Hard to believe it's been over a year
Well, hard to believe that it's been over a year since I started this. Lack of news? No, there's been plenty of that. Lack of interest? Can't hardly say that either, since there's always something new going on that has the potential to affect my life. How about lack of time? That's very possibly a real good reason for part of that time, since work seems to keep me really busy.
Some people who have come across this lately have probably wondered what's happened with my life lately. Strangely enough, very little. After the initial flurry of excitement and worry with the internet publication of the Megan's Law database, there's been nothing else. I haven't had neighbors storming my front yard, I haven't had signs posted anywhere, I haven't even heard a peep from anyone about it.
So you'd think my anxiety would have settled down and I would be living a more normal life now. Well, you'd be wrong. It seems that California politicians have decided to jump on the bandwagon with so many other states in the country and establish exclusion zones for sex offender. I guess the thought is "since we can't keep them under lock and key, let's tell them there are places they can't be".
Let's face it, all this does is hurt those RSO's who are trying to put their life back together and live a quiet, peaceful life. Do you really think that this law is going to have an impact on anyone who might already have criminal intent in mind? "Ohh, I want to molest that child, but since I can't go in the park maybe I'd better not." Somehow I don't think that comment is ever going to cross the mind of any sex offender who's willing to commit another crime.
Of course, you can look at the other side. "Gee, I'd like to go to the park and play with my kids, but since they passed that law I can't even get near there."
Or how about this one "I've owned my home and lived here for 15 years, but now they're going to tell me that I have to move because now I'm too close to a school."
Both thoughts from honest, currently law-abiding EX-offenders that are now going to be dinged because of the hysteria of the masses that has been so effectively drummed up from the media and politicians. Let's face it, most people just simply react to what they hear and accept what they are told by the media, and what the media is saying right now is that RSO's are the scum of the earth, they have the highest recidivism rate of any criminal, and they are simply a time-bomb waiting to go off. The people never stop to think for themselves and realize the truth. Never stop to think that if what the media are currently saying is true there wouldn't be a boy or girl under 14 who hasn't been molested at least once. They never stop to think that if the recidivism rate was really as high as they say there would be hundreds arrested every day, and the press would be screaming that fact to prove there's an even bigger problem.
Most RSO's are simply people who have made a mistake in the past, done something they sincerely regret now, and are simply trying to get through life. Certainly there's some that should be locked up and the key thrown away, but don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. The real truth, what the general media doesn't want you to find out, is that the recidivism rate for RSO's is the second lowest for all criminal categories, at around 5 to 7 percent over the first five years.
But you shouldn't take my word for it, any more than you should listen to the media. Read the reports from the Department of Justice. Look at the studies that have been done. Find out the truth about just how evil these RSO's really are before you make a rush to judgment.
Some people who have come across this lately have probably wondered what's happened with my life lately. Strangely enough, very little. After the initial flurry of excitement and worry with the internet publication of the Megan's Law database, there's been nothing else. I haven't had neighbors storming my front yard, I haven't had signs posted anywhere, I haven't even heard a peep from anyone about it.
So you'd think my anxiety would have settled down and I would be living a more normal life now. Well, you'd be wrong. It seems that California politicians have decided to jump on the bandwagon with so many other states in the country and establish exclusion zones for sex offender. I guess the thought is "since we can't keep them under lock and key, let's tell them there are places they can't be".
Let's face it, all this does is hurt those RSO's who are trying to put their life back together and live a quiet, peaceful life. Do you really think that this law is going to have an impact on anyone who might already have criminal intent in mind? "Ohh, I want to molest that child, but since I can't go in the park maybe I'd better not." Somehow I don't think that comment is ever going to cross the mind of any sex offender who's willing to commit another crime.
Of course, you can look at the other side. "Gee, I'd like to go to the park and play with my kids, but since they passed that law I can't even get near there."
Or how about this one "I've owned my home and lived here for 15 years, but now they're going to tell me that I have to move because now I'm too close to a school."
Both thoughts from honest, currently law-abiding EX-offenders that are now going to be dinged because of the hysteria of the masses that has been so effectively drummed up from the media and politicians. Let's face it, most people just simply react to what they hear and accept what they are told by the media, and what the media is saying right now is that RSO's are the scum of the earth, they have the highest recidivism rate of any criminal, and they are simply a time-bomb waiting to go off. The people never stop to think for themselves and realize the truth. Never stop to think that if what the media are currently saying is true there wouldn't be a boy or girl under 14 who hasn't been molested at least once. They never stop to think that if the recidivism rate was really as high as they say there would be hundreds arrested every day, and the press would be screaming that fact to prove there's an even bigger problem.
Most RSO's are simply people who have made a mistake in the past, done something they sincerely regret now, and are simply trying to get through life. Certainly there's some that should be locked up and the key thrown away, but don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. The real truth, what the general media doesn't want you to find out, is that the recidivism rate for RSO's is the second lowest for all criminal categories, at around 5 to 7 percent over the first five years.
But you shouldn't take my word for it, any more than you should listen to the media. Read the reports from the Department of Justice. Look at the studies that have been done. Find out the truth about just how evil these RSO's really are before you make a rush to judgment.
posted by ObservationsOnLife at 3:57 PM
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