Sex offenders in N GA Mtn areas (Blue Ridge, Chester: 2013, apartment)

[Justamtngrl]

Hi,

I am looking into relocating to the Blue Ridge area with my family. However, after a little research I have become concerned about the number of sex offenders in the towns in that area of GA. This seems to be an unusually high number. Am I correct? Is this an issues for the area? I guess I'm asking if there may be something else playing into the numbers (I read somewhere that a homeless man was labeled a sex offended after urinating in public within a certain number of yard of a school)?

[Ollie1946]

U have a link? What are the numbers? Why do the numbers disturb you? More info is needed. There are no benign areas anywhere in the world.

[atltechdude]

Going by this map, I don't see anything unusual about the number of offenders in North Ga. Seems roughly proportional to population size.

http://gbi.georgia.gov/sites/gbi.geo...2010032013.pdf

[cwkimbro]

IMO,

We have entirely botched sex offender laws in the media hysteria that existed 5-15 years ago.

Many offenses, including things that really aren't any danger to anyone's children, label sex offenders. Then law and media alike create lists of sex offenders with little to no thought what the offenses are.

Truth be told if you find the right websites there are no areas where you won't find these concerns, because sex offenders exist in all populated areas.

This has been brought up in the past. I calculated it out one time... something like 1 out of 300 men in Georgia statewide are sex offenders. It is a ridiculously high rate, but it isn't because all (or even most) are predators.

And yes, public urination can get people on the sex offender registry, although not always. It is a type of indecent exposure. This hasn't just occurred with homeless, but also drunk college kids. The issue is it has to be done within view of a minor. So someone under the age of 18 must be present, across the street, within sight, etc... This becomes a problem on college campuses, because there are a number of people who aren't quite 18 when they start as freshmen.

I also noticed a trend one time on some of those mapping websites. County Seats were always worse. It is where the county jails and sheriffs office usually are.

I think you need to read into is carefully and focus on two things:
1) Is one town of equal size worse than another? Why? Is there a difference in the crimes committed
2) Before buying a house or renting an apartment go to a site where you can see the specific individuals and the crime committed and date. From there you can try to figure out of the individuals in that specific area might actually be of a danger.

[Iconographer]

Somebody watched Deliverance too many times.

[Plokivos]

National Sex Offender Registry - Family Watchdog

Try that site. Sex offenders have to register by law, and it's a public information. There are a lot of sites that alerts you of this fact, from living in bigger cities in tighter knitted communities.

If you have kids, and you're worried, I understand. You need to be aware of it, because our gov. system isn't perfect, and most of the time, these released sex offenders will strike again.

[cwkimbro]

Originally Posted by Plokivos

You need to be aware of it, because our gov. system isn't perfect, and most of the time, these released sex offenders will strike again.

Ok, that is an argument straight out of the 90s that has overwhelmingly shown to be false and has pretty much led to the over-craziness of the laws made in the era.

We have many people on the sex offender registry for various things the overwhelming majority don't strike again. Even fewer are a danger to random strangers.

[ToucheGA]

Originally Posted by Plokivos

[url=http://www.familywatchdog.us/]... most of the time, these released sex offenders will strike again.

BY "most," you mean about 1 in 19? I would not use the word "most," unless the number was 10 out of 19, or higher. This study also notes that just over 1 in 4 sex offenders who served time in prison had been arrested previously for a sex offense. Thus, "most" sex offenders seem to have only arrest for this kind of offense.

The data I listed above are about 10 years old, so If you have more recent reliable data to share that contradicts this claim, please post it.

[OOdiousMember]

There's also one horrid little fact that Justamtngrl needs to confront, as she is justifiably concerned, about the observed behavior of predatory pedophiles (only a very small minority of pedophiles--adults who are sexually attracted to children--are active abusers, as most do not act on their sexual impulse) and their victims: The sorry truth is that most children are sexually abused by a member of their own immediate or extended family. Most often abuser is well known by the abused. A predatory pedophile is always enabled by the trust and confidence parents place in them and it is within this limited sphere that they seek out their victims. Because of this, sexual abuse of this class can take place many times and can extend over many years. Pedophiles become very skillful at cultivating such relationships with parents or guardians. Invariably, the parents of the victim are the most shocked and bewildered when this darkest of secrets finally comes to light. Indeed, often times parents are found in the deepest of denial and because of this disbelief, they may re-expose their children to abuse even after the child has had the courage to come forward. The known sexual predator--Chester the Molester hanging down at the park with a bag of candy doesn't exist---realistically poses the smallest threat to your child. The greatest threat of sexual abuse to your child most likely sleeps under the same roof as you do or is willingly invited into your home, again and again.

[Febtober]

Originally Posted by Justamtngrl

I guess I'm asking if there may be something else playing into the numbers (I read somewhere that a homeless man was labeled a sex offended after urinating in public within a certain number of yard of a school)?

It's possible. My ex is an attorney, and she represented a guy who was drunk one night and took a whiz in an alley behind a bar. Really not a big deal, but the prosecutor was pushing for some sort of sexual offense. She got it down to a lewd act in public charge, and he was spared from having to register as a sex offender, at least.

If there had been a playground or school nearby, forget about it.

The guy obviously had no intent of any kind of sexual act, so why taxpayer money was wasted, when he could have just been tossed in the drunk tank for a couple of hours is beyond me, but hey, that's the system.