Do you have a cite to back all this up, that the majority of sex offenses listed are merely “statutory”?
“Statutory” offenses are probably less common that you’d think if you believe that no minor can consent to sex. Eighteen is on the high side for an age of consent–sixteen and seventeen are more common. Further many states have age gap exceptions (a/k/a “Romeo and Juliet Laws”), so that teenagers can often effectively consent to sex with one another:
The result is that the eighteen-year-old having sex with the seventeen-year-old is legal in most states.
It is also worth pointing out that many (and, I think, almost certainly, most) actual forcible rapists, although certainly sex offenders and certainly very wicked, are not pedophiles. They have raped adult women. The OP implies that “sex offender” = “pedophile.” It certainly does not.
Another mistake, which the OP does not make, but which some other commentators seem to be assuming, is that “pedophile” = “child rapist.” I doubt that even most convicted pedophiles, even though they will have done something nasty, have actually raped (sexually penetrated) a child.
My wife is part of the local citizen patrol, so we get and read every notice about sex offenders in our neighborhood (here in western Washington).
There was one guy who almost fit the description of what you’re saying. He was 17, she was 15, they were both doing drugs and alcohol and she claimed rape. I thought “I’d give him the benefit of the doubt on that one.” But at 19, he was caught with another 15 year old and who’d been raped and beaten . At 21, he raped two sisters who were 13 and 15. By this point, I’m wondering why they let him out in the first place.
I have NEVER seen a notice for someone who could be in the “Oops, I didn’t check her ID” category. By the time you make it onto a public list, it’s not an accident.
Now, lesser offenses would still show up on a background check, so it might keep you from working with a school, church, law enforcement, etc. Those are not public information, though.
No, never said that. But in CA, only 20% are “High Risk”. When I get to work Mon, I’ll try and find some cites.
I just looked up the sex offenders in my neighborhood. All but one of the offenders were level 2 & 3 offenders. The level 1 offender was a non-compliant child molester, 1st degree, 59 yrs old. The rest were rapists and child molesters. When I look up the offenders in my entire city, almost every one of the 236 listed is down for child molestation, rape, kidnapping, or indecent liberties. There are no statutory rapes, lewd conducts or indecent exposures or any other minor crimes except for a Voyeurism. I don’t know if they just aren’t included in these rolls, or what. Registered sex offenders in Seattle, Washington - crimes listed, registry-based, living in this city
According to this:
http://www.co.clark.wa.us/sheriff/community/offenders.html
Information on Level I sex/kidnap offenders is shared with other law enforcement agencies. Upon request, relevant, necessary, and accurate information may be released to members of the public. Such request shall be in writing and shall contain the reason(s) for the request. Sex/Kidnap Offender registration information on Level I sex/kidnap offenders may not be generally disseminated unless the level I offender is listed as a transient or has an active arrest warrant.
So there may be thousands of them, just that you won’t see them, unless they are non-complaint.
One guy was convicted of a class F 2nd Degree Sodomy, which indicates an attempt, not an actual sex act. At a min sentence of 20 months, he can’t have been all that dangerous.
Many were convicted of 9A.44.100 - Indecent liberties., which is a very broad brush. Another one convicted of CA UNLAWFUL SEX W/MINOR 99999-Out of State Conviction, which appears to mean what you call statutory rape. They don’t use that term anyone, afaik. Several have no crime listed, like Turner etc.
Several convicted of Communication With Minor For Immoral Purposes, ie naughty emails. Several convicted of Voyeurism. I saw some convicted of Indecent Exposure, which is exactly the sort of non-dangerous pervert I was talking about. Flasher? Urinating in Public? Who knows?
Here’s a thought. Why don’t we have “yellow pages” for other criminals?
The Big Book of Robbers in Your Block
Convicted Embezzlers Annual roundup
Murderers (includes attempted), with subcategories by weapon of choice
Drug Dealers and kinds of drugs used
But we don’t know why he wasn’t successful. Is a rapist any less dangerous because someone else walks in the room and prevents them from doing it?
The problem is to do this you need to know their secret knock.
So how do you get it? You have to Google around till you find a torrent site or an eMule hash and then download it. Since the secret sex offender knock is copyrighted you are then guilty of a crime and can be sued. So now the sex offender conspiricy has you in their power. Join forces or we’ll sue.
Then you download the illegal file which gives you instructions on their very secret knock. Only then can you visit a registered sex offender.
The other way is confess to killing Jon-Benet Ramsey. Not only do you learn the secret knock in jail, you get free airplane rides from anywhere in the world to the USA
ATTEMPTED sex crimes are charged at one class lower than the actual completed crime. So lower sentence. Had the act been completed, more assault could have followed. That victim could be dead. The act was interrupted. Don’t minimize it because of the length of sentence handed down.
The Communication with a Minor for Immoral Purposes criminals listed are almost all much older men, caught before the act took place. I doubt anyone believes they would have stopped themselves if the minor was persuaded to hook up. Most would consider this a bad crime.
In Washington, Felony Indecent Exposure doesn’t mean “accidental exposure” (most exposure is classified “Lewd Conduct” - such as nude sunbathing - I don’t know why the terminology is misleading). Indecent Exposure is normally a misdemeanor. Felony Indecent Exposure means repeated open and obscene exposure of his or her person, or such exposure after a previous sex offense. So usually a repeat flasher.
Voyeurs - 4 out of 236, less than 2%.
Again, the VAST majority of sex offenders on public lists are not the drunks peeing in alleys or 18-year-olds having sex with their 17-year-old girlfriends.
EEEW, you’re just SICK!!one!!eleven!!! [jots down note to self: Check with people who have already been convicted of crime I’m planning. Ask for advice on how to not get caught. Wonderfully good idea!!!]
Ok, but again, there was no actual rape. Maybe he would, maybe not.
And, here, sure, maybe he’s a pervert flasher. But does that make him dangerous?
Still, they are on the list. Why is a voyeur class as a dangerous sex offender?
And this list did not include any Class 1 offenders except the rare ones who are transients, etc. In CA, there are many more of them that the others. So, they are still registered sex offenders, who in this case become Class 2 when they become homeless.
Synchronicity: I was just watching a That 70’s Show rerun today …
Hyde: No, I got busted for possession.
Leo: Heh. Join the club, man.
Hyde: Yeah, thanks, Leo.
Leo: No, really. We meet every Thursday at 8. We’re saving up for a field trip to Amsterdam.