wrongly accused and provide proof of innocence within interpretation of the law.

[Madisonbaby]

Originally Posted by guylocke

I'm not sure if anyone from the Pittsburgh boards will know these areas, AmyJoan. I only do because my Aunt teaches at one of the Carlisle elementary schools. These places are darn near in the middle of the state and several hours away from Pittsburgh.

I have no idea why there would be a high number of sex offenders in those areas. Did you actually compare those places to other places? Are you sure it is high or just what you perceive as high?

You sound a bit paranoid. Obviously those people have served their time and justice has been dealt, personally I believe in reform and forgiveness and think they can be assets to society like anyone else who has made previous mistakes in their life (albeit their mistake is a cut above the rest and punishment should be appropriate).

My best friend lives in Mechanicsburg and never mentioned that to me. maybe it's because it's such a small town and they can hide. I live in Tampa FL, you should see them all here!!! One reason I want to move away from here! Everyday you here they abducted a new girl and find her dead. Scares me to death! My daughter is only 5 months old and I want to get out of here!

I'm sorry I don't feel there is much reform for sexual predators! Forgiveness NEVER! How can you forgive someone who raped and murdered your daughter!!!! Just my opinion!

[Tallysmom]

Originally Posted by Madisonbaby

My best friend lives in Mechanicsburg and never mentioned that to me. maybe it's because it's such a small town and they can hide. I live in Tampa FL, you should see them all here!!! One reason I want to move away from here! Everyday you here they abducted a new girl and find her dead. Scares me to death! My daughter is only 5 months old and I want to get out of here!

I'm sorry I don't feel there is much reform for sexual predators! Forgiveness NEVER! How can you forgive someone who raped and murdered your daughter!!!! Just my opinion!

The theory is that you forgive them so you can move past it. I've never lost a child, but I did have an ex-best friend do something perfectly heinous to me. I could live with hate in my heart, but that doesn't hurt her at all -- only me. So I forgave her being a truly horrible person, cut her out my life and have moved on.

Look at John Walsh -- while he hasn't forgiven the guy who killed his son (if they ever found the guy who killed his son) he did turn what heppened to him into a powerful tool to help people in his position.

Just saying -- if something like this happens, you need to find a way to constructively deal with it, or it will destroy you too. Maybe not forgiveness, but something. But make no mistake, when they say forgiveness, most people don't mean the hold hands across the water kumbayah feel good crap.

[JerseyShel]

at 14 I lost my youth and my life changed forever because of a voilante (sp?) crime against me by a 35 year old man - he was a friend to my parents and our neighbor yet no one belived me about it - even though I ended up in the hospital. I will be 33 in a few weeks and I can't and won't forgive him or people like him I just accept that some people are made that way - by life or whatever - and try to live my life in the now not the then

BUT regisitering doesnt help stop the crime it tells parents they need to be on gaurd 24 - 7. that they need to teach thier children not to go with people wiether they know them or not. to ALWAYS lock thier doors, to NEVER let the kids out of thier sight and to always teach them to speak up, and never be affriad to tell mom or dad about 'wierd' people. Its a reminder to us as parents (I have 3 under 10 and am expecting my 4th) that WE NEED TO KEEP OUR CHILDREN SAFE and we need to give our children the tools they need to always be safe. we need to make sure our day care centers and schools are doing the proper back ground checks and we need to do the same for ANY sitters we hire. its a fact of the times we live in that not everyone is okay


personally I think the number seems high because people are registering - how many get out every day and don't? more then we know about. What we do have to remember though is 'sexual offender' is a huge field. A few weeks back there was a story on Fox News about a 13 year boy who was fighting sexual misconduct charges and if found guilty he would have to spend his life registering - his crime was smacking a girl on the bottom in a school hall ---> through the years how many men have done that in school, or in the bar or where ever now imagine if they all had to register?

[00shoegal00]

Thats right these pedophiles need to be watched it is our job to protect the innocent not the convicted....The children need to have sympathy not the adult who violates children.

[beth ann]

Originally Posted by JerseyShel

at 14 I lost my youth and my life changed forever because of a voilante (sp?) crime against me by a 35 year old man - he was a friend to my parents and our neighbor yet no one belived me about it - even though I ended up in the hospital. I will be 33 in a few weeks and I can't and won't forgive him or people like him I just accept that some people are made that way - by life or whatever - and try to live my life in the now not the then

I am very sorry you had to go through that horrible experience....I can only imagine. Thank you for having the courage to share w/ us.

[JerseyShel]

Thank you, I'm just glad I made it through. In each of my little ones I got a new gift and a new reason to stay strong.


My point though is that having a low number registered to me is a false sence of security

[guylocke]

I found this, this is EXACTLY what I'm talking about, so I'm not alone. We have fundamental rights under the constitution in this country and it's not going to change anytime soon.

Court finds sex offender registry law unconstitutional

* The high court barred local police departments and the state's Criminal Justice Data Center from releasing information on sex offenders to the public.
Moderator cut: copyrighted article

And I'm sorry, but saying "well criminals don't deserve those rights" doesn't change the facts. We have to abide by these inherent rights granted to us, for all peoples, or we might as well just throw them out the window.

Plus, the system is fundamentally flawed. Do you realize that some states like Ohio extend those registries to people who aren't even convicted????

I mean, this guy grabs the butt of a 17 year old girl and has to have his name, address, and picture posted on the net for life?????

PAAAAAHLLLLEASE.

Cruel and unusual? I think so.

[Amadeo]

Guy Locke,

You are quick to defend the rights of sexual offenders. Your attitude is the exact reason why sexual offenders are back on the streets. THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR SOMEONE HURTING A CHILD, SEXUALLY ABUSING ANYONE. CASE CLOSED.
You want them in your neighborhood. More power to you. I don't want my wife and kids around them. You can hide behind the constitution and the "everyone gets a second chance" belief all you want. But you would change your attitude if someone you were close to were hurt. The Megan's Law website is set-up to alert people to the dangers of preditors. I will agree if a young person "gropes" someone in the bar they should not be in the same category as a "rapist or child molestor". But they give you the reason for the arrest on the website. So,you can decifer the seriousness of the offense yourself. Whoever has kids and reads these forums-"please check out the sexual offenders website. I would think you would want the most information available in keeping your kids and family safe. I'm not cavalier with the well-being of my family. Moderator cut: personal

[simetime]

Murder most of the time is a situational thing, meaning that you can accidentally murder someone (car accident) or have a personal probelm or even a vengence thing. The exception to this rule are serial killers (who have some sort of mental disorder) and they are normally "lifers" or executed. Child molestors and rapist HAVE mental disorders and the majority of the time are repeat offenders. The scope of thier crimes not pnly affect the victim at the time of the incident it also follows them into adulthood and affects everyone thereafter. This is why they must be registered as opposed to lets say a bank robber or a murderer