e-sound off for the Week of May 13, 2010
Your source for community topics and thoughts
Sounding off on sex offenders
“Let me get this straight, you post the photos of the guys who are complying with the terms of the law, yet those who do not, you are not interested in? That is counterintuitive and can only be explained by an inherent laziness, as I must assume the photos posted are obtained readily from the sheriff’s office. If you want to impress us, go investigate the non-compliant offendors and post their information. I know three of these guys, and they have all served their time, and of these three, none are repeat offenders, and pose no additional threat to any of us. I know the details of their crimes and there is a huge void between no crime at all and full blown felonies. Our system is flawed, but it is polically expedient to keep it that way. Why do we take pleasure in continuing to humiliate the ones who make a full effort to re-enter society?”
“Thank you for posting all offenders in our area and making it convienent to see even those who are non-compliant on your website. Once you becomes a victim or know an adult or child who is a victim, you appreciate the hard work the Sheriff’s Department has accomplished. I realize many of us are unable to witness the hard work being acheived behind the scenes, and I guess sometimes it’s easy to scrutinize. Those who see “inherent laziness” should sign up to do a better job, for it’s so easy to judge. In my opinion, all offenders should be made public. The only people humilated, heartbroken, and destroyed are the victims. Looking at the charges of each, it is hard for me to believe we are worried about humiliating these criminals, perhaps that is why some are non-repeat offenders. These particular crimes, in my eyes, do not allow room for offenders to “re-enter” society, quietly, regardless if they are complying with the law. It only takes one sex crime to destroy a life. The Offender Watch is for the safety of our community, we have that right, humilating these offenders is the last thing our community cares about. These offenders were found guilty, I believe they should be more worried about the rath of God…humilation should be the least of their worries. I hope each of these men rememeber that when looking at their picture, they owe it to their victims. Just because they are “non-repeat” does not mean their morals or behaviors are to be trusted. Think of your children, family, and friends, theoretically speaking, what if one of them were a victim? Personally, when I think of it that way, I think the Offender Watch is highly appropriate.”
Personally, I don’t care one bit if someone guilty of a sex crime rots the rest of his or her life away in jail. One of the very few instances of a tax increase that I am all right with is for further incarceration of offenders.
Remember this too, since we live in a small town and it’s important: A child is more apt to become a victim of molestation by someone he or she knows. I’m going to have to respectfully disagree with you… these people, (even the ones you know and have detailed information about), are always going to be a threat. Yes, it may be humiliation that follows them their entire lives, but they should have thought about that before they committed their crimes. If they do suffer “continued humiliation”, imagine what their victims suffer?
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