Sex Offenders - I encourage to look them up for you town

Daisyx3 wrote: Ok I moved from a big city to a small town 30 min away.. A town that I thought would be safe to let my kids play outside by themselves or at the park and to leave in the car while I run in the store.. Well to my surprise I went to our news website and they have a link to sex offenders.

When I looked them up there was 5 sex offenders in my town count them 5.. YOur talking about a town of maybe 1000 people.. I was sooo Upset.

I then proceeded to check around where I used to live. There were like 20 just in my area in walking distance.

If you do a google search and put in sex for your state it will bring up a site for you to find your county. I encourage you to look.

mammag replied: I just did it....thanks for the reminder. We have 11 in our zip code but only 1 near me. He is in the neighborhood over from mine. Creepy looking guy too. He raped a child.

Daisyx3 replied:
I know i told my dh all the sex offenders I looked at look like sex offenders. Rough and stuff but I'm sure they dont always look like that.

I'm glad you looked now you can watch out.. Creepy creepy.

Mommy2BAK replied: Wow, thanks for the reminder, I haven't done that since Blakely was born, we had like 23 in our town.

gr33n3y3z replied: yes we HAD one a house away from us And Hubby went over and had a nice little talk with him LOL
But the guys 4th offence cought up to him and he went to jail.
It all happend in Pa. 2 and NJ 2

Ok 150 in our county
none in our town

Boys r us replied: Scary, huh?! We had 29 in our county..which is the biggest county in Virginia. Thankfully no one I know of is on the list and none anywhere near our house!

mom21kid2dogs replied:
5 adult sex offenders you KNOW ABOUT live in your area. Registries are nice but they only list the people who have been caught and successfully charged. Sex offenders are everywhere and they are not just adults. It's best to never leave your child unsupervised even around other kids at the play ground.

~KARA~ replied: There was only 2 from my town but they are both incarcerated!!

Edited to say a friend gave me another link to check on this and there are over 100 in my county and at least one on my street! Im looking in to this farther cause I want to know where all 100 live!

Boys r us replied: Tell me THIS guy doesn't look the part!!!

http://sex-offender.vsp.state.va.us/Cool-i...Record&RRG=6094

Mommy2BAK replied:
ewe, thats scary, I will have to show you this one in my area

Mommy2BAK replied: Now, I don't think I would ever allow my child to be around this person regardless.

http://www.acic.org/soff/index.php?ac:getdetail=1&id=13510

TANNER'S MOM replied:
OH MY GOD

This guy lives on Brittany's Grandma street.

I have never looked at this and I am freaking out!!

Mel

Mommy2BAK replied: OMG Mel! That is scary!!!

mammag replied: This is my opinion....it's not as only the ones who are convicted sex offenders you have to worry about. What about the ones who haven't been caught? Or the ones who haven't done anything....yet. I don't let my kids play around the neighborhood for this reason. All it takes is a second and they could be gone. If I lived in a smaller neighborhood where I knew everyone maybe. Then the other scarey thing is that most times its done by people you know and trust. It's so upsetting. How can people be so sick???

taylor&zachsmom replied: I just looked up ours and there are 41 in our zip code. One of which lives 2 blocks to the north of me. Which upsets me quite a bit. And there is another that lives 3 blocks to the south and 4 blocks west.

This all upsets me quiet a bit. BUT, I have never and most likely will never let my dc go outside without me or an adult with them. At least not until I know that they have the information they need to protect themselves (like run like hell away from the person & screaming your not my parent). I also have a fenced in yard and a pitbull & a black lab that go outside with us. I sure hope that helps.

Christine

Celestrina replied: OMG - there are 12 that either live or work in my zip code. The ones listed in PA don't have the exact address, just the zip code.

julesmom replied: Not everyone registers either!

In my sister's town, there were a whole bunch of them living in a hotel. They only got caught because something happened and the local news picked it up. That's how everyone found out they were all living there. NONE of them registered. That is creepy!!

Maddie&EthansMom replied: It's true...You never know who it could be.

One of my best friends' husband is now a registered sex offender. He molested her 2 girls. She has 3 girls. The youngest is his and he never touched her (she was only 5 at the time) but the older 2 he started molesting when they were 12.

He is from a VERY (read: VERY) wealthy family. Very wealthy and well known in this town. Nobody would have ever thought anything of it. Including his wife. She loved him so much. Needless to say, she had to go to court, their names and faces were all over the news.....certainly not the 15 mins of fame she wanted. She caught hell at work...everyone blamed her. For a long time I was the only one on her side. It was terrible.

They divorced and now years later they have all moved on with their lives. The younger of the 2 who were molested has had problems, but the oldest is married and has 2 kids. For the most part they are all very happy. My friend is remarried to the doctor we worked for at the time. (she is quite a bit older than me) She is still his nurse.

Anyway, it is sad....protect your children. You just never know. I'm so freaked out by this that they never leave my sight.

My2Beauties replied:
Eew he looks creepy!

My2Beauties replied:
ACK!

My2Beauties replied: There are 11 just within my zip code, one of whom lives on my street, I live at 1220 Fern and he lives at 1208, I know who he is

http://kspsor.state.ky.us/

type in 40204 for the zip and click on Bridwell...he's weird looking
He has a sodomy in the 2nd degree charge and a sexual abuse in the 1st degree, I hope it wasn't on a minor

Check this out...there were 683 sex offenders registered in my county alone!!!

mammag replied: Ooh! He is weird looking. Did you notice the smirky smile on his face??

I think it's funny that yours has a thing to click to print out a flyer. You could spread the news to all the neighbors.

My2Beauties replied: Yeah all the neighbors know about it, I knew he was registered I have been to that website before, but the number of registered people has jumped since the last time I have been on there! He has all kinds of people coming in and out of his house on a daily basis I think he sells drugs but I can't be for sure, a lot of them are young girls too!

Josie83 replied: Oh my gosh this is horrible. I can't believe thatg they give out the addresses like that! How do they not get people going to their houses and just beating them up or killing them? I don't mean to offend anyone but I'm ust thinking that if that sort of information was offered over here, that is exactly what would happen.

They don't give us that sort of information over here. In fact our "justice" system works so hard to give sex offenders and child molesterers new identities and lives that you would think they were the vicitims! I'm sorry, but it makes me so angry Our next door neighbou could be a paedophile and we would have no way of knowing.

At least you lot have a way of finding out. these scumbags are protected over here as they have more right to safety and freedom than our children. its disgusting xx

DVFlyer replied: I have mixed feelings about this. On one hand, I would like to know where NOT to let my children (well, child for now, children in a week or so) roam, but on the other hand, I feel there is a privacy issue here as well as a singleing out of only them.

Understand, of course, I think these guys are scum, but what about drunk drivers who kill children and families? Perhaps we should know where they live in case they are driving drunk down the street. What about other criminals? Shouldn't we know where they live so we'd know that we have to protect our belongings etc?

Or is it that we need to accept that we live in a world where The Beavers was a movie and only a movie and the Real World is more than just a show in MTV. We need to not only be aware ourselves, but also teach our children that they must be wary of their surroundings. Remember, these people existed back when I used to play on the street (till the street lights came on). But it was different world.... or is it that we just know more about it today?

I also feel it's completely unacceptable to confront these people. Regardless of the rehabilitation aspect, they (assumably) have done their time according to the laws today. They should be bothered no more than anyone else unless they have shown cause to do so.

I honestly don't know if I'd change my opinion if a convicted sex offender lived on my street. We have a couple in our area, but none close by.

mammag replied: Of course we shouldn't be going to their doors and causing problems. Yes, they did their time, but with the nature of the offense, I definitly think we have the right to know they are living in our neighborhood. As cautious as I am with my kids, not all are. We live in a relatively nice neighborhood. A lot of people here think it's fine to let their kids run around unsupervised. If they knew that someone like this lived next door they would probably be a little more cautious. Also, yeah some are quite creepy looking, but some are completely normal looking and may be friendly so you allow them access to your children. (not you personally, people in general). If you know they are an offender you wouldn't. We have just as much right to this information as they do to their privacy. Just my opinion.

kel replied: ive just got to tell you that that is aweful BUT you are soo lucky to have access to that sort of info!! we in south africa have no way of knowing where these people live!
really count yourself lucky to know where they are ...

My2Beauties replied:

I think you are absolutely right about this DV, I never looked at it from that perspective. I was always leary as a child of my surroundings basically because my parents instilled that in me that I need to not talk to strangers, come straight home from the bus stop, by any means necessary yell and scream and kick and bite if someone ever grabbed me! One of these guys lives a few doors down from me and yes he has traffic in and out of his house all day long, but he doesn' t bother anyone on our street and I am not afraid to walk down my street alone or with Hanna while he is outside, he has never said a word to me, or even made a gesture such as a smile! He usually has friends over his house and stuff and they are never loud or obnixous. My neighbors actually say he is a nice guy! While I think he is scum (to use your words) for what he did, we don't know the whole story! A lot of these guys were probably tried for statutory rape, maybe the girl was young but he didn't know it or maybe she was willing and he was just being a dummy! You never know their story, and I am more scared of a drunk driver being on the road then I am of him hurting myself or my child! Just my 2 cents! I don't think that people should get themselves in a tizzy over it, I mean there are 683 of these people in my county alone Scary yes! But am I going to live my whole life scared of these registered sex offenders who probably committed these crimes upteen years ago! NO! As usual you put a spin on things and made me think, I've known about this guy since I have lived there but he has never scared me. Now mind you I will not let Desiree or Hanna outside by themselves ever - regardless if he lived on my street! I am glad we have access to this info because I think we have a right to ahve access to it beacuse a lot of these people have done things to minors however you put it in perspective when you say well I want to know where the drunk drivers and the burglars live too! Thanks for that!

Josie83 replied: I would just like to add, that i hope people didn't think i was advocating people going and beating/killing these people. that is not what I believe in at all . . . I DO understand that they have paid their debt to society and that noone has the right to take the law into their own hands . . . my post didn't make that clear. I was just trying to say what other people in this country would do . . .

And I can see your side of the argument too DV. You put up a very good one! I just sometimes think that the British justice system forgets that it is the children who were abused that are the victims and instead lough their time, money and energy into protecting the criminals.

Please don't think that i was sugesting that they be persecuted or whatever for what they have done. that is not the message that i wanted to put across at all. i just think that for parents, it is the worst thing that could hapen to their child, and it might be nice to know if Mr Smith next door is in fact a registered sex offender . . .

Once again I would like to apologise if I offended anyone with my earlier post and promise that I'll try to work on how I word things in the future! xx

TANNER'S MOM replied: You know I am going to tell you guys something I have never said here..


On of DH's best friends, his neighbor who was married to his cousin for many years was convicted of raping a 12 year old gurl. His girl friends neice.

She lived w/ them for a while b/c she was doing bad in school etc. I was never comfortable in the situation. When she came I thought it was STRANGE to say the least that she slept w/ them. I asked and they said she had nightmares due to a scarry movie etc.

This was a man who was in my home, who I had fed my food. Crashed on my couch when he when had a party.

I have 2 teenage daughters..andy my boys aren't immune. I never felt right, and DH and I refrained from vistiting. Once we noticed something we couldn't NAME but weren't comfortable with we just put them off. I will live w/ the fact that I didn't protect a child the rest of my life. I had a FEELING..but no proof. I was soooo freaked out.

She told a school offical. And they found it to be true. He called us many many times and asked for our support. Randy had known him for 20+ years. But I was honest with him and I said I can't prove you did it or you didn't. But MY daughters are too IMPORTANT for me to take a chance..

I am sorry and please don't judge me for knowing someone like this. Randy and I feel so bad for not KNOWING the instant that it happened, and for not going with our feelings of??? we still aren't sure. Creepy, Yuck feeling??

Man, I have chills again..
By the way we did have to testify at his trial about sleeping arrangements we were aware of etc..and he got 10 years in prison..To me that is nothing for a 12yr olds life.

His girl friend stood by him the whole time, and had a baby soon after he went to jail...

Mel

Mommy2BAK replied:
Thats pretty creepy Mel, but atleast you helped out by testifying!

Josie83 replied:
Thanks for sharing Mel. Its always good to see diferent perspectives
And of course we would never judge you fot his! I for one am proud of you for having the guts to tell us xx

mammag replied: I don't think you can put burglars and sex offenders in the same league here. But yeah, maybe we should have that info to. The nature of the crime here is what warrants us having this information. This is why we this law was enacted...

Megan Kanka, 7, was killed in July 1994 in Hamilton Township, New Jersey. Jesse Timmerndequas, a twice-convicted sex offender, was sentenced to death for Megan's murder and rape. Megan's parents lobbied for state and federal laws requiring officials to find ways to warn neighbors when known Sex Offenders move into a neighborhood. In May 1996, the Federal "Megan's Law" was signed by President Clinton, requiring all states to disclose to the public, information about Sex Offenders.

and

Sex offenders, such as rapists, pedophiles, and exhibitionists, are among the highest reoccurring offense populations in the United States probation system. These offenders commit crimes that put fear into the general public and pose a threat to people that live in their neighborhoods.

Just as I have the right to be armed physically to protect myself and my family, I also feel I should be armed with knowledge when it comes to these people. The more "weapons" I have....the stronger my defense! That is my opinion.

Josie, I didn't think you were abdicating violance against these people. I know exactly what you were saying.

mammag replied: Mel,

Of course we would (eta NOT) judge you. How could you know?? Don't blame yourself in anyway.

I can't believe I left out the not! I hope you didn't think I meant we would judge you Mel.

PascosGirl replied: Protecting my car from a car thief and protecting my child from someone that would possibly rape and/or murder them is totally different. If someone steals my car, I can get a new one. If someone rapes my child and scars him emotionally forever, I can't fix that. If someone kills him, I can't get him back. These people hurt a child and should have their pics and their addresses pasted everywhere possible. In fact, I don't think our justice system does enough to get the word out as it is. I looked up some statistics about sexual offenders and it is pretty shocking.

Released rapists were found to be 10.5 times as likely as non-rapists to be re-arrested for rape.
Offenders who served time for sexual assault were 7.5 times as likely as those convicted of other crimes to be rearrested for a new sexual assault.

Fact is, most sexual offenders don't "learn their lesson" after being convicted and serving time or some sort of punishment. Granted, most of these people are mentally ill but does that make the parents of Jessica Lunsford, Pauly Klaas or Carly Bruscia feel better because the guy didn't "mean" to do it?? I don't think so. Right now Florida is trying to have legislation passed that will require all released sexual offenders and predators to wear tracking devices so their location can always be tracked. Someone will not be monitoring all the time but in cases like Jessica Lunsford, it would assist in finding the kidnapper before they can harm someone again.

BTW - the man that kidnapped, raped, brutalized and KILLED Jessica Lunsford had been convicted of TWO sexual offenses prior to being released. Were his privacy rights violated when his name was splattered on the internet?

PascosGirl replied: I would also like to add that I don't agree with anyone taking the law into their own hands. I can't really say what I would do if my child was harmed by one of these monsters. However, I don't recall having ever heard a story on the news about a sexual offender being beat up at his home by someone that found him online but I have heard several stories in the past year about a sexual offender kidnapping and killing little, innocent children.

My2Beauties replied:
Again a great argument! I'm not saying that I don't agree with you neither because of my other post. I think you're right but so is DV, it's like where do you draw the line and when is it too little? too much? This is a tough debate! I mean most of these people on these sites are not on there for harming children, I started looking through them and maybe I found 3 that said it had something to do with a minor under 12 or under 16. But you're absolutely right that those other things can be replaced but your child's life cannot. YOu guys bring up very good points! Also though, as far as the drunk driver thing, that does take lives so I think that info should be readily available and this is another offense that people tend to do again after being tried and convicted and let off for. So just another 2 cents from me!

DVFlyer replied: Another highly emotional topic for sure. No, you can't put sex offenders and drunk drivers in the same league. What about murderers and sex offenders? Maybe. But it's the release of information that I am torn with due to the sensitive nature of the offense.

Because of the sensitive nature of their offenses, I feel it's very irresponsible to release that information. It's too sensitive. Like abortion, for example. Imagine if they released the names and locations of every women who ever had an abortion.

I understand that sex offenders have the highest percentage of being repeat offenders. That means they shouldn't be allowed back into public... IMO. If we know that they are going to do it again, why make the public accept the risk? I think some people are just wired wrong. Evolution is cruel like that.

Also, remember, these people weren't ALWAYS sex offenders (although I believe it was predestined for them). They were Mr. Johnson the neighbor, or Johnny, the kid from down the block, before they committed their first act. At that point, they had no offense to "repeat", so how do the "statistics" protect you from them?

And I'll bet Josie is out lynching someone right now

And Mel, I would never judge you because of your story other than feeling sad for you to have been exposed to it.

Josie83 replied:
No, DV, THURSDAYS are my lynching nights! Tonight is my Shakespeare appreciationnight. how many times have I told . . . I only lynch people on THURSDAYS!! xx

Daisyx3 replied:
Yeah my friend was molested by her step dad for years and didnt come fwd until she was 16 and when she did it split her mom and him up (Of course) and then he went on to kill himself.

They were respected people in an upper class community and very well known in their church. He couldnt over come the hurt that he did to his name and her.
Sad Sad that she went threw this.

DVFlyer replied:

*making a mental note not to pi$$ Josie off wednesday night*

PS- I hope the little quirky joking comments in this serious thread don't offend anyone.

Josie83 replied:
Ditto . . . just trying to lighten the mood, but obviously not trying to take away the seriousness of the situation xx

Maddie&EthansMom replied: Oh I am totally offended...you know me!! How dare the two of you try to joke around and lighten up the board a bit!! I appreciate your sense of humor.

mammag replied:

I hope you will take anything I'm saying as a civil debate....I'm not attacking you for your opinion.

Anyway, again I feel you are using something completely unrelated. Though abortion is wrong (and imo murder) it is unfortunately legal. Rape is not. I still don't see why you consider it irresponsible. Can you give me some instances of someone being attacked due to this law? Does the number compare to the number of repeat offenders?

I think they gave up some of their rights when they commited the crime. The same as Felons not being allowed to own guns.

PascosGirl replied: Well abortion is legal so that is a nonissue.

However, I can't speak for other states but in the state of Florida, driving records as well as criminal records are public information. There home address is also listed on the record for view by the public. The difference between a drunk driver killing someone and a sexual offender is that most drunk drivers don't repeat the offense.

DVFlyer replied:

Nope. Maybe some time spent researching it could yield some results, but it's just speculation on my part.

I didn't say abortion was illegal, I was trying to convey the "sensitive" nature of the topic. I guess I just don't understand why just this crime and no others is singled out for offender exposure. For instance, your neighbor could be a murderer. Would it matter to you that most murderers aren't repeat offenders (although I don't know that for fact). Probably not. Just the fact he was a murderer would be enough for most people to be wary. The only thing I can come up with is that it has to do with the fact that it deals with children.

Pascosgirl,

When they make the "public" records as easily accessible as this information about the sex offenders, your point would be valid. I'm pretty sure anytime someone is convicted of any crime, it becomes "public" record. I feel there is a difference between going down to a court house, county building etc and opening your web browser from your home. But that's me.

PascosGirl replied:
Well if you were from Florida you would know that you can open your web browser and look up all people currently on probation in Florida. You can search by street address or by county. Here is the link in case you want to check it out:

Offender Search (all crimes)

PascosGirl replied:
Another thing you should take into consideration is most murderers serve life sentences. In Florida they serve at least 25 years which is considered one life sentence. I used to work for the State's Attorney's office so I know a little bit about this stuff. Great college job! lol

0-10andbackagain replied: we have 2. But the closest is 10 miles away.

DVFlyer replied:

Now you tell me

PascosGirl replied:
Ha ha ha! Well I don't know everything but I know enough to get by. lol I am a nurse by trade though.

texasp3 replied:
DV... I understand the rational brain that cogitates and ponders and wonders whether or not the release of such sensitive information is "just" or "right" or "fair."

But, I have to tell you, that the mama bear in me totally drowns out the rational brain on this topic. And she says that these people lost any right they had to privacy or to being treated with sensitivity when they first sexually assaulted a child, and she will happily tear their throats out if they come within spitting distance of her children. Ever.

Josie... I totally understood your first post and did not think you were advocating these people be attacked, but simply wondering how, with mama bears like me in the neighborhood, they could POSSIBLY be safe.

kit_kats_mom replied: Interesting that this thread was here today. I picked up the local paper that they leave in our driveway today to see all of the convicted sex offenders and predators in our zip codes on the front page...pics and all. Of course, the Jessica Lunsford abduction happened near us and the story was tied to that. The paper touched on how our children's safety was more important than their right to privacy. Also had some things I didn't know in there like; the sherrifs department has to notify you if a convicted sexual predator lives on your street. hmmmm

A&A'smommy replied: OMG we have 10 in our area 4 of them are from my town and OMG one of them use to coach my brother baseball team I shouldn't be surprised though because he was cheating on his wife with teenage girls GIRL MY AGE

3_call_me_mama replied: How odd that this topic be posted... I was registering my car online 2 days ago and on our state homepage is a list of topics/links. One being thesex offenders list. I had never noticed it before so i clicked on it. I had to put in my name adn address in order to access the site adn then agree to the disclaimer about not using the site to harm/seek out any of the individuals listed. I recognized 5 peopl from our town, 2 that live down the street from where i grew up adn one that I went to HS with . And i live in a SMALL town.

I have mixed feelings about the site. These people, yes have committed a crime. But i don't feel it is my place to go informing everyone else abotu it. The site is there for those that are concerned to know who live near them, and that is what it should be used for. If people need to know, let them look it up.

Also what difference does it make if the live 2 doors down or across town? or in another state? Why are you allowing them access to your child? As several people have said there are LOTs more UNRESISTERED/UNCONVICTED sex offenders out there that may live in you neighborhood, teach your child or serve you at mcdonalds. You cannot avoid them and is it really benefitting you to get all nervous and uncomfortable when you come into contact with them?

Also, where do people expect them to live. Everyone seems irate that they are living in your neighborhood... did you ever think that maybe they've lived there all along adn you moved into THEIR neighborhood?

I'm not advocating for them, and yes it makes me nervous and leary about strangers around my childrne but I never assumed that my kids were safe around people that i didn't trust 100%. I love my childrne dearly and i don;t feel any less safe knowing that a sex offender is 3 doors down than i do with a single bachelor 2 doors up. Just becasue some one doesn't have the scarlet letter doesn't make them any more innocent/safer than one who does.

BOTTOM LINE...... NEVER LEAVE YOUR CHILDREN ALONE ANYWHERE AND DON'T ASSUME ANYTHING.

maestra replied: Ok, this is a hard one for me to reply to, and a hard one to consider even on a daily basis.

My brother is a convicted sex offender. He was molested by our father, and went on to molest a little girl that was spending the night with his stepsons. It happened once and he turned himself in to the local police. He and that wife have since divorced.

So as a sister, it makes me cringe to think of people talking about my brother or showing his picture this way (although I do agree that some of them look pretty creepy). It's hard to remember, but these people do have families, and most especially mothers. Could you imagine someone talking about your child this way? That's been really hard for my mom to deal with. But she mostly has a screw them kind of attitude. My brother has also gone through an awful lot of therapy to deal with the issues he had from what happened to him.

As a mother and a child adovcate, I have a hard time being in the same room with him. I would have never left him alone with my girls anyway, but I certainly don't now. What if that 6 year old had been one of my girls, or one of my kindergarteners? And while as a sister I felt bad for him having to serve time, I also felt like it wasn't enough. So while I'm ok with the notification for keeping him in check, I also want him to have at least a small chance at a normal life, even though his victim may never have one.

Does all of this sound crazy?

3_call_me_mama replied:
No it doesn't sound crazy. It just shows how human emotions work. People are empathetic by nature, but not necessarily willing to put them selves at a greater risk. You carefor your brother for your flesh and blood adn your family ties to him, not for what he has done. You also love your childrne adn children in general adn are not willing to put them in harms way.
not crazy at all, a mother in all senses.

btw... this must have been very hard to share and deal with.. i admire you:)

PascosGirl replied:
The sad thing is, the children are not the only victims of this type of crime. I know it must have had a terrible effect on your entire family. I think it says a lot that your brother stepped forward and owned up to his mistake. Most offenders don't admit guilt. I think that the fact your brother admitted his mistake and requested treatment tells most people that he does not plan on repeating the act.

I have stated before that most of these people are emotionally damaged that commit such an act. I mean, if you think about it you can agree that no one in their right state of mind would hurt a child. They all have something wrong with them. Whether it be past abuse or just a mental disability.

I still believe that the information should remain available to the public. If it being public saves one child from the pain and suffering, it is worth it IMO.

DVFlyer replied: Maestra,

Thank you for sharing that story. It was very a very brave thing to do.