House passes child sex crimes law

[sabra]

http://www.kwqc.com/global/story.asp?s=3851194&ClientType=Printable

House passes child sex crimes law

CAPITOL HILL A bill that would impose tougher mandatory sentences on felony sex offenders and have them register for life has passed overwhelmingly in the House.

The measure contains a surprise amendment that expands the current hate crime law to include some crimes involving sexual orientation, gender and disability.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman James Sensenbrenner says the bill addresses a "national crisis" in child sex offenses.

Among the provisions in the Children's Safety Act: a national Web site for child sex offenders. Sex felons who fail to meet registration requirements could get up to 20 years in prison.

[benburch]

1. I agree with this move...

My only reservation is that I DO know of women who, when they were 16, went out to clubs and picked up guys and pretended not to be minors. And it hardly seems fair putting a guy who fell for that sort of thing in the same boat as a baby-raper.

[libertypirate]

2. "The Franklin Cover-up"

By John Decamp

If you read this book you will know what this law is really about.

[tkmorris]

3. I think it's ridiculous

Somebody could club a child to death with a baseball bat and be out in 15 years without registering on any list. There is a concerted effort being made to sway the public into being afraid of sexual offenders way out of proportion to the actual threat.

[JustSayNO 2 Sheeples]

4. The term "Sex Offender" sends chills

through a lot of people, even right here on DU. I wonder how many people know that when they stop on some dark road in the middle of nowhere and take a leak and happen to be caught, in some states, being found guilty of that means you are a registered sex offender.

Not every "sex offender" is Chester the Molester.

[WildClarySage]

5. I disagree. Sex offenders are more prevalent than is reported

and the reported numbers are high. We do need vigilance to keep our children safe. Parents need to understand, though, that it's usually someone they know who is the danger to their child, not the creepy stranger. It's the 'funny uncle' or 'crazy aunt', or the friend of the family. And we need to do a better job of teaching our kids to be safe than just telling them not to talk to strangers.

I doubt this measure will do much to curb sexual violence against children. Its another bandaid solution that doesn't address the needs of victims or do anything meaningful to protect children.

[jkappy]

7. more prevalent--i agree n/t

[philosophie_en_rose]

15. Way out of proportion with the actual threat???

If you choose to molest kids, you choose the consequences. Having registration should create LESS fear and more informed choices, because offenders are being monitored.

[Occulus]

20. Pissing on a post out in Buttfuck KY is NOT a threat to any kid

Yet in some jurisdictions it is a sex offense to do so.

Piss your pants, or register as a sex offender for life, seems to be the message sent to those who Have To Go, when driving in those areas.

(I won't deny that there are those who deserve to be on such a list. I *will* deny that every person currently on such lists deserves to be there.)

[jkappy]

6. good/bad

it's good that sex offenses are being taken seriously (maybe about 2% of rapists serve time) but the list thing seems bad. offenders should pay the price of their crime (it should fit the crime)and be released like any other prisoner.

i do think johns should be get listed all over tho--since no or very little illegality seems associated with this offense. prostitutes get picked up, while johns go free. list them everywhere. or much better, change the law,

[benburch]

8. Nonsense!

The real answer is to decriminalize prostitution entirely. Nobody should ever be charged with a crime for having sex with another adult who consented to the act.

[jkappy]

10. consent purchased with pocket change

what kind of consent is this?

should there be nites of "free sex" for the poor? maybe grannies could volunteer their bodies the elderly males on fixed incomes.

no, this is the opposite of consent. it's economic force, which is just as brutal as physical force.

[benburch]

11. It is not for you, or me, to judge why a person consents to sex.

That is a decision ruled entirely by their Right to Privacy, and it is immoral to interfere.

[Davis_X_Machina]

9. How does this pass Constititional muster as...?

...covered by the interstate commerce clause, and the Violence Against Women Act does not?

[Dogmudgeon]

12. Meanwhile, in just TEN MINUTES ...

... the great State of Texas will put another human being to death.

A woman this time, I believe.

I just wanted to announce that. Carry on.

--p!

[benburch]

13. Believe me, I know that.

But as no amount of discussion here will stave off the Texas Death Machine, I've moved on to other topics.

[teryang]

14. This law is going to compound what already is a nightmare

...for administration of criminal justice. It's just more political grandstanding in an area that is already over legislated for political reasons.

The biggest problem a releasee from prison has is getting housing. No income. No social support network. Impoverished or rejecting family. In the case of the sex offender required to register, the problem is worse because of the stigma associated with these offenses. The politicians have made it impossible to live within 1000 to 2500 feet of bus stops, schools, day care centers and so on. Thousands of sex offenders are being returned to incarceration because they cannot find places to live. Half way houses, and inpatient therapy regimes available to other prisoners are not available to sex offenders. If you are homeless for 48 hours in florida you are guilty of having committed a third degree felony punishable by up to five years in prison. Once going homeless, there is a definite incentive to remain a fugitive because alternative treatment regimes are not available. Probation can't work without a place to live.

Jimmy Rice laws solve the problem by housing the ex-offenders who have served their time in state hospitals which are really nothing more than prisons with another name. Commitment is indefinite.

Before getting all gung ho about this, keep in mind that social workers, probations officers, defense attorneys and even some conservative judges are appalled by the political posturing WHICH FAILS ENTIRELY TO ADDRESS the problem. Creating people without a society creates a permanent class of criminals. Many of these people are mentally impaired (retarded), schizophrenic, and some are just behaviorally maladapted because of their own child sex abuse experiences. Finally, numerous teen agers and young people are condemned to this system for life, when they plead no contest to a disputed date rape with ambiguous evidence.

The chartering of therapy and half way houses for sex offenders with different treatment modalities which permit half way house re-integration with society, job, residence, stability would provide a springboard to a registration system which did something other than place people in long term/ indefinite confinement with no prospect ever of social re-integration. These institutions don't even exist. Therefore, registration laws are a meaningless gesture.

[belle]

17. Whoa, back up: being homeless for 48 hours is a FELONY in FL??

How the--what the--

oh, christ, I don't know. we're living in Dickensian times. complete with sentimentalization of the wee children while simultaneously letting a lot of actual kids starve to death.

[teryang]

28. For those with a history of "sex offender"

...failure to find a home/residence within 48 hours places them in violation of the registration laws. It's a third degree felony.

Also, a homeless felony probationer is in violation of probation and at risk of a prison term.

[Doremus]

26. Thank you for posting your intelligent reply.

I learned several things I didn't know. Thanks.

[Megahurtz]

16. As long as they apply it to "Family Member Offenders"

then hey! Cool. :eyes:

[genius]

18. This includes juvenile offenders and juvenile conspirators.

It doesn't require an adult conviction. A juvenile record is enough. A five year old kid who walks his sister/brother to a place where someone is engaged in indecent exposure could be on that list for the rest of his life.

[BurgherHoldtheLies]

19. No sympathy for sex offenders.

:nopity:
This may be one of the few things in Congress that I agree with now.

[Charlie Brown]

24. Even AFTER prison?

That's a pretty big moral judgment.

[Gyre]

21. That "20 years in prison" thang is going to get some people's attn!

And that ain't a bad thing. In Calif. it's the standard 16,2,3 prison sentencing triad. We get lots of people who fail to register and don't have much of a hammer to hit them with so they don't forget the next time they're in "the population".

Gyre

[WearyOne]

22. most offences happen within the family..while no-one can condone

child abuse it's a very complex crime that demands detailed legislation..there is not a "one size fits all" cure or punishment for offences..to do so is not fair to victims.

[Charlie Brown]

23. I don't agree with this

Once a person has paid his debt he/she has a right to start again with a clean slate. They should not be "marked" for the rest of their lives as if they are some kind of social leppers. The mandatory sentences are a bad idea as well, as the circumstances of the abuse charge could vary.

It's a shame the hate crime amendment had to be included in this phobia-driven legislation.

[TankLV]

25. This is a bad law - especially in light of all the ridiculuous ways an

ignorant publice can be swayed to consider someone a "sex offender" listed by numerous posters above.

It needs to be narrowly defined and big differences given to someone accidentally exposing himself in a deserted area while taking a leek and "chester the molester".

This is way to broad and very troubling.

[Spangle]

27. I don't agree with this law.

They dump many different crimes under one label. When were here "sex offender".. we think rapist or child molester. Such persons, sure.. I can see having a list for such persons. But people need to stop being so stupid about it. They have done their time, paid the price. The list is to HELP US keep our kids safe. All ready we teach them stranger danger, etc. This is a list of FACTUALY people we don't want baby sitting our kids.

But the problem I have with this law is that nudeness is considered a sexual offense. Unless the person is a flasher, they have no business on this list.

Also, teens who engage in sex can very well find their name on this list. Boys or girls. Use to be just boys that had to worry. But parents of BOYS now realize they too can use the statatory rape law. In that case, it's all about which set of parents files first. Statory Rape was needed when young women/girls were not taught about sex. When if a girl had sex before marriage, she was un-marriageble. She would more likely end up on the streets or as a prositute. THAT doesn't discribe young women today.

I'm sorry. I can't stand behind this law. We are being very harsh on people who ARE NOT child preditors and rapists. Until they break up this list and ONLY list the TRUE sex offenders... It's useless.

The list was created to HELP us. These sex offenders would just move else where, and we didn't know. WE let them work with children, baby sit our kids, etc. It was tought that IF WE KNEW and COULD KEEP TRACK.. that these people couldn't get jobs around children else where.. and it was made more public.. so that we could keep OUR KIDS away from them. Or at least, be there with our kids to supervise. IF people can not handle knowing who these people are... It might be decided that we shouldn't look at those lists. IT's getting to the point in some places that these people are needing protection.

Which brings me back to my same point. There are those that are taking matter into their own hands. Thinking they are ridding society of a "bad person." But the person they end up "doing in", just might be someone who got caught taking a public leak. Or had sex with his girl friend who was just 6months younger..(and he wasn't her first)

I have young boys. I keep an eye on them around EVERYONE. I've looked at the list and I know there are a few in my area. But I can't figure out what kind of crime they really did commit. So that leaves me in the same place as I was before. Watching out for everyone.