# Legal to Expose Child Sex Predator to Neighborhood? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 25, 2015, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-to-expose-child-sex-predator-to-neighborhood/720809 "2015-05-25T17:15:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2015, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-to-expose-child-sex-predator-to-neighborhood/720809/61 "2015-05-26T10:45:46Z")
So far, by the OP’s account, his roommate ‘screwing’ him seems to amount to trying to mooch money from him, keeping his security deposit (to which the landlord is perfectly entitled in some cases!), and putting his laundry in the same washer. Some how this demands cruel revenge? And since when does being gay keep you out of prison over fear of rape? What? The OP sounds like a teenager not an adult, to me. That’s some pretty poor power of reasoning, right there! (Of course attempts to compare J Duggar are equally are just as poorly reasoned, in my opinion!) ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2015, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-to-expose-child-sex-predator-to-neighborhood/720809/62 "2015-05-26T12:46:21Z")
Maybe this will kick it into GQ, but - [QUOTE=Loach] Just in case you want an actual answer. In my state it is expressly against the law to use someone’s Megan’s law status to harass them. Each state will have slightly different laws. So yes, in my state you would be breaking the law. [/QUOTE] Putting out flyers with publicly available information does not appear to me to rise to the level of harassment, but IANAL. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2015, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-to-expose-child-sex-predator-to-neighborhood/720809/63 "2015-05-26T13:42:41Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Maybe this will kick it into GQ, but - > Putting out flyers with publicly available information does not appear to me to rise to the level of harassment, but IANAL. > > Regards, > Shodan Lots of information is publicly available. There is a whole world of information at your fingertips. What if you found out through perfectly legal methods your neighbor had done time 20 years ago for theft. Would be harassment to send that information to your neighbors? What if your neighbor starred in a porno? Would it be harassment if you sent the information to your neighbors? It is not relevant if the information could be found if you searched for it. It is your actions that determine if you are committing harassment. It is harassment if the action is being done to alarm or seriously annoy another person. The OP has clearly stated his motives. It is to harass another person. [QUOTE=BlueValley45] I have stated my intention is to further humiliate him. I do not feel guilty about that. I was looking for objective opinion. Period. [/QUOTE] You can’t get clearer than that. Harassment. This is the wording on the NJ Megan’s Law site: > [@](#): > > Prohibitions on Misuse of Registry Information > > Consistent with this public safety purpose of Megan’s Law, the Internet registry law expressly prohibits the use of registry information for the purpose of applying for, obtaining, or denying health insurance, insurance, loans, credit, education, scholarships or fellowships, benefits privileges or services provided by any business establishment (unless for a purpose consistent with the enhancement of public safety), or housing or accommodations. > > The law also makes it a crime, punishable by a term of imprisonment between three and five years and a fine of up to $15,000, to use registry information to commit a criminal offense, and makes it a disorderly persons offense, punishable by a fine of up to $1,000, to use registry information to commit any disorderly persons or petty disorderly persons offense. These charges would be in addition to any charges related to the underlying criminal act committed. Harassment is a disorderly persons offense (misdemeanor). As always, laws differ from state to state. In NJ low risk (tier 1) offenders do not appear on the state website. Moderate (tier 2) and high risk (tier 3) offenders do. That is also different from state to state. ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2015, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-to-expose-child-sex-predator-to-neighborhood/720809/64 "2015-05-26T14:27:49Z")
> [@Poysyn](#): > > If you were honestly concerned about “protecting potential victims” then you would have phoned the police/schools/media while still living there. This is about trying to get back at then person and exact some kind of revenge. > > As far as breaking any laws, I imagine it would depend what exactly you were trying to do, and what you said If he is on the public registry, then it’s highly likely that the police/schools/media already know about him. Do you have any specific reason to believe that he is likely to reoffend? If not, why can’t you let him try to live an honest life? ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2015, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-to-expose-child-sex-predator-to-neighborhood/720809/65 "2015-05-26T14:29:41Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Lots of information is publicly available. There is a whole world of information at your fingertips. What if you found out through perfectly legal methods your neighbor had done time 20 years ago for theft. Would be harassment to send that information to your neighbors? What if your neighbor starred in a porno? Would it be harassment if you sent the information to your neighbors? That’s what I am asking. Is it illegal harassment to disclose public information? > [@](#): > > It is not relevant if the information could be found if you searched for it. It is your actions that determine if you are committing harassment. It is harassment if the action is being done to alarm or seriously annoy another person. The OP has clearly stated his motives. It is to harass another person. My actions, yes. My motives - I don’t think it is that clear. Is the state harassing offenders by publishing their names on a website? That makes the information more publicly available than a neighborhood flyer. > [@](#): > > This is the wording on the NJ Megan’s Law site: > > > [@](#): > > > > Consistent with this public safety purpose of Megan’s Law, the Internet registry law expressly prohibits the use of registry information for the purpose of applying for, obtaining, or denying health insurance, insurance, loans, credit, education, scholarships or fellowships, benefits privileges or services provided by any business establishment (unless for a purpose consistent with the enhancement of public safety), or housing or accommodations. I don’t think the OP is using the registry information to deny health insurance or housing or any of the rest of it. Besides, from the wording of the law, it sounds as if a landlord couldn’t look up a prospective renter on the database and say ‘No, I won’t rent to you because you are a child molester’ rather than "I won’t rent to you because you are a deadbeat or a burglar’. I suppose the OP made a tactical error in saying that she wanted to do this to humiliate rather than pretending it was a public service. But isn’t truth a successful defence? It’s not like she is following this pervert from city to city and calling everyone he meets to warn them that he is a kiddie-diddler. I am not saying I think it is a good idea. I am asking if it is legal, and ISTM that it would be. ‘He is listed on the sex offender registry, but don’t make any special effort to publicize this.’ Why not (legally)? Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2015, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-to-expose-child-sex-predator-to-neighborhood/720809/66 "2015-05-26T14:42:46Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > ‘He is listed on the sex offender registry, but don’t make any special effort to publicize this.’ Why not (legally)? > [@Loach](#): > > Harassment is a disorderly persons offense (misdemeanor). The OP has stated that the sole purpose of the proposed act is to perform harassment. It’s legal for people to go look up the information. It’s illegal to tell people about it specifically to mess with them. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2015, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-to-expose-child-sex-predator-to-neighborhood/720809/67 "2015-05-26T14:56:54Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > That’s what I am asking. Is it illegal harassment to disclose public information? > My actions, yes. My motives - I don’t think it is that clear. Would it be harassment to stand in your yard and yell “Democrat!” at your neighbor every time you see him? Even if he is in fact a democrat? Of course it is. You are doing it to annoy him. > [@Shodan](#): > > Is the state harassing offenders by publishing their names on a website? That makes the information more publicly available than a neighborhood flyer. > I don’t think the OP is using the registry information to deny health insurance or housing or any of the rest of it. Of course you use the first paragraph that I included for completeness even though it is not relevant to this case. It is the second paragraph that is. > [@Shodan](#): > > I suppose the OP made a tactical error in saying that she wanted to do this to humiliate rather than pretending it was a public service. But isn’t truth a successful defence? It’s not like she is following this pervert from city to city and calling everyone he meets to warn them that he is a kiddie-diddler. > > I am not saying I think it is a good idea. I am asking if it is legal, and ISTM that it would be. > > ‘He is listed on the sex offender registry, but don’t make any special effort to publicize this.’ Why not (legally)? The truth is not a defense. This is not a libel case. I think you are confusing it with civil libel. It is harassment if you do something to alarm or seriously annoy someone. You don’t have to lie to do that. So you find out by doing “research” on the internet that your neighbor who for some reason doesn’t want to have anything to do with you did a couple of pornographic videos. You mail out notice to the neighbors to warn them about someone with loose moral character in the area. It’s the truth right? How could there be anything wrong with the truth? The fact that it is public information means that just the disclosure or distribution of the information is not a crime. Telling your neighbor “Guess what I found out about Bob” is not harassment. There may be some grey area beyond that. I am confident that the OP is no where near a grey area. He is describing text book harassment. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2015, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-to-expose-child-sex-predator-to-neighborhood/720809/68 "2015-05-26T15:04:14Z")
On some level, I have to applaud the OP. It’s not often the convicted child molester is the sympathetic character in a story. > [@Shodan](#): > > That’s what I am asking. Is it illegal harassment to disclose public information? It can be. Needless to say, there’s a difference between mentioning something and posting flyers around a neighborhood to ruin someone’s life. ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2015, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-to-expose-child-sex-predator-to-neighborhood/720809/69 "2015-05-26T16:21:17Z")
> [@robert\_columbia](#): > > Do you have any specific reason to believe that he is likely to reoffend? If not, why can’t you let him try to live an honest life? She doesn’t care about that. My God, man. He _put HIS CLOTHES on top of hers in the washer!_ There’s no punishment too heavy for such an egregious offense. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2015, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-to-expose-child-sex-predator-to-neighborhood/720809/70 "2015-05-26T16:26:27Z")
Well, maybe the washing machine has a “missionary position” cycle setting? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2015, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-to-expose-child-sex-predator-to-neighborhood/720809/71 "2015-05-26T16:27:54Z")
> [@faithfool](#): > > She doesn’t care about that. My God, man. He _put HIS CLOTHES on top of hers in the washer!_ There’s no punishment too heavy for such an egregious offense. First, the washing machine gets wet and that makes the dryer hot. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2015, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-to-expose-child-sex-predator-to-neighborhood/720809/72 "2015-05-26T16:40:02Z")
Did you know the dryer he put his wet things in was only _six years old??_ ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2015, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-to-expose-child-sex-predator-to-neighborhood/720809/73 "2015-05-26T17:04:08Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Would it be harassment to stand in your yard and yell “Democrat!” at your neighbor every time you see him? Even if he is in fact a democrat? Of course it is. You are doing it to annoy him. I think distributing flyers is different from yelling in public. Would it be harassment if I printed up flyers mentioning that he is a Democrat? I kind of doubt it, even it was a heavily Republican district. > [@](#): > > Of course you use the first paragraph that I included for completeness even though it is not relevant to this case. It is the second paragraph that is. No offense, but this is kind of begging the question. Yes, it is illegal to use sex registry information to commit the crime of harassment. The question is whether or not publishing flyers is harassment. I rather doubt that publishing flyers about someone’s criminal background is a cut-and-dried example of harassment. > [@](#): > > So you find out by doing “research” on the internet that your neighbor who for some reason doesn’t want to have anything to do with you did a couple of pornographic videos. You mail out notice to the neighbors to warn them about someone with loose moral character in the area. It’s the truth right? How could there be anything wrong with the truth? Do you believe that such notice would constitute harassment? > [@](#): > > The fact that it is public information means that just the disclosure or distribution of the information is not a crime. Telling your neighbor “Guess what I found out about Bob” is not harassment. There may be some grey area beyond that. I am confident that the OP is no where near a grey area. He is describing text book harassment. Well, okay - do you have a cite for a case of someone convicted of harassment for publicizing someone’s sex offender status? [QUOTE=Ethilrist] The OP has stated that the sole purpose of the proposed act is to perform harassment. It’s legal for people to go look up the information. It’s illegal to tell people about it specifically to mess with them. [/QUOTE] Same question - do you have a cite making it illegal to reveal public information on someone to mess with them? Did the reporter who dug up George Bush’s DWI commit harassment? If someone outs a closeted gay, is that harassment? I think people are getting carried away here. There is, at the very least, a gray area. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2015, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-to-expose-child-sex-predator-to-neighborhood/720809/74 "2015-05-26T17:15:13Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Same question - do you have a cite making it illegal to reveal public information on someone to mess with them? Did the reporter who dug up George Bush’s DWI commit harassment? If someone outs a closeted gay, is that harassment? > **[harassment](https://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/harassment)** > > Definition of harassment in the Legal Dictionary by The Free Dictionary > [@](#): > > harassment > (either harris-meant or huh-rass-meant) n. the act of systematic and/or continued **unwanted and annoying actions of one party or a group** , including threats and demands. The purposes may vary, including racial prejudice, personal malice, an attempt to force someone to quit a job or grant sexual favors, apply illegal pressure to collect a bill, or **merely gain sadistic pleasure from making someone fearful or anxious.** Such activities may be the basis for a lawsuit if due to discrimination based on race or sex, a violation on the statutory limitations on collection agencies, involve revenge by an ex-spouse, or be shown to be a form of blackmail (“I’ll stop bothering you, if you’ll go to bed with me”). The victim may file a petition for a “stay away” (restraining) order, intended to prevent contact by the offensive party. A systematic pattern of harassment by an employee against another worker may subject the employer to a lawsuit for failure to protect the worker. (See: harass, sexual harassment) Definition doesn’t seem to give a fig whether the information is legally obtained, true or false. It’s about the reason why the act is performed, and in the case of the OP, it’s pretty clear: > [@BlueValley45](#): > > I have stated my intention is to further humiliate him. I don’t see any gray area. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2015, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-to-expose-child-sex-predator-to-neighborhood/720809/75 "2015-05-26T17:17:47Z")
If there is a situation where the following apply: 1 A gray legal area (at best) 2 Hi Opal 3 The other guy can afford a better lawyer than you. 4 If you gamble wrong you could be out a bunch of money or even worse be convicted of something. 5 The reason for doing X is at best a low return and at worst just being a jerk to get even. Then IMO said course of action is foolish to put it nicely. ---
**Author:** ![BlueValley45](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ba0ec/32.png) [@BlueValley45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlueValley45)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2015, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-to-expose-child-sex-predator-to-neighborhood/720809/76 "2015-05-26T17:20:00Z")
I gave up the idea of trying to get my money back yesterday. All I was going to do was put 2 pages culled from the internet in envelopes and send them to each person in the condo association. No comments from me at all on those pages. That information is fact as published by the state police, the courts and a network affiliate news station. Re-publishing that info cannot be a crime. I was simply looking for affirmation of that. No threats, no demands are stated or implied. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2015, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-to-expose-child-sex-predator-to-neighborhood/720809/77 "2015-05-26T17:21:04Z")
Is sending out a batch of flyers systematic and/or continued? And do you believe that outing Bush’s DWI constituted harassment? Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2015, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-to-expose-child-sex-predator-to-neighborhood/720809/78 "2015-05-26T17:23:16Z")
> [@BlueValley45](#): > > All I was going to do was put 2 pages culled from the internet in envelopes and send them to each person in the condo association. > > No comments from me at all on those pages. That information is fact as published by the state police, the courts and a network affiliate news station. > > Re-publishing that info cannot be a crime. **Ethilrist** and **Loach** would appear to disagree. I’m not so sure. That still doesn’t make it a good idea. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2015, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-to-expose-child-sex-predator-to-neighborhood/720809/79 "2015-05-26T17:24:55Z")
Do you think Bush’s past as a public figure gets the same legal level of consideration as Joe Blow? ---
**Author:** ![BlueValley45](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ba0ec/32.png) [@BlueValley45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlueValley45)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2015, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-to-expose-child-sex-predator-to-neighborhood/720809/80 "2015-05-26T17:25:47Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Is sending out a batch of flyers systematic and/or continued? And do you believe that outing Bush’s DWI constituted harassment? > > Regards, > Shodan No as stated it’s about 10 envelopes, one time thing. Bush is a public figure, was it not public information? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-to-expose-child-sex-predator-to-neighborhood/720809.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-to-expose-child-sex-predator-to-neighborhood/720809.md?page=5)