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Although I agree that Megan's law could use some updating, I am NOT however happy with the way they courts continue to missuse the sex offender/ sexual predator listing. In Florida, if you pull over on the side of the road to take a leak, you can actually be CHARGED with a sex crime and placed on the states sexual offender's list. If your own kids are in the car, even if they don't see anything, you can be put on the sexual predators list, and have that brand for the rest of your life FOR TAKING A LEAK ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. Personally I think that is taking it too far. I would, and do ALWAYS keep track of our local predators list in our neighborhood, and sourounding areas, but I ALSO check online for the details of the offence. Court recodrs are public acess data, and anyone can check with the courts to get a copy to find out EXACTLY what happened. Some people just see the label and automatically just assume the person is just horrible. A perfect example, and if I can locate the story I will post it here: A 28 year old man was listed on the sexual predators list in Ocala, Florida, and had been since he was 19. When neighbors found out, they posted flyers all over the city, constantly harrased the police about him, wanting him to be kicked out of town. They harrassed his parents, that he lived with, and finally drove the guy to commit suicide. Now on the surface, many people would say good riddance, however dig a little deeper and you will find that he was mentally retarded, and was given the basic mental capacity of a 12 year old, when he was 28 years old. At 19, when he was charged, he was i BELIEVE at some kind of picnic, and was caught masturbating in the bushes by a 9 or 10 year old girl. He was arrested, and taken to court. Even though the state agreed that his mental capacity was near that of the little girl herself, they still were required to put him on the list. Now after that and the rest of his life he was a good citizen, and was never charged with ANY other crimes. BUT when we see that little sign "sexual predator/offender" everyone is quick to jump the gun, and not look at the details FIRST.
Now trust me, if a guy rapes an underage girl, I say give the parents about 20 minutes with him or her in a private room with no windows. So don't think for a second I am defending the sick ones, but always make sure you know the nature of the crime. Ngdawg, if the guy is guilty of the seriousness that it appears to be, I hope that you get the results that you are looking for! Good luck!
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"It is not that I have failed, but that I have found 10,000 ways that it DOESN'T work!" --Thomas Edison
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