Between 170 and 190 sex offenders live in Craven County following strict guidelines regarding where they can live, visit, work or walk.
Not only does the Sheriff’s department track their daily lives, but they can be tracked by their neighbors or relatives as well, through the North Carolina Sex Offender Registry, a site that will warn residents where the offenders are, what they look like, and of what crime they are convicted. Full Article
This is just Total BS and PURE EVIL from… well… a crappy state govt NC !
People on the registry have done their time and paid the debt. Many have moved on and have families of their own which is important since to successfully rehabilitate requires community and support structure. This type of legislation prohibits that and further separates the offender from society. I would rather see “Smart” legislation be aimed at rehabilitation and counselling as a primary action. I see no attempt at that here. These types of proactive steps have been proven to be effective measures at reducing risk. Whereas the current law increases risk and allows for persecution of people doing normal adult activity with no intent to harm.
Reading articles like this makes me physically ill.
Reading the text of the article it does not seem as too much different from the Florida registration laws. In fact, in a few cases it is even more liberal! And, no one can get of the lifetime registration without a very extensive clemency hearing after many years of clean living, some going back more than 35 years.
How exactly is one supposed to protect themselves from a registrant? What precautions should be taken that are different than those against strangers not on the registry? The article says you can’t use the knowledge to stalk, harass or intimidate. So what do you do? Ignore him? If so, what’s the point of having the registry in the first place?
Oh I know – watch him closely (but don’t stalk). How long of watching someone doing nothing out of the ordinary before that gets old?
“Rehabilitation” isn’t necessary for a large majority of registrants, being one-time offenders. The conviction did all the rehabilitating they need. If they get arrested again, it’ll only be for registry crime (failure to register, etc.). Those that do need help won’t get it from the stupid court-ordered behavior modification model that works so many wonders for substance abusers (/sarc).
So again, what’s the point?