I hate sex offenders ---but this is just wrong!

[trumad]

I hate sex offenders---but God Damn, they are human beings.

Sex offenders living under bridge told to get out

Convicted sex offenders told by state officials two years ago they could live under the Julia Tuttle Causeway bridge are now being told they must leave by Monday.

Convicted sex offenders who have called the area under the Julia Tuttle Causeway bridge home got a rude awakening early Saturday morning.

They were visited by state Department of Correction parole officers at 5 a.m. The message, delivered in writing, was clear: The residents have until 9 a.m. Monday to vacate the bridge, which spans Biscayne Bay, linking Miami to Miami Beach.

The move to rid the bridge of the men marks yet another strange chapter in a long-running saga that has drawn national media attention and began in 2006 when a handful of convicted sex offenders began sleeping under the bridge because a city of Miami residency ordinance left them unable to find housing.

The ordinance does not allow convicted sex offenders to live within 2,500 feet of a school. The state requirement is only 1,000 feet.

<snip>
'We are doing what we're supposed to do,'' said one resident who did not want to be identified. ``I take orders, I do what I'm supposed to do, and they said I'm supposed to be here. Now I'm supposed to move somewhere I don't even know how to get to?''

Parole officers have handed out packets to the residents detailing other accommodations in the state. Most are hundreds of miles away from Miami.

The closest is a Motel 6 in Fort Lauderdale, but the $79.99-a-day rate is too steep for most of the residents.

When reached by phone, the manager of the Fort Lauderdale Motel 6 said he knew nothing about the arrangement.
http://www.miamiherald.com/top_stories/story/404360.html

[the other one]

1. Why is there no "murderers list" or "embezzlers" list?

Because sex is bad, and people with sexual dysfunction are very bad.

[Maine-ah]

2. rape and molestation go way beyond "sexual dysfunction'

[rzemanfl]

6. What about emailing something to a minor that "...appeals to

their purient, morbid or shameful interests...?" Do you think that a person should live under a bridge for that? What if the "minor" was really a cop?

I agree that forcible rape and molestation of a child go way beyond sexual dysfunction but these laws also apply to what most places call "statutory rape."

[Maine-ah]

10. there is something wrong with an adult who email sexually

explicit material to a minor. As for the "minor" cop, I would rather they got caught before they abused a real minor, and got some help. Statutory rape laws need to be revised IMHO. I dated a 19 y.o. when I was 16, and there was no "rape" about it. Anything that happened was consensual. But not all situations are like that.

I never once said that these people deserved to live under a bridge. Though the ones that molest children, I honestly have no sympathy for. Nor the ones who rape. There was a post in the lounge the other day about a 10 y.o. girl who just gave birth. Who ever did that to that child should be brought in front of a firing squad imho. We recently had a guy up here who raped a child under the age of 2 with a fucking screwdriver. Do you think that living under a bridge is sufficient punishment for someone like that?

Our sex offender list is out of hand. The laws do need to be revised. Some people do not belong in society, as some people don't deserve to be on the list, or living under a bridge.

On another personal note, my father was a teacher (RIP) who messed around with a couple of minor students. It tore my family apart, I have no idea how my mother stayed married to him. It forced us from our home, and were shunned by our local town members. This was way before the list. I have lived it, and yes my father deserved jail time that he didn't get. He got a little "vacation" at the local hospital mental health unit, couldn't teach anymore either. He was also bipolar.

[rzemanfl]

12. Well, that's fine if you can derive "sexually explicit" from the

words "...purient, morbid or shameful...."

The cops down here post as adults on MySpace and say they are minors after a conversation is started. They claim it is to make their profiles "searchable...." Entrapment? I sure think so, but the legislature down here rewrote the law of entrapment so that the question is whether a person was "ready to commit the crime if the opportunity presented itself"-which is sort of self-fulfilling.

I know you never said that these people didn't deserve to live under a bridge. The examples you cite are beyond the pale-just horrendous. There are some people who need to be incarcerated or institutionalized for their lifetimes, firing squads are real permanent and innocent people do get convicted from time to time. The "under the bridge" people have served whatever time the court gave them.

Other than the firing squad thing, I don't believe we disagree on much. I lived most of my life in a state that has never had the death penalty and felt safer there than I do here.

Sorry about your family issues, when I was in high school in the early '60s there were constant rumors about one of our teachers and some of the girls. A few years after I graduated the guy left very suddenly.

[hootinholler]

18. "and got some help"

Like living under a bridge? That's helpful how?

-Hoot

[Maine-ah]

20. did I say they deserved to live under a bridge?

did you read my whole post? If I wasn't clear, please tell me which part of it you didn't understand, and I'll try to clarify.

[Rabrrrrrr]

7. And if the murderer's list was done with the idiocy of the sexual offender list,

it would include children who were sent home from school due to its "zero tolerance" policy because the kid made a gun with his fingers.

[rzemanfl]

8. Nah! The Florida legislature is full of "smart" Republicans, it

would only apply if the kid making the finger gun said "bang" and the kid he was pointing it at fell down and pretended to be dead. Otherwise, it would only be an attempt and they'd put the kid on probation for five years at fifty bucks a month.

[PeaceNikki]

11. That's exactly right. The fact that there's this blanket "law" of registration as opposed to a judge

using discretion to order registration for specific situations is the problem.

A statutory rape situation is treated the same as violent rape and sexual assault on children. The law offers no differentiation and that's just wrong. It over-exaggerations some crime while watering down others.

[mzmolly]

45. In the state I live there are different "levels" of offense. I know of a man who raped

a 16 year old, forcibly, violently. He's considered "safe" for some reason. He does not have to register, he can live near a school and get on with his life. Not so sure if his victim has that luxury or not?

[MadHound]

3. Forcing sex offenders from the urban setting to a rural one

Yeah, that's really going to endear folks out here in the country to any politician spouting that garbage. After all, it isn't like we don't already receive enough literal and figurative garbage from the cities, we really don't need any more.

How long before these restrictions are put into effect for other crimes?

[Iris]

23. but therein lies the biggest problem with this sort of thing

forcing sexual predators to be homeless and wanderers just puts them in more contact with more potential victims - in rural or urban areas. It's just plain dumb.

[KharmaTrain]

4. Mixed Feelings

About a decade ago, I had a good friend who was arrested after he was caught foolin' around with a 17 year old. He was absolutely stupid...and reckless...he got caught. Then his life become hell...his home was raided, he lost his job and ended up doing a 3 year stretch in the state grey bar hotel. Even worse is how it tore apart his family...embarassing his kids so bad one dropped out of school and the others also showed problems. His wife ended up divorcing him while he was in jail and since he was a teacher, he stood no chance of ever doing that job again.

Since his parole, his life has been hell as well. He has to constantly report where he lives and works...even after his parole period and has had to move several times when it was found out that he was within the boundries of a school or where young people were. Or, someone would see his face on the offender site and make a stink. He once told me that murderers get a better shake than sex offenders.

Yes, he did wrong...very wrong. There's nothing that he can do to fix that other than the time he did...and the loss of his family and career. However, he is caught in a Catch 22...while he hasn't gotten in any trouble since his release over five years ago, fulfilled his parole, even did community service, but still he can never rehabilitate himself.

[rzemanfl]

5. Under Florida law there are charges that put a person on the

sex offender list even though the offense took place in their heads, they never touched anyone and the "victim" was an undercover cop. These laws are absolutely insane and are just a way to get more cheap labor in the prison-industrial complex. I have not seen any attorney in Florida with the balls to fight the state on this crap.

[ileus]

9. No they're not really human beings...let them swim to England.

[Honeycombe8]

13. Our country has a lot of on-the-edge problems right now. I can't get my heart worked up over sex ..

offenders. They got themselves into their mess....they must be the ones to get themselves out. Personal responsibility for one's actions.

[PeaceNikki]

14. But how does one get themselves out when marked with a scarlet letter for life?

For life. Well after they've paid their debt to society with jail time/probation/parole time.

The sex-offender registration should not be an arbitrary blanket law but a sentence imposed by a judge for specific crimes when the situation warrants it. Not all "sexual crimes" do.

[Maine-ah]

15. I'm gonna try a google search but I think the percentage of

sexual offenders who re-offend is rather high, so the list is not a bad thing when used appropriately, imho. I agree that a judge should be able to use their discretion when making their sentence.

on edit:
here's one page from my search, apparently the numbers are lower than I thought.

Don't most sex offenders reoffend?

There is a perception that the vast majority of sex offenders will repeat their crimes. Research studies by the US Dept. of Justice and the Canadian Government have found, however, that sexual offense recidivism rates are much lower than commonly believed, averaging between 14 and 20% over 5-year follow-up periods. Studies that have tracked sex offenders over longer follow-up periods have found that pedophiles who molest boys, and rapists of adult women, were the types of offenders most likely to recidivate at rates of 52% and 39% respectively. Repeat offenders are more likely to reoffend than first-time offenders. Those who comply with probation and treatment have lower reoffense rates that those who violate the conditions of their release. Sex offenders who target strangers are more dangerous than those with victims inside their own family

It is also important to recognize that official recidivism statistics are always lower than actual reoffense rates, because some sex offenders commit many sex crimes that go unreported and undetected. It is estimated that less than 10% of all sex crimes result in a criminal conviction. This means that there are many sex offenders in our communities who have not yet been identified.

Although extensive media attention is paid to child abductions, such cases occur relatively rarely, and less than 1% of sex crimes involve murder. Despite myths of stranger danger, the vast majority of sexually abused children (80-90%) are molested by family members and close friends or acquaintances
http://www.atsa.com/ppOffenderFacts.html

[PeaceNikki]

19. And that's the problem.

BELEIVE ME, I think there are a LOT of cases where longer sentencing and registration are warranted. The problem is the arbitrary blanket laws based on nothing. Judges and DA's should work together to use discretion and pass these sentences when warranted. In addition, if a SPECIFIC case is a person guilty of a heinous crime that will likely re-offend, he/she should be behind bars, NOT among us in society with some bullshit scarlet letter.

[Honeycombe8]

31. Again, they should have given this some thought before they raped that child....

or sexually assaulted that woman.

Our country has far too many serious problems to spend a great deal of time feeling sorry for people who have committed heinous crimes against the vulnerable. They knew before they committed those crimes that they would go on a sex offenders list and that where they live would be a problem for life. But they decided to commit the crime, anyway. Their choice, I'd say.

Sex offenses are not like other crimes. They are particularly heinous and are all about power agains the most vulnerable in our society. If they are pedophiles, it is also about using children to "get off."

A scarlet letter on the forehead? Not really. It's not about punishing them and humiliating them, which is what the scarlet letter was for. It's about letting others know who they are and where they are, so that they can protect the vulnerable in the future from these slimeballs. These people have, after all, shown that vulnerable people are at risk around them. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice....well, you know.

[PeaceNikki]

32. If they are so heinous, they should be in prison, not among us in society.

"Humiliated" or otherwise.

[High Plains]

The Scarlet Letter? Quaint 19th Century criminal justice ideas.

Why don't we bring back the stocks? Public whippings? The guillotine?

[Rabrrrrrr]

42. Yes, but an awful lot of sex "offenders" are neither rapists nor child molesters.

Which are, really, the only two classifications that should be registered.

An 18 year old boy that has sex with his 17 year old girlfriend could be on the list for life, if she decides after their breakup to screw his life over.

A kid caught in the middle of the woods at a park masturbating, completely alone, will be registered for life if the person catching him decides to press charges.

In a "zero tolerance" school, a teacher that hugs a kid - assuming hugging is against the zero tolerance - could end up a registered sex offender.

A couple is completely dysfunctional, but otherwise no danger to anyone else, but the last time the cops got called to the house the wife/girlfriend complained that husband/boyfriend forced a kiss when she didn't want it - he's on the registry for the rest of his life.

And the saddest part of it all is that the scarlet badge doesn't come with explanation - all it says is "sex offender" - so you have no clue if it's a violent rapist or a kid who got caught with the sheep or a cousin when he was 16 or if it's someone who was undressing in their home and forgot to close the shades.

THAT why the sex offender registry is EVIL and IMMORAL the way it is used.

I mean, look at the ridiculously emotionally charged way you are reacting, assuming that a sex offender MUST and CAN ONLY BE a rapist or a child molester. Now multiply that by a population of 300 million. Hopefully you will see how utterly and totally fucking dumb the sex offender registry is.

[benEzra]

43. Stopping your car on the Interstate to take a pee in the woods...

can get you branded a sex offender in most states, as I understand it (public nudity, etc.).

I agree that REAL sex offenders should be behind bars. However, it is my understanding that the vast majority of people on the lists are not rapists or child molesters. Correct me if I'm wrong.

[rzemanfl]

16. Getting out involves waiting TWENTY-FIVE YEARS. These

draconian laws are part of our problems, not separate from them.

[grace0418]

17. I guess the point being made is that many registered sex offenders are on that

list for being 19 and getting caught (consensually) dating a 16-yr-old or some other relatively minor offense. Do you really think that forcing someone like that to pay for the REST of their lives is just? And how CAN they get themselves out of their mess if they aren't even allowed to live under a bridge?

[jberryhill]

34. So you want them free to mess with kids in the daytime

...as long as they are back under the bridge at night.

That's whats so messed up about the situation in Miami.

THE KIDS ARE ONLY OUT IN THE DAYTIME - and these guys only have to be away from them at NIGHT.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

48. So, WHAT exactly do you think should be done with the people mentioned in the article? -nt

[MilesColtrane]

21. Simple solution to keeping them apart from society.

Keep them locked up in jail.

If they are truly deemed to be too dangerous to live integrated into the free world, then the government should be paying for their accommodations separate from it.

[trumad]

22. Great great post

because the alternative is making them live under a bridge, which by this story, they can't even do.

[varkam]

39. Except the problem is...

most are not too dangerous to live integrated into the free world. Recidivism rates are fairly low - lower, at least, than the 70% general recidivism rate. Report recidivism ranges from between 13-20%, depending on which study you look at - though it is likely higher in reality.

[acmavm]

24. Here's my take. Child rapists need to be castrated and incarcerated until

they are too old to get around without a walker. BUT HERE'S THE OTHER PROBLEM:

Quite a few of these schmucks on 'the list' got there with the full connivance of some pretty shrewd 'underage' girls. Girls lying about their age, girls who's parents didn't care about the relationship but the state did, girls with fake IDs and who they meat in a bar so they took it for granted that the girl was old enough.

I am female, I destest, despise, and abhor child predators. But seriously, there are a lot of schumcks who's sexual partner should be on some kind of list as well.

[Warren Stupidity]

28. Yes and lets cut the hands of burglars and stone adulterers too,

Bibilical justice: if it was good enough for then it is good enough for now.

[acmavm]

29. You chose your name well. The Stupidity part is absolutely inspired.

Anyone who preys on kids doesn't need a sexual appendage. And by kids, I mean children. If you read my post, and I don't think that you read many by anyone all the way through before popping off, you would have seen my qualifying statements.

You're just damn luck ignorance isn't a capital offense.

[Warren Stupidity]

33. Anyone who steals doesn't need a hand.

Why stop with child rapists? There are plenty of terrible people we can inflict cruel and unusual punishment on.

"You're just damn luck ignorance isn't a capital offense." there - a perfect example, let's cut the heads off of stupid people - they obviously don't need that appendage.

I think we out to bring back the shaft. A little impalement from anus to throat goes a long way toward creating a safe society.

[trumad]

35. But would of a mistake was made?

and the guy was innocent? What--we just say we're sorry?

[seabeyond]

37. and cutting of the parts of the 18 yr old sex offender screwing his 17 yr old girlfriend

i agree with warrens post and i dont even have stupid in my name. go firgure.

cut out the eyes for lust...... ooooosh sounding so old testament

[dysfunctional press]

36. i'm pretty sure that unwanted castration would fall under "cruel & unusual" punishment.

pretty much unconstitutional.

[Skittles]

47. please tell me you are not in the judicial business

please

[Warren Stupidity]

25. Nothing in the article indicates that all of these people

were convicted of offenses against minors. And yet that is the assumption that is being made in quite a few posts below. Many of these laws make no distinction. Any sex offense gets you on the list.

[Toots]

26. IMO these laws are unconstitutional because they are cruel and "unusual"

If all other felons were treated in the same manner it would be fine but they are not. This punishment is unusual to just a select group of criminal. An eighteen year old boy gets it on with a sixteen year old girl and he is punished for life. This life time punishment is IMO both cruel and unusual..especially the latter..

[proud2BlibKansan]

27. This is just getting silly

Either lock em up for life or let them go. Does any state have halfway houses or similar facilities for sex offenders?

[seabeyond]

30. lock em up for life or let them go... i agree with you n/t

[Timmy5835]

38. Sex offenders are mentally ill

Until we treat this as a mental illness rather then a crime you will NEVER see a solution to this problem.

[varkam]

40. So where are they going to go? I'll tell you where: underground.

That's the problem with ratcheting up the punitive nature of these laws: sex offenders will eventually be forced into a situation where it is almost impossible to comply with the law, and so they either have to go underground or go to prison. Having offenders go underground, not be supervised, and not have access to treatment makes who safer, exactly?

It's not as though these people have never done anything wrong, and it's not as though they shouldn't be punished for their crimes. Of course, many of them have already completed their sentences and yet they are still being punished.

Sometimes I wonder if this country is sacrificing actually working to solve the problem of sexual abuse for sating our own bloodlust.

[helderheid]

41. Where will Mark Foley go???

:shrug:

[rzemanfl]

44. Fancy places in Palm Beach, since Congress won't give FDLE

his computer(s) and he'll never be prosecuted.

[mondo joe]

46. It's purposeful mismanagement on the part of the state. It does no one any good - not the

victims, not potential victims and not the convicted.