Those of us who have studied the law have acknowledged the facts and the statistics surrounding it; sometimes it is difficult for us (I know it is for me) to comprehend that not everyone is as willing, ready or able to accept the truth as we are. For me, and probably many of you reading, there's no consideration or wondering or pondering - the truth is the truth and the sooner we deal with it, the better off we'll be. But if the truth is scary or strange or different from what popular opinion is, many are capable of incredible mental gymnastics in order to prevent the truth from being the truth.
Maybe the best way to illustrate this is to provide, word for word, the responses I have received when I present people with facts regarding the ineffectiveness of sex crime legislation. The following are excerpts from commenting forums for various online news articles regarding various sex crime/sex offender issues over the past two weeks. Commenters' names have been anonymized.
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Article: Mission Viejo proposal to ban sex offenders from public parks
(In response to a commenter who provided text from a study that found sex offender recidivism rates to be about 4-5% )
RH: To me, 4% or 5% is 4% or 5% too much. And those findings that you posted are after 3 years. I'd like to know the recidivism rate after 10 years. Once arrested, offenders - like other criminals - become more secretive of their affairs and wrongdoings.
Me: Here's a study that spans 1983-2010, and includes all states: http://
RH: Shana, you're a gullible young lady. I'm already aware of who you are and your agenda. I don't really care how you (or your "studies*) bend and twist the stats. The stats aren't my main concern. The children are. I've lived long enough to learn one unfortunate fact about people: they don't usually change. That includes sex offenders. When you become passive and do nothing to protect the children you are opening the wrong doors. The bottom line is this: putting sex offenders among the community is putting children at risk. Period.
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I should note that in the above instance, I showed RH the source of the studies - the US Department of Justice and several states (in other words, the very entities who created the laws). I also challenged him to explain how a law that only helps, statistically, 5% of children is beneficial. There was no further response.
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Article: Aliahna Lemmon lived in a trailer park with sex offenders (but wasn't killed by one)
(in response to my pointing out that the registry and sex offender legislation didn't prevent her death)
LF: I found your comments, frankly offensive to children and so I looked at your page. You're quite dedicated to defending sexual offenders. I think that's repulsive. If you have issue with the definition of a sex offender, for example someone who was 19 and his girlfriend was under the state's legal age and that resulted in his conviction, than could I suggest you persue changing that definition through the courts. To collect stories of children who were molested, murdered and then post them on a blog to defend sex offenders is disgusting. [she is referring to this blog entry]
Me: If that is what you got from that blog entry, then I can tell already that you don't want to learn. I was using those stories to demonstrate how poorly sex crime legislation is protecting children. If you can't see that, that is your own ignorance.
LF: But you DO defend sex offenders, you have an entire blog dedicated to that subject. And how, sitting in New York do you have access to "the facts" more than anyone else
Me: My blog is not about "defending sex offenders". It is only a small part of what I do to advocate for reform in sex crime legislation. For about the fifth time now, existing legislation is failing our children and our communities. Sex crime has not gone down. Children are being abused at the same rate. Prisons are so full, truly dangerous individuals are being released because there is no room for them. The facts I am referring to are not state-specific, and my location has nothing to do with the accessibility of this information. Almost everything I've learned is publicly available, and not too hard to find.
No further response from LF.
Same article, in response to an individual claiming recidivism rates are at 50%
Me: I don't know where you are getting the statistic that "almost half of sex offenders re-offend", but it is incorrect. Yes, cases like Jessica Lunsford and Megan Kanka occur. But not often. If you only go by what the media chooses to focus on - which no doubt are the most gruesome, heinous cases - I could see where you might assume that. However, the fact is you don't hear about the much more common, lesser offenses, because they are not as "interesting". If you read my entire reply, you would have seen that I support stricter management and treatment of individuals who are diagnosed pedophiles and have shown a high risk of re-offense.
JL: Shana Rowan I'm very offended by not only you sticking up for sex offenders but by calling me ignorant! For your information little girl I have my degree in criminal justice! I do feel sorry for those families however i have NO SYMPATHY FOR A SEX OFFENDER! Sorry I"m not a big hearted creep such as yourself! Ur right not all are child rapists....but the majority are not sexual misconduct with a minor either! Even so the adult shouldn't have been screwing a minor wether it was consensual or not!!! YOU CAN'T PUT A CHILD MOLESTER IN THE SAME BOX AS SOMEONE WHOSE CHARGED WITH ARSON! I never said people didn't make mistake....BUT A CHILD MOLESTER DIDN'T MAKE A MISTAKE! YOU CAN'T CHANGE A RAPIST OR SEX OFFENDERS THINKING!!! that's jus the way it is!!!
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Article: Another article focusing on the number of sex offenders living where Aliahna lived even though they didn't harm her
Me: The fact that sex offenders lived in the trailer park is 100% irrelevant to the story. Nothing more than a media ploy to further sensationalize the brutal murder of an innocent young girl. Pathetic on the part of the public and law enforcement, too. Aliahna's death is the perfect example, to a T, of everything that's wrong with SO legislation. The registry didn't help her; all the cops were too busy "tracking and managing" the 15 sex offenders in the trailer park to realize Plumadore had an active arrest warrant for a non-sex crime and could have been incarcerated therefore preventing her death. Recidivism for SOs is EXTREMELY low, and for all the parents who "didn't know" they were living there, no one to blame but yourself. The registry is public and can be searched by anyone. SOs have no choice, in many areas, but to be restricted geographically where they are permitted to live which results in higher concentrations of them. It has nothing to do with them banding together to molest more children. It is the result of laws the PUBLIC and uninformed politicians insisted on.
TC: Shana, Your sitting here complaining about how child molesters are treated and how it is irrelevent that 14 child molesters live in a trailor park? Would you feel that way if you were a mother living there trying to raise her children? Oh you probley would since you seem to love a man who has raped a child.
SH: Answer my question do you really think this is the appropriate place to post a link to your website? This is about a child. Not you. Not your boyfriend. You are adults. This is about a 9 year old little girl who's life was ruined by child molesters. Let this be about her. Honestly you and I are never going to agree on anything. You find it appropriate to use this story for your own personal gain. That's disgusting. Use your website to write what you want to help or change sex offender laws. I REPEAT THIS IS NOT THE PLACE TO DO IT.
Me: Yes, I think it's perfectly appropriate. If you had read that particular entry you would have seen why. It had nothing to do with my boyfriend or myself. It was about how Aliahna's death could have been prevented by being willing to re-think sex crime legislation. It's perfectly relevant. Now, can you answer my question, of how "advocating for legislation reform that protects children" (what I said) gets translated into "campaigning for precious convicted sex offenders"? (your words)?
SH: Your campaign is to help sex offenders. My campaign is to help children. Our priorities are the opposite and I would never post a link to my website, supporting sex offenders, on a story about the murder of a 9 year old little girl. No hits on your website, so you are going to use this poor baby to help you, right? Haven't you and your ilk, taken enough from her
Me: No. My campaign is to reform sex crime legislation so it effectively protects children. You are the only one saying that I or anyone else supports sex crime.
SH: Then write your legislators. Post on your website. Organize a petition drive. THIS IS NOT THE PLACE TO TRY TO GET SYMPATHY FOR SEX OFFENDERS. THIS IS ABOUT A 9 YEAR OLD CHILD WHO WAS MURDERED. SHOW RESPECT FOR THE VICTIM.
Me: Why won't you just answer the question? I never said anything about sympathy. Are you happy that your tax dollars (regardless of what state you live in) are spent punishing, "treating", and monitoring a flasher, when more of that money could go towards child molesters?
SH: If you disagree with our current laws write your legislators. I am not your legislator, wrong person Shana. Look up your legislators write them and tell them you disagree with the current laws. Why are you so obsessed with my opinion. Weird....I think you're trying to distract from the true victim Aliahnah Lemmon. I personally think it's disgusting and I will CALL EVERYONE OF YOU ON IT FOR AS LONG AS I HAVE TO. 2 weeks vacation, all day, all night I will defend this baby and her memory. ITS NOT ABOUT YOU!
This went on for much longer than I care to admit, but it is an excellent demonstration of the power of ignorance when the facts are too much to handle.
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No matter what things I'm accused of, what I am called or how my words are skewed, I will continue to educate. My goal isn't to change the minds of those I spar with via Facebook comments or those who flippantly suggest the death penalty or prison justice for sex offenders. It is my hope that the larger majority of people, who don't post their thoughts publicly, will allow those thoughts to blossom. That they will be able to overcome their surprise or disbelief just enough so that they will consider the facts for what they are. Maybe they will even see that often, those who are claiming the loudest to care about children's or public safety and how wrong people such as myself are, are the ones who are truly unaware and scared of the truth. It is those people I want to engage.
To my fellow advocates for any cause, continue on in the fight for justice and truth. You're not alone.
To everyone else, challenge yourself to learn even if it means accepting a harsher reality or a more frightening world. We're no safer in the dark than we are right here, right now.
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