Everyone with children should read this.

[markw]

You never really know who your neighbors are. Now you can have an idea.

http://www.familywatchdog.us/

Just enter your zip code and state and see what pops up. You may be surprised.

Of course, the more urban your location, the more relevant it will be

 

[highfihoney]

Yes,everybody should bookmark that site,my wife has it on her computer & so do my son's,they check it often.

I was shocked to see how many perverts & freaks live in my neighborhood,we ran a zip code & street search on our old home & found out that a convicted chicken hawk lived right down the street from us & we never knew anything.

 

[trailertrash]

the problem with that site is it doesn't tell you what they did. you assume the worst but you can be branded a sex offender if you are 21 and are in bed with a 17 yr old. is that really a sex offender? so be careful of looking up people and then branding them as the scum of society when you dont know what they actually did. (i am not in the registry, fyi)

 

[highfihoney]

I dont care what they did if their on the list they are a piece of crap in my eyes,the least offense to be put on the list for is statutory rape & that in itself is pretty f-ed up,telling people to be carefull about judging people on the sex offender website,are you kidding me.

I would bet that since you urge others to use caution when judging people on the convicted sex offender website that you dont have kids,correct?

You pointed out the least horrible offense with the best case senario,how about the other cases like the guys who kidnap,rape,torture & kill little children,or how about the serial rapists who prey on women in their own homes,or how about the teachers,priests,therapists,and all the other scum who prey on helpless women & children,if it was'nt for sites like that nobody would ever know their dark little secret & they would be 100% free to make friends with all the kids in the neighborhood.

You urge caution

 

[majorloser]

Yeah, but those are only the ones that got caught!

If there are that many convicted offenders then think of how many haven't been exposed

 

[mtrycrafts]

the problem with that site is it doesn't tell you what they did. you assume the worst but you can be branded a sex offender if you are 21 and are in bed with a 17 yr old. is that really a sex offender? so be careful of looking up people and then branding them as the scum of society when you dont know what they actually did. (i am not in the registry, fyi)

Wouldn't you be branded an offender even if you are also 17 and was consensual?
Remember the recovered memory syndrome bandwagon a couple of decades ago and all the wrongly accused parents?
There has to be a boogyman out there to go after no matter what.

 

[trailertrash]

the site is sensationalizing (sp?) a small issue and making it huge. any idea what likelyhood a child is to be killed riding their bike compared to being harmed by a registered sex offender? (remember we aren't talking about all sex offenders, just the ones on that site)

you dont see the 10 o'clock news bs story here? it is saying "hey! worry about this! (but dont worry about things that have more chances of hurting your kid)"

i am not justifying sex offenders, i just see that site as odd.

and if parents are counting on some web site to keep kids safe there is a problem. parents should be teaching safe practices no matter who lives next to them as major loser's post points out.

 

[trailertrash]

Wouldn't you be branded an offender even if you are also 17 and was consensual?

i have no idea. maybe? or if you are 19 and the other person (m or f) says they are too?

as highfihoney points out it is the least offensive way to be called a sex offender.

 

[Mort Corey]

There has to be a boogyman out there to go after no matter what.

See: US Government.

 

[highfihoney]

the site is sensationalizing (sp?) a small issue and making it huge. any idea what likelyhood a child is to be killed riding their bike compared to being harmed by a registered sex offender? (remember we aren't talking about all sex offenders, just the ones on that site)

you dont see the 10 o'clock news bs story here? it is saying "hey! worry about this! (but dont worry about things that have more chances of hurting your kid)"

i am not justifying sex offenders, i just see that site as odd.

and if parents are counting on some web site to keep kids safe there is a problem. parents should be teaching safe practices no matter who lives next to them as major loser's post points out.

What & the heck are you talking about,your way out in left feild,who cares what the numbers are for a kid on a bike vs a sex offender,why do you see the site as odd,what other tool do parents have to warn them against freaks & pedophiles,its not like they walk around with signs around their necks saying look at me or have a 3rd eyeball.

Do some research & see how many sex offenders are likely to be repeat offenders,pedophilia is a repeat offender crime not a one time impulse crime,you act like the majority of people listed on that site are just poor guys who got caught with a girl a few years younger than them,or that the site is a PR machine.

When did rape & pedophilia become "small issues",your words not mine,you also say that the site dont tell us what they did,can you not see the legend on the left hand side of the page,every person with a RED CHICKLET has an offense against children.In my zip code alone there are 580 sex offenders,of the 580 there are over 100 red chicklets so that means there are over 100 people in my zip code that have molested children.

You say that if parents are counting on that site to keep their kids safe there is a problem,with that i agree but your missing the point,the site is there so parents can be aware that pedophiles are near them & can take appropriate action to educate their children as to where these predators are at & what they look like.

I personally think you disagree with the site just for the sake to be bucking the system because the points you make are nonsense.

Still no answer on weather you have kids or not.

 

[zhimbo]

"I dont care what they did if their on the list they are a piece of crap in my eyes"

OK, see, that's EXACTLY what's wrong with this site. People can get labeled a "sex offender" for all sorts of cases... for example, an 18 year old having consensual sex with his teen girlfriend:

like this poor guy

Or for being a sick f*** like this guy recently in the news:

Sick F*** .

I'm all for a tool LIKE this website, but if it doesn't differentiate between these types of offenders, it isn't very useful and unfair to basically decent folks who trip over some technicality. It does give you SOME information, though not enough in many cases. Better than nothing, but there seriously needs to be some reform of who gets put on these lists in the first place.

 

[mike c]

but in the absence of that reform, sites like this is the ONLY weapon parents have. and honestly, if I were a parent, I could care less if a sex offender had sex with a minor 1 year younger or 10 years younger, I wouldn't want my MINOR child to have sex with anybody at ALL!

first, you have to understand the reasons laws are made, before you judge the law ... statutory rape's definition i'm sure is not exactly the same there as here, but the law was created because a group of people (congress, with the back up of some researchers) concluded that a minor's consent to have sex is immature (does not equal an adult's consent in the eyes of the law). and any person 18 or over SHOULD KNOW this, so as not to take advantage of these minors.

 

[The Dukester]

Did you folks actually type in your address? It shows the locations of the offenders and lists by type of offense, such as crime against child, rape, etc. This gives you a pretty good idea what the person is convicted of, so not a lot of guessing.

Also, the Freedom of Information Act gives you the right to check out a person's criminal record. I know, b/c I did it with a girl I used to date's ex husband. I knew he was in the slammer and wanted to get an idea what I would be dealing with when he got out. He had quite the laundry list. It only gives you access to the persons convictions, however, and not what charges have been dropped. The clerk at one county courthouse actually started over to the counter with my guy's records and said "Whoops. These charges were dropped. Can't show you those!" She had a whole stack of them in addition to the ones she could show me

Just another option you can take advantage of if you find people in your area and want to find out what exactly they are guilty of before you start throwing rocks at anyone.

I also agree with Mike C and would not want my child having premarital sex at all.

 

[highfihoney]

OK, see, that's EXACTLY what's wrong with this site. People can get labeled a "sex offender" for all sorts of cases... for example, an 18 year old having consensual sex with his teen girlfriend:

like this poor guy

Or for being a sick f*** like this guy recently in the news:

Sick F*** .

I'm all for a tool LIKE this website, but if it doesn't differentiate between these types of offenders, it isn't very useful and unfair to basically decent folks who trip over some technicality. It does give you SOME information, though not enough in many cases. Better than nothing, but there seriously needs to be some reform of who gets put on these lists in the first place.

There is merit to what you say but not feasibility,it is flat out against the law in the USA to list the specifics of the crime,all they can list is what formal charge they are convicted of.

I see that site for exactly what it is & i see it from all angle's,not just the angle of a parent.

I spent two years living with pedophiles & rapists when i was in prison & i can tell ya they are some sneaky son's a b!tc#e's,they look like the average joe,act like the average joe but their brains are not wired right.

Most importantly my wife was a victim of child abuse & was molested when she was young,her molester was given 15 to life,from what transpired in court when her attacker was convicted evidence was given that she was not his only victim,there were many.

She went to counseling for alot of years to get over that crap & i have learned alot about pedophilia from her,these guys are skilled hunters,they hone their skills & attack again & again,they will never stop no matter how many times they are caught,if they are free they will attack & no amount of counseling in prison or half way house is going to rewire their thought patterns,or their impulse to prey on children.

I also see the site from a stand point of being labeled,im labeled as a convict & alot of times my conviction gets in the way of my every day life,when i get pulled over for speeding & the cop runs my plate im screwed,every time i get the full treatment,crossing borders is no fun either but it's what goes along with being a convicted felon.

The whole point is this,it is not the responsibility of the state or taxpayers to make sure the minority few truly innocent dont get lumped up with the majority of the perverts on that site,the site's main goal is to warn parents, not to protect convicted sex offenders from being labeled,if you commited a sex crime you are worthy of being on that site & rightly so.

 

[highfihoney]

Did you folks actually type in your address? It shows the locations of the offenders and lists by type of offense, such as crime against child, rape, etc. This gives you a pretty good idea what the person is convicted of, so not a lot of guessing.

Your right,there is plenty of information at hand on that site & enough info & specifics for a person to make a decent decision.

I think too many people are in too big of rush not to judge others wrongly,its a compassionet thought but people can become blinded to the obvious .

 

[zhimbo]

This gives you a pretty good idea what the person is convicted of, so not a lot of guessing.

While it does let you know enough to decide that some people are a real danger, for many people it isn't clear at all the circumstances/age differences/etc.

Certainly some crimes are unambiguous, and repeat offenses are a pretty clear warning sign - but some you just can't tell.

Used intelligently, it can be a great tool - but I worry about "unintelligent" use, especially when I know that guys like in my first link above are on the list, too.

On a side note, I looked up my previous address, and there was a single residence with *6* registered offenders a couple of blocks away. WTF?

 

[stratman]

This happens to be a great tool for parents (I being one), it gives you situational awareness. You have an idea of who is lurking in your neighborhood, I don't want my kid riding his bike in front of a predator's house, friends in law enforcement have highly recommend this site to me. And as for having your mug posted ?.............whose fault is it?(no matter the circumstance)

 

[yettitheman]

What is better? A tool that somewhat works correctly, or no tool at all?

I think that is pretty much the point here

 

[trailertrash]

What is better? A tool that somewhat works correctly, or no tool at all?

I think that is pretty much the point here

or one that gives a false sense of security? that what most people want anyway. they want to think they are safe but not actually really take any action to be safe.

what are you gonna do print out the pics and memorize them? doubtful. what percentage of people on the list actually commit a crime arround their house or work?

dont the police notify the surrounding neighbors when a sex offender moves in or is released?

 

[yettitheman]

Well, let me say it this way. They are your kids. They are your responsibility.
You treat them as you deem fit, but there are rules and regulations against neglect, ect..

Being a parent is a balancing act: you COULD let your kids roam free forever or lock them in the basement for 18 years and keep them almost infinetly safe, but do you see the problems with both of those?

Kids have to grow up into adults, and while they grow, they need some freedom. However, too much freedom can lead to trouble of many sorts. It's up to you (the parent) to excercise discretion and good judgement.

In a perfect world, that site would be perfect! It would work perfect and everyone would turn themselves in (or just be perfect little law abiding citizens). HOWEVER, last time I checked, the earth is still round and this little round ball is full of nut-jobs and psycopaths. Will it tell all? Not nessicerily. Will it give you an idea where your children shouldn't go? YES. Granted, it only takes one perv, but would you rather worry about the entire block of people you don't really know that could harm your children, or get an idea of who in the 'hood is somewhat or completely safe, and know your neighbors a bit better? If you can't answer this question correctly, I'm sorry, but you do not need children at this time until you can SEE the purpose of this discussion.

Back on topic! Bookmarked!