The National Sex Offender Registry: Good And Bad

All convicted sex offenders are listed in the National Sex Offender Registry. It is quite amazing and of interest to check it out. The statistics are almost unbelievable. One can list his zip code in their search window and it will show and describe any sex offender in your zip area. I found five listed in our area, one of which lives about two and one-half blocks away. I am not acquainted with either of them but some carry very familiar last names so I may know some of their relatives. Of course, there are some who move and fail to notify their authorities, but they often get in serious trouble when they do that.

I looked at the various states and their stats where they have listed so many offenders per million residents. Some states surely have different laws to determine who is a sex offender. The spread is much too wide to be representative of the character of a states residents. For instance, Montana shows  the number 4520.9 offenders per million. That is the largest percentage of any shown. While Minnesota comes in with the lowest figure at only 34.6 per million. I cannot accept that as being anywhere near accurate in sizing up a states people. I suggest that it must have more to do with the strictness of their state laws and the strictness of their being enforced.

It is definitely a good thing to know if you have such an individual in your area. I have no sympathy for such a person, especially if there are children involved, which I imagine is true of the majority of sex crimes. But, as is the case with almost everything, there is a down side to all of this.

Just today, an article from a Tennessee paper, told a sad story. A 32 year old brought his daughter her lunch at school at noon time.  While waiting in the school's office, someone checked the registry and found him listed. The police arrested the man and took him away. The little girl had not known that her father, when he was 20 years old and courting a 16 year old girlfriend had engaged in consensual sex but when the girl's mother found out, he was arrested and charged with statutory rape.

The author of this article has chosen to make this article available with free reprint rights.
Click here to copy this article.

►Reprint Rights◄

You are a member of Joel Hendon's Fan Club!

Comments on this article:

» left by The Old Gray Mare ^(1,214)
The Old Gray Mare (10 days 1 hour ago.)

Another very informative article and well written. You are so right about the different levels of sex offenders. There should be a breakdown of the predetors that prey on young children, male or female. These are the ones that need to be flagged. Others engaging in willing sexual activity, i.e., the case you cite should not be lumped in with the predetory crimes and worse. However, it behooves every parent and every concerned individual to check out their surrounding towns as well as the state statistics to stay informed. I immediately checked out the link in your good article. Folks it works. Joel has done most of the work for you - all you have to do is plug in your town and zip code or, if you don't get a result for your own zip code, plus in a larger city code nearby. It's shocking, really!

» left by Joel Hendon (7 days 16 hours ago.)

Thanks Old Gray Mare, for your kind comments.

Respond to this comment

» left by Gregory Lewis ⁽²⁹⁸⁾
Gregory Lewis (7 days 18 hours ago.)

I think the sex offender registry is immoral; the perverse aberration of a massaged Constitution. No, I am not a sex offender, nor do I plan on becoming one. I'm not sure how such a public record benefits your neighborhood, except to add a life sentence to the offender, who has already served the sentence. The more heinous crimes speak for themselves, but the registry is a dispassionate catch all, that punishes society a second time, as well as the offender.

 

What are you going to do when you find out a sex offender is registered in your neighborhood? Harass him, or worse? So much for Christian values of compassion and redemption. Sometimes I hate this country, we have become so vindictive and angry. Maybe it's the talk radio.

 

- G

Respond to this comment

» left by Joel Hendon (7 days 16 hours ago.)

Come on Gregory. I have no intention of ldoing anything, but if I had a 12 or 13 year old daughter, I'd at least ask her not walk by the fellow's home, who is only 2 and 1/2 blocks away, alone. I am definitely against listing people like the one mentioned in my article, but a pedophile, yes, list him.

Respond to this comment

» left by Gregory Lewis ⁽²⁹⁸⁾
Gregory Lewis (7 days 13 hours ago.)

My apologies Joel, I wasn't talking about you. After reading my post, I see that it looked that way, but that's not at all what I meant. When I said "you," I didn't really mean you, but that great "you" at large that thinks the sex offender registry is a noble cause.

 

Yes, of course, I have a daughter who means the world to me, so I'm not a fool, I don't want her or any girl to become a victim. But, my skepticism still stands. Men are socially redeemable. Not all, but many. Those are the ones who will be unfairly punished. Some men should not have been punished to begin with, and they will be unfairly punished twice.

 

- G

Respond to this comment

» left by The Old Gray Mare ^(1,214)
The Old Gray Mare (11 hours 31 minutes ago.)
   New Comment!   

I have to weigh in. I think the sex offender registry is important. Just like Amber Alert is important. If you have deviants, you should be able to know their whereabouts. However, I am talking about the pedafiles. I am not talking about people who engage, willingly, with another person. The people who have raped, who have abducted, who have targeted youngsters - well you get it - the rough and tough and nasty stuff - YES - they should be identified. As far as I am concerned, there are enough statistics to prove to me and my loved ones that the vast majority of pedafiles are repeaters and cannot be turned around. As a matter of fact, talking about skepticism - on another note but sorta related to the "reformed" - all these creeps who have done harm, often serious harm, always seem to find God. Nadda!!!

» left by Joel Hendon ^(14,689)
Joel Hendon (5 hours 8 minutes ago.)
   New Comment!   

Thanks for commenting Old Gray Mare, I believe you have expressed exactly what my article meant. It is very improtant that these perverts are identified. The only problem is a poor administration of law. The case of the young man and woman in my article should never have put this man on the registery list. And there a numerous others similar to him. And when you check the directory, it does not fully explain the circumstances. There ought to be some changes made.

Respond to this comment