# A registered sex offender moved in near my house. What, if anything, should I do? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [August 8, 2007, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-registered-sex-offender-moved-in-near-my-house-what-if-anything-should-i-do/414887 "2007-08-08T17:58:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2007, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-registered-sex-offender-moved-in-near-my-house-what-if-anything-should-i-do/414887/81 "2007-08-11T23:21:18Z")
What exactly do you think a low recidivism rate proves? Not much. It only shows that child molesters are less likely to be _convicted_ again. It does not prove that they are less likely to commit acts of pedophilia again. And the cite I provided shows that they do not tend to lose this inclination. Child molestation is a crime committed in private, where the only witness is usually going to be a minor child – a child who may be persuaded to remain silent, or who may not be believed, or who may not even fully understand what is happening. Think of all the victims of abuse by Catholic priests who never came forward until they were adults, until _after_ the scandal broke. Recidivism rates prove nothing because child molesters routinely get away with their crimes. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2007, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-registered-sex-offender-moved-in-near-my-house-what-if-anything-should-i-do/414887/82 "2007-08-11T23:38:37Z")
[QUOTE=spoke-] What exactly do you think a low recidivism rate proves? Not much. It only shows that child molesters are less likely to be _convicted_ again. [/QUOTE] So you think convicted child molesters are more careful than other convicted felons? Because your theory would apply to them as well, which makes my statistics valid, all things being equal. Yes, many convicted child molesters are not caught when they reoffend; but neither are many convicted burglars, car thieves and murderers. We can compare the statistics and reasonably conclude that child molesters reoffend less often than other felons. You still have not presented any evidence to show otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2007, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-registered-sex-offender-moved-in-near-my-house-what-if-anything-should-i-do/414887/83 "2007-08-11T23:44:50Z")
Burglars leave fingerprints; they fence their stolen goods; they may talk about their crimes to others, or commit them with a gang (any one of whom may spill the beans). Rapists have adult victims who can testify. Bank robbers are routinely caught. Drug dealers have to network to commit their crimes. With a child molestor, there is one witness. One witness who very well may remain silent. Do you really not see the point I’m making, or are you being purposely obtuse? ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2007, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-registered-sex-offender-moved-in-near-my-house-what-if-anything-should-i-do/414887/84 "2007-08-11T23:46:35Z")
[QUOTE=spoke-] Do you really not see the point I’m making, or are you being purposely obtuse? [/QUOTE] I see that you have only your personal opinion as your cite. That and a dollar will buy you a cup of coffee. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2007, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-registered-sex-offender-moved-in-near-my-house-what-if-anything-should-i-do/414887/85 "2007-08-11T23:48:55Z")
[QUOTE=Fear Itself] I see that you have only your personal opinion as your cite. That and a dollar will buy you a cup of coffee. [/QUOTE] Cite for _what_? Which of my points do you believe needs a cite? ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2007, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-registered-sex-offender-moved-in-near-my-house-what-if-anything-should-i-do/414887/86 "2007-08-11T23:56:07Z")
[QUOTE=spoke-] Cite for _what_? Which of my points do you believe needs a cite? [/QUOTE] > [@](#): > > That may only prove that it’s much harder to catch and convict a child molestor. Please show your work. ---
**Author:** ![the\_PC\_apeman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ac8455/32.png) [@the\_PC\_apeman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_PC_apeman)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2007, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-registered-sex-offender-moved-in-near-my-house-what-if-anything-should-i-do/414887/87 "2007-08-11T23:57:31Z")
**Southern Yankee** , the stress this seems to be causing you is unfortunate. Now that you’ve experienced this aspect of this notification law (policy?), I wonder if it changes your feelings about it? Would change it in any way? If there was just easy public access to the registry but no active notification, would you have gone to look who’s nearby? ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2007, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-registered-sex-offender-moved-in-near-my-house-what-if-anything-should-i-do/414887/88 "2007-08-11T23:59:00Z")
**Fear Itself** , I already showed you the circumstances that make it more difficult to catch and convict a child molester than to catch and convict other felons. And now I’m pretty sure you’re just being obtuse. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2007, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-registered-sex-offender-moved-in-near-my-house-what-if-anything-should-i-do/414887/89 "2007-08-11T23:59:59Z")
[QUOTE=spoke-] Now I’m pretty sure you’re being obtuse. [/QUOTE] Now I am pretty sure you don’t have anything to support your position. ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2007, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-registered-sex-offender-moved-in-near-my-house-what-if-anything-should-i-do/414887/90 "2007-08-12T00:27:06Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by **the PC apeman** > > Southern Yankee, the stress this seems to be causing you is unfortunate. Now that you’ve experienced this aspect of this notification law (policy?), I wonder if it changes your feelings about it? Would change it in any way? If there was just easy public access to the registry but no active notification, would you have gone to look who’s nearby? That’s an interesting question. I did have to go and register for the notifications, so I suppose I did want to know. Information is power, right? I do think it’s better to know than not know, but it does bring up the question of my OP: what to do with that information. If anyone is interested anymore, what I will most likely do in response to this specific information (not impacting normal parental teaching regarding strangers, inappropriate touching, etc.) is simply: [ul] [li]Alert the neighbors of the information[/li][li]Drive by the person’s home to identify his vehicle(s) if possible[/li][li]Contact the Sheriff to see if any more details are available[/li][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2007, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-registered-sex-offender-moved-in-near-my-house-what-if-anything-should-i-do/414887/91 "2007-08-12T01:53:31Z")
[QUOTE=spoke-] So get back to us when _you’ve_ proven that a pedophile can be “reformed.” [/QUOTE] Is a pedophile different from any other criminal? Can all other criminals be reformed except peds? If none can be reformed, why do we let any criminals out of jail, ever, if they’re guilty until death? Why don’t we have a burglars, murderers and embezzlers list that can be accessed online? ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2007, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-registered-sex-offender-moved-in-near-my-house-what-if-anything-should-i-do/414887/92 "2007-08-12T02:13:30Z")
[QUOTE=Musicat] Is a pedophile different from any other criminal? [/quote] Yes, in a fundamental way. They are driven by a biological urge (misdirected though it may be). I don’t know of anyone who has a biological urge to commit burglary or embezzlement. ---
**Author:** ![dgrdfd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@dgrdfd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dgrdfd)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2007, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-registered-sex-offender-moved-in-near-my-house-what-if-anything-should-i-do/414887/93 "2007-08-12T02:17:38Z")
edit ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2007, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-registered-sex-offender-moved-in-near-my-house-what-if-anything-should-i-do/414887/94 "2007-08-12T02:34:15Z")
[QUOTE=spoke-] Yes, in a fundamental way. They are driven by a biological urge (misdirected though it may be). [/QUOTE] Do you just make this stuff up as you go along? Or is the evidence for this “biological urge” so obvious, you aren’t going to post a cite for this either? ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2007, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-registered-sex-offender-moved-in-near-my-house-what-if-anything-should-i-do/414887/95 "2007-08-12T02:39:02Z")
Do you really need a cite that sex is a biological urge? ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2007, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-registered-sex-offender-moved-in-near-my-house-what-if-anything-should-i-do/414887/96 "2007-08-12T02:42:38Z")
[QUOTE=spoke-] Do you really need a cite that sex is a biological urge? [/QUOTE] I need a cite that child molesting is a biological urge. Please show medical evidence showing what organ this urge is generated by, and what biological mechanism directs pedophiles to seek out children. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2007, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-registered-sex-offender-moved-in-near-my-house-what-if-anything-should-i-do/414887/97 "2007-08-12T02:46:58Z")
And to this I say :rolleyes: Which organ(s), do _you_ suppose, generate the sex drive? And do you really need a cite that pedophiles are sexually attracted to children? I mean, isn’t that the _definition_ of pedophile? ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2007, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-registered-sex-offender-moved-in-near-my-house-what-if-anything-should-i-do/414887/98 "2007-08-12T02:50:10Z")
[QUOTE=spoke-] And do you really need a cite that pedophiles are sexually attracted to children? I mean, isn’t that the _definition_ of pedophile? [/QUOTE] Eating is a biological urge; eating sushi is not. Sex is a biological urge; sex with children is not. Get it? ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2007, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-registered-sex-offender-moved-in-near-my-house-what-if-anything-should-i-do/414887/99 "2007-08-12T02:51:19Z")
[QUOTE=Fear Itself] Sex is a biological urge; sex with children is not. [/QUOTE] Well, not unless you’re a pedophile. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2007, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-registered-sex-offender-moved-in-near-my-house-what-if-anything-should-i-do/414887/100 "2007-08-12T02:53:44Z")
[QUOTE=spoke-] Well, not unless you’re a pedophile. [/QUOTE] I see no evidence that is true. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-registered-sex-offender-moved-in-near-my-house-what-if-anything-should-i-do/414887.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-registered-sex-offender-moved-in-near-my-house-what-if-anything-should-i-do/414887.md?page=6)