Ever-shifting legislative and judicial landscapes have required the Buchanan County Sheriff's Department to retread its steps in registering sex offenders.
In 2006, the Missouri Supreme Court ruled that laws can't retroactively apply to people. Sex offenders whose crimes came before the state's Megan's Law in 1995 didn't have to register, the court said.
So Buchanan County removed about 130 names from its sex offender registry.
But the federal government mandated that states comply with the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act by July, or face a 10 percent cut in congressional grants for crime fighting. The act requires registering all sex offenders, even prior to 1995.
So in June, the Missouri Supreme Court reversed its decision, citing the federal mandate. And with that, the Sheriff's Department, in conjunction with the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the St. Joseph Police Department, set out to locate and register the pre-'95 offenders living in the county.
As of this week, the county had re-registered about 75 people. Most registered on their own after the Highway Patrol sent out letters notifying each offender of the change. The county only had to track down approximately 10, and filed criminal charges against two for not complying.
The Sheriff's Department has another 30 offenders to identify. Any of those people could've moved or died, but the county still has to account for them and notify the county to which they moved.
"We were always able to stay busy prior to this," said Sgt. Shawn Collie, whose department has a clerk and detective devoted entirely to sex offender cases, thanks to grant money. "It's going to be a very tedious task. But community safety is our first goal, and we will work whatever we have to work to ensure the laws are followed."
But even with the redundancy of the extra workload, Mr. Collie was in favor of the state Supreme Court's most recent decision in the matter.
"There is no way for us to look at an individual and say this person is going to re-offend and this person is not going to re-offend," he said. "The safest approach is to go with that approach that we are going to have all sex offenders follow the same guidelines. I think that Supreme Court ruling is definitely a step in the right direction toward keeping our community safe."
In that vein, Missouri also banned sex offenders from being within 500 feet of a park that has playground equipment or a swimming pool, or of a child care facility when children are present. They also can't coach or be a trainer of a sports team that has a member who is younger than 17.
That law went into effect last month.
"That's going to be a really difficult task," Mr. Collie said of enforcement. "Our goal is going to be cooperation with our other departments."
In addition to working with the Highway Patrol, the school district and Police Department, the Sheriff's Department also will enlist the help of the city's Parks and Recreation Department to enforce the new law. Mr. Collie would like compliance to become a community effort, and that starts with raising public awareness to the issue.
"When there are events with children at parks," Mr. Collie said, "you can probably pretty much guarantee that (the Sheriff's Department) or other departments working with us will probably be looking after the community's well-being by being there for sex offenders."
For a list of the county's registered sex offenders, go to www.buchanancosheriff.com.
R.J. Cooper can be reached
at rjcooper@npgco.com.
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grandma8445 says...
i thank it is wrong to say all offenders can go to the park because some of your offenders r single parents who have coustdy of there kids and i fell offenders are being retried for their offences which r not right.i would like to know where convicted drug dealers and convicted child abusers r living so i would know to keep my grandkids away from those types of people because they r more appy to offened again than a sex offender
September 6, 2009 at 2:36 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
VDog says...
The registry laws, and especially the residency / work place restrictions, have done far more harm than good. Forget about all the cases of vigilantism; forget about the fact that while these laws are proposed to protect the children, they include children, and a huge percentage of those on the list committed crimes that had nothing to do with children; forget about the fact that study after study has proven these laws not only are ineffective, but have actually made matters worse; forget about the fact that upon release from custody, registered sex offenders have one of the lowest recidivism rates, not the highest. In fact those who receive counseling and treatment while in custody have outstanding records as opposed to those convicted of other violent crimes! The fact is the registry and the residency / work place restrictions should be limited only to those who are proven child molesters and pedophiles. This Law Enforcement can handle and monitor effectively. Do you seriously believe a committed pedophile cannot walk or drive 500, 1000, 2500, 5000 feet or more? Jaycee Lee Dugard was abducted miles away from where Philip Garrido lived!
September 6, 2009 at 7:29 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
VDog says...
I am sure we will see comments from some hysterical, uninformed individual(s) who will suggest that all those on the registry should be locked up for life or worse. They will say there is no rehabilitation for these people. And for a few they are right, which is why we need to focus on them! Once a person has done his or her time that should be it. That is the foundation of this great country and its legal system. If you don't like it, move to China, Russia, North Korea, Iran, or wherever individual rights are ignored. If a person is a proven pedophile, lock them up for a very long time and provide treatment. If treatment is not working, keep them locked up. Too many families are being destroyed for political expediency. Too many children of those on the registry are being abused and ostracized at school. Too many families are being forced into isolation and restricted from the work place. If we are truly trying to protect the children with the registry, then let's focus on the pedophiles and child molesters'. Get rid of the residency / work place restrictions and focus on the loitering laws. Let the rest of those on the registry re-assimilate into society after they have done their time and become solid, productive citizens; part of the solution not the problem. The facts, (and the Garrido case) as well as virtually all of the research, and study after study have proven what we are doing now, mostly for political expediency and to appease hysterical uninformed parents is not working and is in fact making matters worse!
September 6, 2009 at 7:31 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
ToniaT says...
I cannot believe people actually think these registries are protecting anyone. Everyone keeps talking about public safety, but none of the sex offenders that were removed from the list did anything wrong, they did NOT re-offend. Law enforcement is not worried about public safety, if they were, they would only focus on those that have re-offended, leaving all the others off the list of public humiliation. What about the teenagers who have consensual sex or the one that send nude pictures through text messages or on MySpace. Do you really think these are people that need to be watched and monitered? Our laws are overbroad and they do not distinguish between true child molesters and those who have committed non-violent so-called sex offenses. Dont you think the police should focus on who is really a threat. This law is unconstitutional and if we dont change things, before long, EVERYONE will be on one registry or another. Wake up America - your rights are being taken away more and more each day. If you kill someone, you can do your time and then still have a life. If you are a 19 year old boy who has sex with his 16 year old girlfriend, your life is forever ruined. Learn the facts at www.love-is-not-a-crime.com
September 6, 2009 at 7:46 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
mm1967 says...
The fact remain anyone who is a sex offender toward children the law should go further and they not only are not allowed in parks and ect. But should not be able to live in a neighborhood where there are children. The parents of children that look and see how many registered offenders are in there neighborhoods would feel a lot safer if they were not in our neighborhoods with children.This is just human nature to think this way and human nature for parents to look at it this way as well.If they did it once and are convicted pretty good chance they will offend in some way again or maybe not but they cannot be trusted and they did this to themselves..Anybody convicted of this against a child deserves to have their face on this as well as billboards and for the public to know and it is just sick that a adult would do this to a child in anyway. If These people did not want any of their rights taken away should have not committed the crime in the first place.Now they need to deal with the repercuccions of their actions.Even the ones that committed these crimes again other adults should be watched very closely as well.How about weekly reports just like people that are released from prisions on parole keep these people on a tight rope.More surprise home visits.
September 6, 2009 at 8:03 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
arch286 says...
A sex offender moved into my neighborhood, and did the news travel fast. The story is that the family in question have moved several times in the last 3 years, being pushed out of several St. Joseph neighborhoods. The story is that his children have suffered the most, and the sex offender was in jail only a few months, but had been sentenced for many years. Apparently his case was over blown, and I suspect his early release proves that point. When I told others about my neighbor most just "what ever" because they commented about the numerous cases of people being listed as sex offenders that in their opinion are NOT true sex offenders. I have to agree with the earlier posting that I would also like to know about drug convictions, robbery, etc.. Also I suspect what most do not understand is that YOU, taxpayes, are forced to support those drawn into the criminal justice system and their families. The criminal justice industry need "felons". Maybe the criminal justice system needs a good "closet cleaning" to determine what needs to kept in the closet, and what is just taking up space, and taxpayers money. Our economy is not that good that we can keep everyone in the justice system, only those that are a real danger to themselves and the public. Look at California ready to empty their over crowded prisons, most of those prisoners have nothing now, and will be let out on the streets to fend for themselves, THEN there will be a crime wave. In conclusion, we need to have those on a sex offenders list that are a real threat to themselves and society, years ago those individuals would be in state hospitals. The do gooders of the 70's thougth group homes, and independent living would be better, instead we have whole prisons for prisoners with mental health issues costing you more money. Things are just screwed up period, but in the end when the money stops, so will all these programs, and the people behind those programs.
September 6, 2009 at 8:38 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jambreman says...
Statistics show that on average, the typical sex offender molests an average of 117 children, but most of them go unreported. Also, for those in prison for sex offenses, the average age of the victim is less than 13. It is also important to note that 5% of sex offenders commit a new sexual crime within three years of release from prison. I do agree that they need to separate these lists into three categories: Child molesters, rape, and those situations where the boyfriend may be 18 and the girlfriend 16. However, I do not believe that the old "They've paid their debt, let them be" theory should apply to child molesters and rapists. Obviously anyone who would commit a sex offense against a child has some sort of mental defect, and the same can be said for rapists (mental illness, sex addiction, power trip). I think that next to the faces and names of the offenders, they need to list the age of the victim so that people can make their own decisions in regard to someone that they may know on the list. If my neighbor is on the list because he had sex with his 16 year-old girlfriend when he was 18, then I probably wounldn't worry too much, but if his victim was 5, then that's a different story. People like to complain about these lists, but it would be the same people complaining if there were no lists and their child fell into the hands of a child molester. Isn't it better to do too much than too little???
September 6, 2009 at 9:02 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
peak1978 says...
mm1967,
So basically what you want is for sex offenders not to be able to live anywhere. That way they'll be homeless and on the street. Wow that will really make kids safe. Further, there could be a sexual predator living in your neighborhood right now and you don't even know it. It was alluded to earlier that many of these cases go unreported.
September 6, 2009 at 9:14 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
suetiggers says...
Maybe along with the age of the victim, they should also put her "occupation", i.e. a 15 yr. old prostitute who lied about their age? And even if the man is a scumbag, he's not dangerous the way a pedophile is. It is alarming how many people who are NOT DANGEROUS are on this registry. It unnecessary alarms parents, especially. And for MOST of the people on it, men primarily, it hurts their whole family. Because many of the either frightened or just curious who want to kill them all or get them out of town on a rail don't know that MOST are on there for crimes that used to be misdemeanors.
Who is on the Registry?
1. Romeo and Juliet liasons, false accusations of vindictive teens against an older teen (18 or 19)
2.False accusation by vindictive parents in child custody cases and/or family feuds- There are more of these than most people would believe. There are many reports of people who admit to having lied about being molested when they were younger. Now they would like to have the person wrongly convicted on their testimony set free.
3.mutual consensual sex- but being 3 yrs. and 1 day older than the willing teen (can bring and has brought multiple felony indictments)
4. Sex between consenting teen prostitute (who looks older and even may have lied about her age) with an adult male
5. Criminal charges that later are dropped for insufficient proof but not appealed in time, so still on registry
To learn more, go to RSOL (Reform Sex Offender Laws ) or F.A.S.T. (False Allegation Support Team) http://false-allegations-team.com/fas... http://www.reformsexoffenderlaws.org/...
The number of truly dangerous pedophiles is relatively small. But check out the registry. You're liable to see someone who looks like your mailman, grocery clerk,etc. And the numbers are growing exponentially. As long as opportunistic politicians & a soundbite media, ala Fox /Nancy Grace types can make reputations out of this issue, it will continue to reinforce overreactions The prison system, esp. the Super Max system has become a for-profit business, which gives more political power to state officials & also brings in additional funds. It;s one of the main reasons that prisons are so overcrowded . Crimes that in the past that would have gotten a fine or short stay in jail now put people in prison for much longer periods. Watch MSNBC's documentary, Witch Hunt w/Sean Penn. Learn the truth about the way the laws have changed for the worse & are now abusing innocent people or people who are not clearly no danger to children.
September 6, 2009 at 9:20 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
WhoisJohnGalt says...
I think there are probably some Romeo and Juliet cases that have been caught up in the registry list, and that is unfortunate. For the most part though, I like the idea of knowing where these people are and who they are. If I am fully informed, I can make rational decisions how to conduct myself and protect my kids.
September 6, 2009 at 9:22 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
mm1967 says...
peak1978,
No If a sex offender lived in my neighborhood I would know, because I have children that like to go outside and play and I as a informed parent know how to look at the registory and check and see.Like it or not the ones who commit these crimes against children do not need to live in neighborhoods with children.Keep them locked up throw away the key whatever but they did the crime and will be labeled the rest of their lifes for committing these crimes to children.Also tell the children that they scared their lives for ever that they are coming back to their neighborhoods.Now are there cases of high school sweet hearts and the age difference yes and this should be taken into account but the guys that have done unquestionable things to children deserve to be in jail and when released under supervision.
September 6, 2009 at 9:56 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
ToniaT says...
I guess society is okay with having a murderer or a drug dealer live next door, but heaven forbid if a sex offender does. These registries do not even list the "true" crimes committed - not all sex offenders have hurt children, yet they are all dumped into the same category. The Adam Walsh Act is demanding all states comply with a ridiculous tier system or lose grant money. What are they thinking, "Do it my way or no way." These laws are ridiculous. Want your children safe? WATCH THEM, TEACH THEM, EDUCATE YOURSELF before YOU are considered a sex offender.
September 6, 2009 at 10:15 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
taxedout says...
"not all sex offenders have hurt children, yet they are all dumped into the same category"
Go to familywatchdog.us and they differentiate between sex offenses against children and those against adults. Then you can find out if that neighbor is a rapist or child molester.
If someone doesn't want to chance making this list then don't hire a prostitute, don't rape women, and don't have sex with children. Doesn't sound to difficult to me. There are some very good reasons for these laws with some heartbreaking stories behind them.
September 6, 2009 at 12:01 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
suetiggers says...
So prostitution with an underage prostitute who lies about her age and has very consensual sex is the same as rape and sex with children???? The degree of IRRATIONAL THINKING in people like taxedout is amazing.
I realize it's hard to be sympathetic to sleazebag men, but should they lose their jobs, be put out of their living situation, come under risk of harm because of that?
AND THE MAJORITY on the registry are not them either...the BIG MAJORITY are young people 19 having very consensual sex with a 15 yr. old girlfriend, some just under 16 and the guy just over 18 or 19, urinating in public (but not planning on being seen), walking nude in one's own house...yes there are people on the registry for that !!,
FALSE ACCUSATIONS...you have no idea how many of these there are....with divorce cases, with teens, usually wanting their way about something, getting made at someone about something, the stories would make your hair stand on end, and for other reasons as well...
The law does not really protect children..but it does feed a lot of people with too much time on their hands and who are the types that like to read about murders, rape, the National Enquirer types, the overreactive-because-they-don't-have -a life-types.
But, I don't expect these people to think.
September 6, 2009 at 12:37 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
chunkyluver says...
well my thoughts and beliefs i believe they should be kept away from were children gather period and lifting the mandates no put a sign in there yard saying what they did for everyone that drives by sees and put a gps braclet for tracking there movments.
September 6, 2009 at 12:41 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
taxedout says...
@suetiggers
What is irrational to me is how many people defend sexual predators who have multiple convictions spanning many years. Several that I see on the websites have a DOB of 1959 or thereabout with 14 year old victims in 2003 and 9 year old victim in 1994. Hardly two teenage lovers caught in the throws of passion. As for prostitution, I was under the impression that was illegal as well. As far as saying it's the same as raping children I think I pointed out a website that will tell you what the scumbag was convicted of. I think it's a good idea to keep aware of convicted sex offenders in your neighborhood and regularly tell my children to stay away from their homes if they riding bikes nearby. Maybe I should "get a life" and just watch Oprah or General Hospital instead, I don't think so! I'm not willing to chance that it was a false accusation when my children are involved, that's it for my "irrational thinking"
September 6, 2009 at 1:05 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
ELH says...
jambreman--What is the source of the statistics you site? Not questioning them, but would like to see for myself what the study(ies) said.
September 6, 2009 at 2:26 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
teeter59 says...
The registry was never intended to be a witch hunt, but that said, this particular type of crime is different than others. The offenders seek out the weakest in the community. The children. They seek to attack and damage individuals that are usually unable, not just unwilling to speak up and tell the horrors that happened to them. Even small children blame themselves and feel massive guilt far past their adulthoods. Sex offenders CANNOT be rehabilitated. If a child goes missing, this registry needs to be in place to check the most likely source first. We have become a society of apologetic fools in some respect and so politically correct that it turns my stomach. If one can't keep themself in control and they sexually prey upon a child, then they have no right to be around children. I can't believe that anyone who has actually been tried and convicted of sexual abuse, would be allowed to have sole custody of their child, like was the first posting. If that is the case, it should not be. I am speaking solely of the situation of an adult having sex with a child. Not an 18 year old boy with a 15 year old girlfriend. Not a person who peed on the side of the road and got caught, then charged with indecent exposure. Those people are not the same as a pedofile. A pedofile is a person who seeks out and delibertly acts out sexually on a child. In those cases although they may have their preferences, they will usually act out on either sex, they will act out whenever there is opportunity, and I for one am sick to death of it. No more excuses, adults have choice! If their choice is to do this kind of thing, then they need to be held accountable and suffer the consequences of their actions and that consequence in todays society includes being placed on the sex offender list. If one doesn't want to be on it, then one better not do the crime. I wonder how most of these posters would feel if their child or grandchild were sexually abused, raped, fondled and attacked by a neighbor or person close to their home when all the time law enforcement knew that this person had been free to do this over and over and over. Is anyone so naive to think that sex offenders have only one victim? Do some research. The standard age is infant to 3 years old! If there is no list, they are free to reoffend over and over and over. These scars do not heal easily if at all. Society is getting tired of being victimized.
September 6, 2009 at 3:46 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
teeter59 says...
Also, just for the record, you can watch your kids closely, you can be the most paranoid involved parent in the world, and very often the person who YOU let into the house will be the nice, sweet, loving generous person who molests your child. Because it happens all the time. Child molesters DO NOT WANT TO STICK OUT AS A PERVERT. That is part of the problem. Rape an 8 year old, get two years, be out in 9 months. Is that the way it goes??? The Sex offender list serves a purpose. By the way, do drugs in your house, I reallly don't care. If youre a drug user, I will probably be able to detect that by your lifestyle or lack of income, but molest kids behind closed doors is a little harder to detect. I support the list, even though I know the system has flaws. That is the fault of the statutes. Some people don't belong on the list, ok, but I want to know if John Q Public down the street was molesting kids in Florida before he moved here. Knowledge doesn't hurt people it is SECRETS THAT DOES. Just for the record we have casenet, you can look up drug offenders there you know. Your name will appear in the newspaper if you even get a speeding ticket, but jeez if we rape a child let's all keep it a secret because the big bad mean people out there won't let us forget it. Sorry, Im not buying!
September 6, 2009 at 3:57 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Agent_Provocateur says...
US Dept of Justice has some stats
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/crimoff....
September 6, 2009 at 4:38 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jambreman says...
ELH-I used statistics from the Dept. of Justice website. www.doj.gov
September 6, 2009 at 8:29 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
singlemomof3 says...
As a mother of 3 young children I want to know where the sex offenders are. I teach my children stranger danger techniques, they know good touch, bad touch. I don't let my children wander around the neighborhood. When they do fundraising activities I go with them. I don't have babysitters that are not family. The sex offenders list is a tool to keep parents informed. I appreciate the list. I don't care if its not fair to those on it. I'm not judging them but I won't let them around my children until I know & trust them.
September 6, 2009 at 8:48 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
clc says...
Elvis Presley was a sex offender.
September 6, 2009 at 11:21 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Slaute says...
No offense to victims and families of violent sexual offenses by sexually dangerous persons such as the case in this article, but GPS monitoring and registration under the current and potential legislation is not working and is INSANE! Please read on...
Readers, you may find this difficult to believe, I did at first, but there are kids as young as 10 on the sex offender registry for "playing doctor" no violence involved; Kids as young as 12 for pinching another kid on the butt just joking around; a long and rapidly growing list of teens for "consensual sexual activity" (statutory rape), and men for public urination on the golf course; think about how many men will this one put on the registry and wearing GPS devices!
How many people, including kids as young as 14, will we allow to be prosecuted, incarcerated, subjected to barbaric and abusive treatment (see Plethysmographs, Masturbatory Satiation, Arousal Reconditioning, Cognitive Restructuring of juveniles) and then forced to register as Sex Offenders for the rest of their lives before we bring an end to this insanity and enact sound legislation that protects our kids from violent and sexually dangerous persons?
The current legislation, although very well intended, has seriously failed the true victims of violent sexual assault crimes and their families! And, it has resulted in what a growing number of citizens believe were unintended consequences for potentially over 95% of all youth and young adults, "including young girls" who are being tried and convicted as sex offenders at an alarming rate across our nation (see Aug 6th Economist cover story: America's Unjust and Ineffective Sex Laws).
A growing number of concerned Citizens are joining in the effort nation-wide to immediately bring an end to this insanity before an entire generation is lost and registered as sex offenders.
Legislators, please, please reconsider and change/enact legislation immediately to stop this insanity and re-write legislation that truly protects our children from violent and sexually dangerous persons!
September 6, 2009 at 11:24 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
clc says...
WOW jambreman there are about 680,000 people on the registry. multiply that by 117 that is a whole lot of people. i really don't think there are that many people being molested. those stats are ridiculous, 79,560,000 people in the good old USA molested.
September 6, 2009 at 11:27 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
ronie says...
When you take away the rights of former sex offenders by continually changing the law does that make you feel safe?
When you take away anyone's rights EVERYONE loses rights.
Come on legislators get a clue and narrow the registry to those who pose a real and present danger.
Law enforcement is overwhelmed with the sheer numbers of former offenders that do not belong there. Citizens who access the registry are supposed to feel safe? HOW?
The registry never worked and won't until politicians stop making laws just to get votes.
Plastering someones name, address, photo and other personal info on the internet is supposed to do what? shame humiliate
ostracize make a target for vigilantes? or just make Oprah feel better?
Public flogging is public flogging no matter in what century it occurs.
September 16, 2009 at 8:22 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
iamthewife says...
I am the wife of a man that has been convicted of receiving child porn. All he did was open an e-mail from a crazy person and he got 5 years in a federal prison and lifetime supervised release. I could also tell you how the federal agent involved in his case perjured himself while testalying in court. My husband never ever touched a child but will be on the sex offender registry when he is released. We have three young children. How will we be able to function as a family under these laws? Can we attend festivals together? Can we attend a park together? Since my husbands car will be listed on the registry will we be able to ride in the car togther as a family? Because our house will be on the registry my children will constantly be exposed to humiliation and possibly harm from vigilantes. Under Missouri law my children will not be allowed to hand out candy at Halloween and we can't decorate our house or keep lights on for Halloween night.
The rate of recidivism for sex offenders according to the US Justice Dept. Website is 3.5 - 5 % And this is froma a study done under John Ashcroft's administration. If public safety is really the concern I want to know where those covicted of DUI/DWIs are living as well as Thieves/Embezzlers, those who carry concealed weaponss and those conviceted of manslaughter.
September 16, 2009 at 8:49 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
craftymom says...
Most states do not grandfather in crimes committed prior to 1995. My question is...why does Missouri go back to 1979 - that isn't 5 yrs, 10 yrs, 15 yrs...but 16? Where did that number come from? Maybe there is some politician out there that did something themselves at 17 yrs prior to 1995? These people who were charged prior to this law, and haven't had any charges brought against them should NOT have to be on this list. They paid their price for a big mistake in their lives, and there are some who have tried to make a difference in their lives. They do have families, they do work jobs, they do attend church, they aren't wierdo's hanging out on street corners waiting for someone. Being taken off the list was a good thing. Made these people feel like they belonged in this community..but then, back on the list they go. Just not right.
I believe if there is going to be a list..then it should include EVERY WALKING HUMAN charged with this crime - back to 1900 in EVERY STATE...and that everyone in every state would be included with the same rules. Now that would be a job for our city...to research everyone....
And...why isn't there a list for anyone charged with drug sales or use, or physical abuse...so that we can all view any charges against any neighbor...just by searching an address? Most of us don't know our neighbors by name...so the address search would be great. If I had a neighbor who has drug charges against them in the past...they are more likely going to continue this...and who knows there could even be a drive by shooting relating to a drug sale not paid on...and then my children could get shot while playing in the yard. These things do happen, and our town is not immune to this happening.
Parents need to watch their children too. When they let their children walk the streets alone...fundraising etc...they should be held responsible for that too. Also, so many parents let their children go to the bathroom while at the stores by themselves, and they aren't even in sight of the bathrooms. Anyone could grab their child. So...parents need to guard their children not only against offenders, but people with drugs and alcohol. Better not let your children stay over at a friends house unless you search MOCASENET to make sure no crimes have been charged against a family. Even still....that doesn't let you know if there is a drug or alcohol problem at the home...One more thing....the strip bars need to be closed as that is a problem, as well as what is put on our TV's today. Women also dress provocatively...so when a man get's in trouble...it is all his fault and never the woman's. Just some stuff to think about.
September 16, 2009 at 9:30 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Azure says...
If they are not child-sex offenders or drug dealers I could care less where they are, I want to know where my kids can be safe.
September 16, 2009 at 9:46 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
azmaggie says...
The thing is someone caught relieving themselves in a dark parking lot is on the list the same as someone who is a child-sex offender. I agree ther should be a list of child sex offenders but they just lump everyone togather. I do not feel that is right.
September 16, 2009 at 10:29 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
darrinrsol says...
Because of the nature of my conviction, and the fact that it was out of state, I only have to register for 10yrs, with only four remaining. Now tell me, am I suddenly safer at that time? The registry is ridiculous. It keeps no one's children safer. The anger you feel is not human nature, it is politicians stirring the pot with fear to manipulate YOU into voting for them. We are all pawns; some of us are sacrificed while others are used to accomplish the desired result.
September 16, 2009 at 6:31 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
STL_Banker says...
I just love the quote from Sgt. Shawn Collie, saying "There is no way for us to look at an individual and say this person is going to re-offend and this person is not going to re-offend," he said. "The safest approach is to go with that approach that we are going to have all sex offenders follow the same guidelines. I think that Supreme Court ruling is definitely a step in the right direction toward keeping our community safe."
This is the same naive and erroneous thinking that the majority of the ill-informed public stops at. We also don't know which car thieves and armed robbers are going to strike again, do we? Is there a registry for them? How about those criminals whom have more than one speeding ticket in the past 12 mos? Do we register them and let people know that those individuals have been reckless with their speed control and to watch out when your children are crossing the street? Let's be honest...and according to every study out there...your children would have a 100+ times greater chance of being harmed by your speeding or careless neighbor than the former sex offender in your 'hood.
This country is doing what massive amounts of sheep do. They follow the herd. Considering we were founded on a deep and free-thinking society...has everyone just become lazy and complacent?
We have an epidemic, and it's not cancer. It's apathy.
People need to become informed, that's step one. ReformSexOffenderLaws.org is doing a pretty good job of helping that, among many other groups. People...just search on some of the sex offender injustices going on out there, and you will truly see what is happening. Unfounded hysteria is creating laws! Do you remember reading about the Salem witch trials? We're only seeing a more modernized version of that today. You think politicians don't know what the heck is wrong??? They know, trust me...I have several credible sources who run Missouri RSO counseling services for both state & federal circles...the policians are very aware. But their response is that "they know" but to do anything about it would be perceived by the (uninformed) public as soft on crime...crimes against children...and that would be political suicide. And these guys want their next term to go smooth, since incumbents tend to have an advantage over the challenger...so do you really think they're going to end their careers? Of course not. So they appease the hysterical public with some new ridiculous requirement or law for sex offenders, that neither impacts nor improves public safety. There are several studies that ALL show how not one crime against kids has been prevented, even with all these glorious laws and restrictions these politicians keep passing each year.
WAKE UP PEOPLE. USE MORE OF YOUR BRAIN POTENTIAL THAN THE MEDIA WANTS YOU TOO.
September 16, 2009 at 6:39 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )