President Bush, joined by "America's Most Wanted" host John Walsh, signed a new law Thursday that requires convicted child molesters to be listed on a national Internet database and face a felony charge for failing to update their whereabouts.
Wonder if I'm included in that.
-------------------- "The French have a saying: 'mise en place'—keep everything in its fucking place!"
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-------------------- Justice inclines her scales so that wisdom comes at the price of suffering. -Aeschylus, Agamemnon
Registered: Aug 2002
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posted
IL and MI both have sites up, they both show the exact name of the offense, which is nice.
Shik, the bad news is that you will probably be listed, there doesn't seem to be any good news other than the charge will be there also, or should be, so you shouldn't get lumped in with guys that raped 5 year olds.
I would check out the law to be certain, but the people need to feel safe so the law will probably be a pain in the ass. A great 'victory' for the Bush and the Repubes.
-------------------- "You are a terrible human, Ritten." Magnus "Urgh, you are a sick sick person..." Austin Powers A leek too, pretty much a negi.....
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posted
A lot (if not most) states already have their own databases available. This will just have everything in one place.
Personally, I see this as a good thing. Alabama's own list was one of the first things I checked when looking for a place for my family to live recently.
And don't think I don't know about the other side of this - my best friend from high school (he graduated Valedictorian, I was Salutatorian) is on Georgia's list.
posted
It was obscene internet contact with a child, who was actually an undercover cop. He was lucky that he only got probation, because since then, Georgia instituted a mandatory 10 year jail sentence (minimum).
This may sound like I'm talking out of both sides of my mouth, but since I know him very well and know at least his side of the story (he says he thought that he was talking with an adult), I have no problem having him around my kids. Of course, I'd still like to whap him upside the head for being an idiot in the first place!
quote:Originally posted by B.J.: A lot (if not most) states already have their own databases available. This will just have everything in one place.
Personally, I see this as a good thing. Alabama's own list was one of the first things I checked when looking for a place for my family to live recently.
And don't think I don't know about the other side of this - my best friend from high school (he graduated Valedictorian, I was Salutatorian) is on Georgia's list.
B.J.
I too see this as a good thing. I mean it least shows that there are people who still care enough to protect children from actual threats like child molesters. Now if they'd only reform the foster care system and child protective services...
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posted
AH, but tha's where this law shines- it (in part) mandates background checks for all foster care providers and sets a fixed standard on adoption applicants. Prior to this, there were huge variations between states on who could be a foster care provider- indeed, the biggest scam in the children's services has been scumbags having five or six foster kids- to collect the government stipend- and abusing the children or treating as virtual slaves.
But the database is scary too- there are literally hundreds of slackers calling themself "Jason Caldwell" out there- who's to say that one of those guys is not on the list? What protects me from being mistaken for them?
Surely the list can not post the convicted's (and presumably released back into society) social security numbers or photos? Either would make a target for "mob justice" out of anyone on the list whenever a child disapears. There has to be a comprimise between "having served a debt to society" and this scarlett letter treatment.
-------------------- Justice inclines her scales so that wisdom comes at the price of suffering. -Aeschylus, Agamemnon
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posted
Yeah, I'm all for protecting children, but I also believe that after a person has served out his/her sentence in penalty for an offense, he/she should be accepted back into society and not have to face further (legislated) consequences. And this online database does indeed smack of Minority Report-esque Information AgeTM scariness.
-MMoM
-------------------- The flaws we find most objectionable in others are often those we recognize in ourselves.
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Cartman
just made by the Presbyterian Church
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posted
"What protects me from being mistaken for them?"
Why, the totally infallible government-appointed people who manage and control access to the database, of course. What's the matter? Don't you trust them to carefully review requests for information before handing it out? Or do you perhaps have something to hide? DO YOU?
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posted
Let me get back to you on that, after I burn my Anarchist's Cookbook.
-------------------- Justice inclines her scales so that wisdom comes at the price of suffering. -Aeschylus, Agamemnon
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posted
Well, I don't know about the federal list, but I know the list they have here in St. Louis County has addresses on it. In fact, I just noticed that there's someone on there in the same apartment complex I recently moved to.
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posted
Yes, the adresses would be a good clue, except if this other Jason is listed as non compliant, then you could have issues.
The other thing is the photo that most include, so, unless it is a freakish twin incident you should be okay.
-------------------- "You are a terrible human, Ritten." Magnus "Urgh, you are a sick sick person..." Austin Powers A leek too, pretty much a negi.....
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