Nearly half of the county’s cities have adopted the ‘child safety zone’ law that bans sex offenders from parks, beaches, playgrounds and hiking trails. Critics say it’s an ineffective feel-good measure.
LA Times article mentioning California RSOL. Read more and comment.
Did I miss something here? What does a Vietnamese sex slave, etc., have to do with parks and beaches??????????? More crazy, flawed logic. Why is it that DAs today have become so corrupt?
I agree with Joe completely. The Orange County ordinance as well as the ordinances passed by the cities within that county do not protect the public because they are based on 4 myths: (1) all registrants have assaulted children, (2) a large percentage of registrants re-offend, (3) strangers asaault children, and (3) assaults of children occur in public places.
The facts are (1) most registrants have NOT assaulted children, (2) only 5 percent of registrants commit a second sexual offense, (3) more than 85 percent of those who assault children are family members or are known to the children such as teachers, coaches and clergy and (4) less than 7 percent of assaults on children occur in a public place such as a park.
These laws remind me of a joke in which a man loses his keys on the south side of the road, but looks for them on the north side of the road because there is a street light on the north side. These laws could be viewed as a joke except for the fact that they are runing the lives of 92,000+ registrants as well as their family members.
The public, and society in general, are driven by fear and emotion. With mass media promoting laws and regulations and the like using specific offenses and playing is as if all offenders are the same way is what is being used to get such laws and regulations passed. Television is definitely being used as a weapon of mass distraction and deception. I agree with Janice whole-heartedly on the facts.
I live in Vermont which has resisted the urge to enact such punitive measures (thank God!). But, it occurs to me that the only effective way to fight these ordinances will be civil disobedience. If there are 92,000 RSO’s in California, how many are willing to “occupy” a park, and risk imprisonment? The State cannot long afford to imprison hundreds of persons who are doing nothing but strolling in the park and demonstrating to all the absurdity of such laws.
I recently wrote a Letter to The Editor in the Sacramento Bee. A girls body was found in a park, but no signs of sexual abuse. The police questioned and cleared sex offenders who lived around the park. Thankfully, my letter was in the paper and I was able to shed some light on the facts, such as living restrictions do not stop sex crimes as most sex crime victims are abused by someone they know. Sex offenders have a recidivism rate of 3 percent to 5.5 percent. I also pointed out that there were no signs of sexual abuse, but plenty of obvious signs of violence, but people who have a history of violence were not questioned.
Although I did not touch anyone, my conviction did involve children. Pure stinkin’ thinkin’. 311.11(a)… Made a stupid decision a few years ago, should I really suffer for the rest of my life?
No, you should not be required to suffer for the rest of your life! You have paid your debt to society and it’s now time for you to become a productive member of society. We need a tiered registry that would allow most individuals to leave the registry in 10 or 20 years depending upon their offense.
Vox, the organization is willing to lead civil disobedience. We need registrants, family members and supporters to join us! Anyone interested?
Janice, explain the plan please. If I can participate without risk of losing my job I will.
I just have one question, are YOU the one, going to be held responsible for anyone of these RSO’s if they have the URGE to hurt a child? I would like an answer!!!
Janice how do I contact you I have some issues I would like to discuss with you.
Lynne- the recidivism rate is extremely low for RSO’s. So it’s not likely that most RSO’s will re-offend and the majority of the SO’s who have to register have not committed a crime involving children. Please educate yourself on the facts and not just your emotions!
Diana- THE RECIDIVISM RATE of RSO’s REOFFENDING IS NOT LOW, THAT IS A FACT,NOT MY EMOTIONS. I HAVE WORKED IN THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS FOR OVER 20 YEARS, AND HAVE ACCESS TO THEIR CRIME LOG IN MY DEPARTMENT, AND SEE WHAT HORRIFIC THINGS THESE SO CALLED PEOPLE HAVE DONE TO ADULTS AND CHILDREN. ALSO ABOUT 75% OF THE RSO’S RETURN TO PRISON. SO “DIANA” YOU NEED TO GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT BEFORE YOU START CRYING FOR THE RIGHTS OF THESE SO CALLED PEOPLE.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!