Ride Shotgun with Lake County, Indiana sheriff’s Sgt. Bryan Kersey as he checks to ensure convicted Northwest Indiana sex offenders are complying with state sex-offender registry laws. This special episode of “Riding Shotgun with NWI Cops” was filmed recently in conjunction with a Midwest reporting project titled, “Out of the Shadows: Spotlight on Sex Crimes.” The special report will span multiple newspapers throughout Lee Enterprises’ Midwest news agencies and will be taking a deep look at sex crimes, the offenders, their victims and the effectiveness of state laws and justice systems in dealing with the issue. “Riding Shotgun with NWI Cops” is an ongoing video series produced by The Times of Northwest Indiana. Video filmed by Kale Wilk and produced by Scotia White.
Did you notice what he said at 6:10 in the recording about “a lot of them just wanting to get back to a normal life”? Yet they spent the entire video up to that point making it seem like most of the registrants are breaking the law.
Well, at least that last few seconds is progress. A few years ago I’m sure he would not have admitted it.
Is this the new version of Cops? “Watch you going do when we come for you; be compliant or you’ll be a bad guy. Society has no brains and this will drive them insane. Anything to pass more laws and you’ll never have a normal life.” Don’t see how this will be a good thing. Now cops will drive to registrants home with a village idiot riding shotgun along with their gun.
Must be a slow news cycle with Covid and Presidential election drama all over or they want something to compete with the drama to raise their reading rates with this self-made special series. Time to flood the media company with the facts and data.
Ok, had a little extra time this morning, so it was spent breaking down this scintillating (heavy on the sarcasm”) video:
I. 0-46 (seconds) is spent explaining Operation Deployment Density- In this segment we are taught that if there are more people in a concentrated area it is easier to “visit” more people than if the individuals in question are spread across a larger swath of real estate. Thank you Professor LEO for that breathtaking slice of population analysis.
II. 47 – 1:03 – In this segment we are actually provided with the only piece of data: There are 659 active offenders on the current registry Professor LEO is employing.
III. 1:04-1:30- In this segment, we are provided a time-frame-synopsis of Professor LEO’s professional career in LE (and military).
IV. 1:31-3:18- In this segment, Professor LEO puts on his Psychologist’s hat and explains what it’s like having to deal with “these people” (registrants): “It takes a certain temperament; They (registrants) are not the worst of society…and it isn’t bad as long as you don’t have to get into reading the reports to find out what they did to get placed on here. (registry) So, you have to be able to read this stuff without losing yourself and turning on them because they are still human beings and we still got to deal with them. Not all, but a lot of the offenders have mental deficiencies one way or the other which might or might not have led them to committing that crime.”
Ok, so “they are not the worst of society,” but “they” are the only ones on a Statewide and National registry. And thank you Psychologist LEO for treating registrants like “human beings”; that is just so noble of you. And thank you for being wildly general and uninformative with such insight as, “a lot of the offenders have mental deficiencies …which might or might not have led them to committing that crime.” Damn tough to counter-argue that comprehensively vague report of nebulous
verbosity.
V. 3:19-4:34- In this segment Data Scientist LEO explains the flaws there are regarding cataloguing State and National information for registrants. “We try to keep it as statistically accurate as we possibly can.”
And yet, other than the current number of active registrants, there was not a singular input of data during the six minutes and twenty four seconds of this magnificent (heavy on the sarcasm) video.
VI.- 4:43- 6:11- In this segment Inspector LEO provides a general overview of what happens when a registrant is not home; and what efforts will be made to catch the “problem child” at “their own game for not being up front about where they are living.”
VII. – 6:12- 6:24- In this segment Realist LEO states, “A lot of them (registrants) are following the requirements and just want to fit back into society.”
To recap:
1) Registrants are “not the worst of society.”; but are still legally subjected to being placed on a punishing List.
2) “A lot of the [registrants] suffer from mental deficiencies…” Shouldn’t that be addressed with more than compliance checks during Operation Deployment Density?
3) There are 659 active offenders on their registry, and some have reports that might make those without the proper “temperament” to lose oneself and turn on a registrant. But considering that “a lot of offenders have mental deficiencies” and “a lot” of registrants are following the requirements of the registry, what number of that 659 is comprised of individuals that are truly troubled. I wonder how many of the 659 cases would leave an objective reader asking the following question, “Why the heck is that person on the registry?”
“…and will be taking a deep look at sex crimes, the offenders, their victims and the effectiveness of state laws and justice systems in dealing with the issue.”
LOL. No seriously!? They’re kidding, right??
Will they mention the ineffectiveness of the Registries at reducing the occurrence of sexual offenses? Will they mention the extremely low reoffense rate of those convicted of sexual offenses? Will they mention that the overwhelming number of sexual offenses are perpetrated by individuals known to the victims, most frequently family members or friends, coaches, teachers, religious leaders, etc.? Will they discuss any actual efforts being made to prevent sexual offenses before they occur?? Will they mention the number of minors who are required to register on SORs?? (Oh, they won’t be visiting any minors to verify their registration information?? Why not? Bad for viewership? Offensive? 😒🤔)
I’ll bet you the answer is “No” to each one of these questions!! 😒.
Nonetheless, I will absolutely be writing to these news outlets to pepper them with the above questions and more!!
Every time we see SH#T like this, we must speak up, question, comment, argue!! Make it clear that the Registries are NOT acceptable to MANY of their viewers and readers!!!
WE NEED TO GIVE THEM HELL!!!
👍 Done! 👍 Letter has been sent to Lee Enterprises publisher!!:
RE: News Video series by Scotia White “Out of the Shadows: Spotlight on Sex Crimes” and Lee Enterprises Midwest Editor Marc Chase’s “Sex offenses are something our society just can’t ignore” Editorial piece.
Mr. White,
I am responding to a video series produced by Scotia White “Riding Shotgun with NWI Cops” filmed with a Midwest reporting project titled, “Out of the Shadows: Spotlight on Sex Crimes.” “The special report will span multiple newspapers throughout Lee Enterprises’ Midwest news agencies and will be taking a deep look at sex crimes, the offenders, their victims and the effectiveness of state laws and justice systems in dealing with the issue.”
Marc Chase’s article states “Social ills ….. won’t improve by simply turning away.”
But they also won’t improve by providing the public with a false sense of safety and unconstitutionally continuing to punish people who have already paid their debt to society – which is exactly what sex offense registries do. You are doing your public no benefit by continuing to perpetrate lies, so please start sharing the facts with your readers and viewers.
There’s absolutely no evidence to show that sex offense registries provide any additional safety to the general public. Individuals convicted of sexual offenses have the lowest reoffense rates of any offenders (with the exception of individuals convicted murderers.) Ninety-five percent of all sex offenses are perpetrated by individuals known to the victim – they are perpetrated either family members, friends, teachers, coaches, religious leaders….. NOT Registered offenders.
Will Lee Enterprises Midwest newspapers mention the number of minors (yes, children) who are required to register on SORs?? Will your team be visiting any minors to verify their registration information?? Will you be talking with their families to find out how being on the Registry has affected the child, their education, their social development, bullying, ostracism, future prospects for employment?
Will you interview any of the registrants you meet to find out what life on the registry has done to them with regard to finding a place to live, finding employment, their ability to raise their family??
Will you mention the legal cases in several states where courts have declared sex offense registries unconstitutional??
I hope you will consider – and share with your viewers and subscribers – the findings of these two government law enforcement articles (each from a decade ago):
https://www.ncjrs.gov/app/publications/abstract.aspx?ID=247350
“The overall conclusion is that Megan’s law has had no demonstrated effect on sexual offenses in New Jersey, calling into question the justification for start-up and operational costs. Megan’s Law has had no effect on time to first rearrest for known sex offenders and has not reduced sexual reoffending. Neither has it had an impact on the type of sexual reoffense or first-time sexual offense. The study also found that the law had not reduced the number of victims of sexual offenses.”
https://nij.ojp.gov/topics/articles/sex-offender-registration-and-notification-research-finds-limited-effects-new
Billions of dollars are wasted on Sex Offense Registries. In 2017, the my State spent $140 million to register and monitor 3,500 youth registrants (just youth registrants!) That’s $40,000 per youth registrant per year. Little more than that – only $46,000 – was budgeted for prevention programs and victims’ services. Our country will soon have one million individuals, nationwide, required to register for sex offenses. That totals $40 Billion – yes, $40,000,000,000 – annually to maintain public sex offense registries which have been shown to be of little effectiveness and have been ruled unconstitutional in several recent court decisions.
Will you take the easy route of pandering to public hysteria and sentiment? Or will you present your readers with honest facts and research for their consideration?
– David_______.
NOTE: You are welcome to publish my letter in your “Letters to the Editor” section(s). HOWEVER, please replace my name with simply:
“Registrant”*
*As you may be aware, being listed on the government’s public SOR website makes one an easy target for harassment and violent attacks.
I’d bet my left nut that this particular officer is an overbearing, bullying jerk that likes to make up law as he goes and only toned himself back because he was on camera.
Wow!! The publisher responded to my email in less than an hour, noting that they would research the information I had provided and may be in touch with me in the near future. 👍
“A lot of the offenders have mental deficiencies.”
“They are still human beings and we still got to deal with them.”
WOW.. that really does blow a hole in their “We’re not here to judge” argument!
Also, wife beaters don’t reserve the right to judge anyone!