Quote:
Originally posted by HotDamnImAPhiMu
I think the system we have going now is unconstitutional. Either you're a pedophile and you should be locked away from society for life (and I think we probably have enough statistics to support this) or you've done your time in jail and you're cured and you shouldn't be on these registries.
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I (partially) agree - either we're going to keep up the illusion that the legal system is for rehabilitation and that the person has performed their debt to society, or we have to actually address the problem with stiffer sentences/alternative punishments.
To wit, laws that prevent sex offenders from living within xxxx miles of a church/school/whatever are actually horrendous ideas.
First, most sex offenses are commited by a relative or other known person - and not at church or school. It doesn't address the actual problem very well.
Second, by regulating where sex offenders CAN'T live, you push them into one of two scenarios - either concentrated into the few 'allowed' areas (thus screwing, figuratively, those that live in that area), or they lie and/or don't put themselves on the sex offender list.
Third, it's most likely not viable under the law of the United States to prevent someone from living in a town because of their status as a (former?) criminal, and many laws move offenders so far from a church/school that essentially the entire town is off-limits.