There are good reasons to reconsider some aspects of the 1994 Crime Bill, because we’ve had a chance to see the unintended consequences.
One feature of the 1994 law that has had baleful unanticipated effects was the adoption of sex-offender registries. At the time, experts advised that sex offenders never reformed. To protect the community from those found guilty of such offenses after their return to society, registries would require them to identify themselves (sometimes even with signs in their windows). Understandably, penalties were particularly harsh for anyone who harmed a child sexually.
What the law’s authors didn’t anticipate is that children themselves would be caught up in this net. The Juvenile Law Center in Philadelphia has been studying those effects. Full Opinion Piece
OMNIBUS94 is getting some attention by media lately. Too bad the electronic die has already been cast. 1994 was the year the people decided to begin enslaving ( evil) humans to databases and their maintenance. The data mandated, by law, is personal information concerning the day to day whereabouts and doings of individuals, family and associates, all stored and available for use, by whoever, or what ever. Simply put, a market feature is the widespread availability of personal information as a commodity.
Not an easy idea to SELL in the 90s but BIG brother found a way. Once again the author reaches to rescue kids, but this time not from the offender but from the database itself.
Kinda makes me shake my head in confusion as no doubt she still applauded the core concept that some( so evil) humans MUST be made subservient because it is NEEDED. She still erroneously believes our leadership was thinking about kids. Nothing could be further from the truth and indentured kids are proof enough it was about the machine and it’s potential uses. ” Something else afoot! ” Indeed.
Apparently comments on the article is restricted to subscribers. Some thoughts nevertheless….
“Should a youthful offense or stupid mistake carry a lifetime punishment?” – Should ANY offense or stupid mistake carry a lifetime punishment? Other than, say, murder? And yay for the “punishment” part 🙂
“Children who have been labeled sex offenders often struggle to lead normal lives after serving time.” – ANYONE who has been labeled sex offenders often struggle to lead normal lives after serving time. Or completed probation – as their offense was so terrible it warranted zero incarceration.
“But surely some of the injustices — like imposing lifelong pariah status on children — cry out for correction.” – But surely some of the injustices — like imposing lifelong pariah status on those convicted of an arbitrary type of crime — cry out for correction. Why don’t they?
Why is any of this deemed only applicable to minors?
Wait – what am I missing again? The article is questioning whether children should suffer from this “punishment ” for the rest of their lives. I thought the registry wasn’t punishment and only administrative? I am confused!