The head of a NYT article today:


Iowa's Residency Rules Drive Sex Offenders Underground
By MONICA DAVEY
Restrictions on where sex offenders can live have rendered some of them homeless, and many have simply vanished from sight.

quote:

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While some of the Iowa's largest cities, like Des Moines, have become virtually off limits for those convicted of sex crimes involving children, the new rules have pushed many to live in groups away from their families, in places like the Ced-Rel, or the Red Carpet Inn in nearby Bouton, where nine offenders rent rooms.

Michele Costigan, whose driveway is right across Highway 30 from the Ced-Rel in this rural stretch just outside Cedar Rapids, said she had stopped leaving any of her four children at home alone, had told them to dial 911 if anyone they did not recognize pulled into the family driveway, and was considering moving.

"If the point of his law was to make us safer, we are not," Ms. Costigan said.

Even more worrisome to law enforcement officials in Iowa, the restrictions appear to be leading some offenders to slip out of sight.

Of the more than 6,000 people on Iowa's registry of sex offenders, 400 are now listed as "whereabouts unconfirmed" or living in "non-structure locations" (like tents, parking lots or rest areas). Last summer, the number was 140.

"When it comes down to it, we would rather know where these people are living than to have the restriction," said Deputy Vrotsos. He said that he devoted at least 20 hours extra a week, along with the work of two clerks, to administering the new state law.

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That is why we ought to deal harshly with these sex offenders - put them in jail for life or worse. Everything I read says that they never change...they never can be trusted again. So why do we put them back out in society, to do it all over again? (I'm not talking about the 18 year old boy and the 16 year old girlfriend.) Our laws encourage it to keep happening... I'm for much stricter laws.

You're absolutely right, Tammy. I checked for my zip code on another one that is just for Michigan, and I was amazed that there is one about a mile and a half from my home, but more specifically, about a half mile from my son's school. I wrote to the school and insisted that he NEVER be allowed to walk home from school. It really is scary how close they can be...

I have visited the "National Sex Registry", what disturbs me about it, is they list not just vicious sex offenders, but other criminals that are not sex offenders.
Here in Michigan, the age of consent is 16 for girls, and 18 for boys(guess we know who matures more quickly).
If an individual disobeys a law, they should be punished, if they pay, watch them and if they do not do it again, leave them alone.
I know of a young man that at the age of 17, was at a party, met a young lady that said she was 18 and had ID to prove it, she performed a consentual act, and he was arrested because she was only 13, who was in the wrong?
He will be on the National Registry for the rest of his life, no chance to get off, is this fair?
Personally, if a convicted child molester does it more than once, they should get life in the electric chair.
Same with any sex offender., The biggest problem? How do you know if they did it as it was reported?

Gerry you bring up a good point. A person can get on that list for many different infractions. Urinating in public can get you on that list. And while it may be a stupid thing to do should that person be lumped in with violent child molesters?

And where is the National Murderer Registry? Or the National Got Drunk and Killed Someone with My Car Registry? Are young people having underage sex worse than the person who killed someone with their car? I think not.

Redfog

Hello Brothers & Sisters,
God's people should all anticipate that they will be treated as sex offenders, subversives and 'terrorists', our generation's word for 'heretic'. We should expect to be accused of the most heinous crimes against society and government, against law and order. When our voices are raised to protest, our activities (are) will be monitored and we will be tracked and spied upon, just as were the Jews in 1930s Germany, just as with the 'brown-skinned' of Canada and U.S.A. today. Should God's people fear sex offenders? Would we put Mary Magdalene 'in jail for life or worse' ? Do we have Scriptural evidence that sinners never change? Certainly the governments want their citizens to become informers. This happened in Iraq and Afghanistan, where the locals were paid to turn over taxi drivers, merchants and students who ended up in Guantanamo Bay and other torture camps. What does Jesus think of all this? Are we who claim to be God's messengers guilty of the suicide deaths in Guantanamo because we did not raise our voice to protest torture by our allies? Are we responsible for the sexual offences that take place today - rape, paedophilia, fornication, adultery, homosexuality?

Seventh day Adventists must realize that they have been given a more sure word of prophecy. The Spirit of AntiChrist as manifested in the Roman Catholic Church lies at the root of these many ills. The celibacy of the RC priesthood and the filthy questions and seductions of the confessional box have spawned the immorality of today. None have escaped its influence and only by the grace of God and the holy blood offered by our Mediator at the throne can we be cleansed from all unrighteousness and evil thoughts. Documentation of the priestly influence can be found in Chiniquy's "Fifty Years in the Church of Rome" & "The Priest, the Woman & the Confessional".

Do we as a people dress and act modestly, or do we lay a snare for our children by following the fashions of the world? Did Jesus wear shorts and a T-shirt? One father of a young brood recently commented that he fears to bring his children to the supermarket for the pornography on display. He was referring not only to the general audience magazines but to the cashiers who bared their flesh for all. If we feel our families are in physical danger, we should shield and remove them from the threat. But the greatest threats are spiritual, the effects upon the mind. Jesus said "Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." Matthew 10:28. I can see no direction in the Word or Spirit of Prophecy to send my children away into the world, even to have school lessons before the age of ten. We have despised the counsels of all knowing and compassionate God and many have sacrificed their children to Molech. This will cease amongst God's people. God will convict of sin and His people will repent. Others will be shaken out. We can be part of the problem or part of the solution. There must be a final generation.

Am I on Jehovah's Global Sex Offender Registry? What reads the "Ledger of Heaven" ? This should be our real concern. Am I born again, or am I overcome by lustful thoughts? Am I a student of righteousness or just a professor of religion. "Another book was opened, wherein were recorded the sins of those who profess the truth. Under the general heading of selfishness came every other sin." - The Judgment, Testimony Vol. 4, 384.

Perhaps we avoid those labelled "Sex Offenders" with good cause. But are we any different? Will they enter heaven before us? Did they have the light? Can we judge them because a zealous constable needed to fill a quota? Who did Jesus command us to visit in prison? If we are living in fear of man we cannot be serving our Creator.

'The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.' Psalm 34:7