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Originally Posted by Blonddie
Many people serve only portions of their sentances and are released. They are not rehabilitated, but are now living amoungst us, that is why this info is available to us.
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I'm just curious if this is a broad general statement or if it is dealing with specific cases. I understand that some people are not rehabilitated. Yes I support a database that shows people who are likely to reoffend.
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Originally Posted by Blonddie
I am not sure where your info is coming from, but I have studied Criminology and I assure you sex offenders have high rates of recidivism, (no not the 18 yr/ who has a 17 yr old g/f), but the rapists, molesters, sodomizers, etc do.
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(Don't take this personally) There is too much data that supports the other argument. Sex offenders simply don't reoffend as much as people commonly believe. Some studies do show that rapists have a higher recidivism rate of all the groups with the incest group having the lowest. Of course I know that numbers can be fudged and that you can use stats to prove any argument, however the amount that is out there for the other argument is mind boggling.
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Originally Posted by Blonddie
As for this causing vigilantism, to be politically correct- no. My personal opinion-- I won't loose any sleep if someone were to go around and kill every rapist, child molester, etc that they find. But that's just me.
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Before I could even begin to agree with such a statement we would have to define what a child molester, etc is. I have no sympathy for rapists or pedophiles, however, in the case of the 18 year old guy with a 15 year old g/f, under the law she is still a child. Is he considered a child molester?
I feel strongly that there are better ways to deal with these types of people than just branding them with the scarlet letter. Rehabilitation could be reformed as well as imposing longer sentences with certain types of crime. Putting their faces on a database lumped together with people who will never do anything again or who were railroaded by the system just isn't the answer. Making them use pink license plates so the next drunk driver who's in a rage can say "Git er done!" and swipe them off the road isn't the answer.
This brings me to another point. (It's a tad off topic but still in the same general scheme of things) How can we expect recidivism rates to go down when the programs for offenders [all kinds not just sexual] aren't there? Think about it, you have someone who made a mistake, now they get out of jail or put on probation and they can't find a job, they can't make a living for themselves, they can't vote [the very core of our freedom in one sense]. It's no wonder that recidivism rates are high. We say here ya go, here's your record, have a nice life and good luck. That just doesn't cut it. If the government were really concerned about reducing crime, they would put some programs in place to help these people maintain jobs and such.
*Yes I know some states do have these types of programs, but I feel they are under-budgeted and often times employed by people who just don't care*
consider this my $.50