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by An Educated Optimist on July 11th, 2007
The fact is, a 19-year-old who sleeps with a 16-year-old who looks older and lied about her age is branded a "child molester" just the same as a 40-year-old who sleeps with a 5-year-old. Should this person have to humiliate himself as well as serving jail time? I don't think so. Also, there are plenty of ways to identify a child molester living in your area -- you can look it up without it having to be posted. In America, at least, we claim to embrace a system of everybody having rights, even criminals. If a person is not in prison, we are giving that person permission to attempt to live their lives. Convicted pedophiles are already given limits on where they can live or work.
Also, imagine that a man has a sign posted in his yard saying, "convicted child molester." Forget ridicule -- that man is not safe in his home. If people want capital punishment for pedophiles, they should pursue that, but doing something like that just encourages teenaged vigilantes to break into the man's home or key his car.
by Riftalope on November 14th, 2007
This is a scarlet letter situation. A person made to "wear" their past so they stand out. Something America isn't about. It leaves stupid people open to assume. (makes an a$$ out of you to me) They don't think of the sentence already paid to BE a registered sex offender. They think they have to do something more. Even at the cost of lessening themselves. This also compounds the legal situation as people commit crimes against them. From purgery to assault to murder they forget that it is infringing on people in the world of laws.
by LadyLuck on July 11th, 2007
I think that the public has a right to know about certain things, but it should be on a case by case basis.
I know a guy who's gone to jail for "having sex with a minor" where the "minor" in question lied about their age and her parents caught them in the act. They pressed charges against him (he was 20, she said she was 18) and he is now listed in a sex offender registry. I don't think that he should be, but that's now on his record for the rest of his life.
Maybe, to make it fair, it should depend on what the sentence was. I think that I have a right to know, for instance, if I'm staying next door to a man who has been to jail more than once for inappropiately touching little girls under 10.
One interesting thing that I heard on Montel before was that the offenders that we want to watch out for the most are the ones who haven't been caught yet. Most of the offenders that are actually listed on the list are "reformed" (if you believe that possible) or, at the very least, being exra careful about what they do around children.
I think that, as a parent, if I see anyone doing anything I consider suspicious around my daughter, I'm pulling her and myself out of that situation. If she tells me that someone made her uncomfortable, touched her, made a comment....you can bet that I'll handle it myself, list or not.
by Anonymous on July 11th, 2007
I think it's a great way to keep the community informed.
There's no cure for pedophilia. A person who has a sexual attraction to children is never going to become "normal" and suddenly start being attracted to adults, it's a sexual preference just like being homo or heterosexual. Someone who has molested children in the past is very likely to go right back to the same behavior once they are released. These people are sick, and should be required to tattoo the word "sick freak" on their heads, so that way we know who they are even when they aren't at home with a giant sign on their lawn.
by BeatBoxingBabette on July 11th, 2007
I don't know. I hate to sympathize with them, but I think that having them put a sign on their home is not so much justice as ridicule. I think that it is a violation of their rights, although I'm not sure how...
by weatherman taking week or so off on July 11th, 2007
The ads should say "Reformed Child Molester". This gives hope and a degree of pride to those who may have overcome their antisocial behavior. At the same time, it provides adequate warning to the community in case they haven't.
by Penny The Wise on July 11th, 2007
If they don't have a sign to tell us, we can't tell. Someone who would do that to a child should not only have to carry around a sandwich board, but should get a big, fat "S" tatoo'd or burned onto their forehead, just in case he forgets his sign that day.
by Smart2 is back! Did you miss me? on July 11th, 2007
I say all that information is available on the internet and if you have children, check to see where the sexual predators in your neighborhood live. Be aware of who your neighbors are and be aware of your surroundings!
Most people don't pay any attention to yard signs anyway, especially this close to an election. :)
by Andrew on May 27th, 2009
The immediate punishments should be much stiffer. the lingering punishments just entice future felons to believe they would be justified in commiting crimes because they were against molesters.
by killdrphil - reasonable for a madman on February 6th, 2008
I think that would only serve to make them angry, hopeless, and more pro-active (which means more children being kidnapped, raped, and killed). And, that's if they even would do all that to identify themselves. A lot of them have trouble even registering.
by birch117 on February 6th, 2008
Among other things, I think it lends a false sense of security. As if we should only be careful of those who are identified. Let us not forget there is always a first time and not all offenders have been found and convicted...
by Vampyre Bat on February 6th, 2008
I don't. I think allowing them to return to any community is itself going to far. A life sentence is what needs to be given to them so that the community they live in is not mine but the prison cell they sleep in.
by riauku5 on July 11th, 2007
Yeah i do think it is going to far. It sort of the same thing they did to jews during world war 2 when they made them wear the star of david on their arm
by Anonymous on July 24th, 2009
I don't know about posting a sign in the offender's front yard, or posting his picture around the neighborhood because that isn't how it's done where I live in central Texas. In my town - and probably you could do this anywhere! - you can go on-line and ask which addresses are those of child molesters. I am all for doing this because it is out of concern for the past, possibly present, and future child molestations.
by guitarjesus on May 27th, 2009
these are just safety measures to ensure they don't do it again, and to warn people. in my opinion, this is taking it easy on these sick demons
by angel_of_mercy on February 6th, 2008
maybe these protesters should ask the children they molested? wasn't that going to far?
I pretty much guarantee these people don't have kids, or they'd want these warning too. if someone who had previously abused children ever happened to live near their houses when they have kids, would they want no warning?
Where do you draw the lines with privacy and kids?
by keithold is a prodigal bagger on November 13th, 2010
| 1 person likes this
What is required to get your own doctors reports and commentaries from a hospital?
What kind of'hoops'do I need to jump through!
by mtndewman44 on November 29th, 2010
| 1 person likes this
hw2gt info of cl logs&msgs snt&rcvd frm m.t.s mobl in india?wr2ask?i wnt2do it legaly as my frnds fiance hs cheatd hm usin hs mobil
by mrs.theresa.joseph on March 15th, 2011
| 1 person likes this
I am in nursing school and mention a child by first name to others in the same clinical setting by facebook, am I breaking the hippa law
by slt2424 on November 30th, 2010
| 1 person likes this
I think someone is using my full name, phone number but using a fake address online (CANADA)
by Chrissy54.40 on November 11th, 2010
| 1 person likes this
You're reading Some people think that identifying on newspapers and forcing child molesters to post a sign in their homes and on their cars identifying them as child molesters is going too far. What do you think?
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Comments
Good points. Your final paragraph was something that I would also have pointed out, where I live if such signs were posted these people would have their houses raided and they would almost certainly be attacked on a regular basis.
by Tom on July 11th, 2007
Thanks! I don't think there is any excuse for hurting a child, but I also don't think that we can put people's lives in danger because we think they didn't get punished enough for their crimes.
by An Educated Optimist on July 11th, 2007
Actually, a 19 year old who sleeps with a 16 year old would be labeled a "statutory rapist". Child molestation is typically FORCED or coerced sexual acts on a child 13 years or younger.
by Anonymous on July 11th, 2007
I suppose it depends what state/country you're in. That does seem to be the better system to me.
by An Educated Optimist on July 11th, 2007
I saw a documentary in which they show a young man who has to carry a "child molester" sign while driving and on his front yard. How did he do it? He was sleeping on a couch at a friend's house, quite drunk, when an attractive sexually active fifteen year old girl, one of his friend's daughters literally, almost naked, "jumped on his bones" and started playing with him. Remember, he was intoxicated.... His friend woke up and called the police. IS THAT A CHILD MOLESTER? In my opinion, it shouldn't be the case. He is being treated like a dirty old man who peeks through a Kindergarten's playground.
by Starmaster on May 28th, 2009