Monday, October 15, 2007

A Test

As usual, click on the title for the article.

I'm sure this sort of scene plays out across the country in large and small communities. I'm also certain that most people have no idea if any of their neighbors are convicted sex offenders. But, when it is discovered that a sex offender is living or intends to live in any given neighborhood, there is panic.

There is panic because studies in recent years have shown that most convicted sex offenders started committing their crimes young, and have committed many crimes before being reported, and often commit many more before being convicted. Most sex offenders are serial criminals. Also, sex crimes bring some of the deepest emotional reactions - especially in white, middle America. We, as a society, tolerate sex crimes with marginalized communities long before we tolerate them in middle class or "better" communities. (I've even heard some people dismiss the rape of young children in marginalized communities as "that's just the way those people are.")

But, I see the release of convicted sex offenders as a test for our justice system and our communities. There are those who believe that once the sentence has been served, the criminal ought to regain the freedoms enjoyed before the conviction. (I'm not one of those.) There are others who see it as a practical matter of the law - the laws we as a society established say that this is the punishment and once the punishment is meted out, there ought to be the responsibility of the criminal to behave themselves. (I can see this argument.) And, there are others who feel that with certain criminals, there ought to be other provisions made. (I can see where this argument comes from - but think it's a slippery slope.)

Yes - the criminal has the ultimate responsibility to control their actions and behaviors. But, I also realize that our society has a responsibility to place limits, act quickly, and amend laws we don't like. Ultimately, we as a society will need to devise more adequate ways of responding to sex offenders and other criminals. It's a test - for everyone involved.

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