New Hampshire lawmakers are again debating measures that would ban communities from restricting where sex offenders can live. Typical restrictions bar sex offenders from living within a half-mile of places where kids gather: Schools, playgrounds, etc. At the risk of offending many readers, particularly those in Dover where sex offender residency requirements were repealed, we cautiously support this position. Full Article
Read MoreDay: March 3, 2015
Fear Dominates Politics, Media and Human Existence in America—And It’s Getting Worse
People cannot think clearly when they are afraid. As numerous studies have shown, fear is the enemy of reason. It distorts emotions and perceptions, and often leads to poor decisions. For people who have suffered trauma, fear messages can sometimes trigger uncontrollable flight-or-fight responses with dangerous ramifications. Yet over time, many interlocking aspects of our society have become increasingly sophisticated at communicating messages and information that produce fear responses. Advertising, political ads, news coverage and social media all send the constant message that people should be afraid—very afraid. Full Article
Read MoreSex Offender Registries Are Not Really Keeping Your Children Safe: Here’s Why
Since the publication of my blog post “Do Sex Offender Registries Reduce Recidivism?,” a question I have been asked is “Paul, isn’t it a good thing that I as a parent knows who is a sex offender living in my neighborhood so I can tell my child to stay away from that person?” My responses are that such knowledge is only a tip of the iceberg, or telling your child about that individual sex offender is like protecting your child with a BB gun; you might get lucky by using…
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