Most folks already know about the sexual predator databases. The ones that the various states place on-line so an individual can find out if they have any persons convicted of sex crimes living nearby.
We also know that it is up to the convicted felon to keep his/her address current for these databases. Some do, some don't. Needless to say, the ones who don't, if they are found out, will have penalties to pay............if they are found out.
The problem I have with these databases is why only have them for sexual predators? Why? Because it is politically correct.
Let's try this scenario. Bob and Tim are next door neighbors. They get into an argument over some bushes that separate their properties. The argument gets heated. Bob picks up a shovel and proceeds to bash Tim's head in. Bob is in trouble. Deep trouble. Bob is going to jail. Most likely on a manslaughter charge. Eventually Bob is released from prison, and it is very likely that he will not be moving back to his old neigborhood. Now, would you want a neighbor living next door to you who has a propensity towards violence? One who might bash your head in over an argument about yard maintenance or snow removal?
There is no database and requirement to register to find out about Bob. So you won't know if Bob moves next to you, or two houses away or around the corner.
The PC crowd (both citizens and legislators) find it necessary to publish the listings of sexual predators but not of murderers. Something does not make sense here. A rapist is not a very nice person, but neither is a murderer. What is the baseline used to determine that the public needs to know more about the location of rapists than of murderers? Can anyone quantify either action as being more terrible or more heinous than the other? The answer to that last question is no. Ask a rape victim. They will tell you how terrible the experience was. Ask the family of a murder victim how they feel. Or of an individual who is permanently maimed/disabled from a horrendous assault.
Personally, I feel that we have two choices here. Go to a Big Brother society and have databases readily accessible that list all criminals, or eliminate the ones we currently have.
For the record...........I don't like the Big Brother concept.
