Limiting Sex Offender Registry to Rape and Child Molestation.

[robert_columbia]

@Blaster_Master

…Either way, I think if someone hasn’t paid their debt or is still dangerous, we shouldn’t be setting them free and we should make the penalties harsher. I think part of the problem is that a lot of these other crimes have pretty stiff penalties, but a lot of the sex related ones aren’t harsh enough, so we add these other provisions…If they just flat refuse to allow any registered sex offender, it seems rather unfair. What if someone was forced to register for something he did 20 years ago, but has stayed clean since then? Is he still a danger?..

@TheSeaOtter

The solution to serial child molesters is to put them in prison, until such time (if any) that we’re confident they won’t reoffend. If for some reason we’re not doing that, that’s a problem, but the solution doesn’t involve a Public List of People Who Need To Be Punished More.

@Jragon

…On the other hand, most rapes (not sure about molestations) are done by an incredibly small number of serial offenders, so given the fact that most people who do will do it again, having them on a registry has more of a purpose than it does for, say, murder…

These.

One problem, however, is determining what convicts are significantly dangerous and which are not. One major problem is political - even if a politician wants to sponsor or sign a more sensible registry bill, they know that it’s not always perfect - and if their opponent can place the blame for releasing Johnny B. UsedToDiddleKids who went on to reoffend on the new policy, then bye bye career. There’s much more hell to pay for releasing one offender who goes on to reoffend than imprisoning or registering ten who wouldn’t have offended even if they had been released.

What criteria do you use for dangerousness? I know that there has been some statistical research - but do you then trust a number that’s based on only a dozen or so variables? “Oh yeah, #24601, your risk assessment comes out to 33%, you need a 30% or below to get off the registry, bummer, man! I know you took that class in ethics last spring, but they took that variable out the risk protocol as of last month. Sucks to be you!”