I think that what happened to Jessica is beyond a heinous act on a child. I work with children so situations like these make my stomach turn. I cannot imagine a child being buried alive after being abducted and in addition raped. Now the act that they have in place is probably great, I mean it gives the family a sense of accomplishment and that their child did not die in vain. I feel that by Couey getting the death penalty in itself is a problem. I feel like it's punishing one murder with another. However, I understand why it has been rendered. I think that I have a slight problem with the bill itself as well.
If I understand correctly the following are the main things that this act encompasses: Require sex offenders who were convicted more than twice of failing to properly register as a sex offender to wear GPS devices on their ankles for five years following their release from prison, or for ten years for those deemed sexual predators, to better enable law enforcement personnel to track their whereabouts. Costs of tracking and monitoring offenders must be absorbed by each State. States must mail sex offender registration forms at least twice per year, at random times, to verify registrants' addresses. Any registrants who do not respond within 10 days must be considered non-compliant.
The problem is that many believe that the registry lists is a compilations of convicted child molesters . In actuality many offenders that register have been convicted of poor choice offenses, which involve no victim and possibly no physical contact. As well, teenagers in consensual relationships with one of them being underage according to the law would be subject to this "predator" tag. Then there is the issue of many people not being able to afford a legal defense and having to take a plea bargain. I think that Jessica's Act should be used for sexual predators who commit crimes on other people and children. Not someone who is 17 dating a girl who is 15, or someone who streaks in public, or is showing boxers or a thong.
I think that there needs to be more specific guidelines for this act. It is not sufficient enough for me to support it when there are so many cases and scenarios that can be posed that do not warrant having a tracking device attached to you for a minimum of five years- it might not even warrant registry in the sex offender database as far as I am concerned. I do want to reiterate I am not against the Lunsford Act, but simply think it needs some specificity.
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2 comments:
Naomi,
I totally agree with you. This was the same feeling I had in class when we were discussing The JLA, what about those sex offenders that are not really sex offenders? Those who have just made stupid decisions, like 17 year olds involved with 15 year olds. Also, I have heard that the state of Florida is charging all boys that get their underage girlfriends pregnant as sex offenders. Sometimes it can get a little out of hand, and how can you grow and change your life if you are held accountable for a stupid decision you made when you were a kid?!??!
I mean this Act holds good water for families. There are sex offenders out there who start off small, and for many years remain quiet, untill their urges escalate and they perform a heinous act. These are the people that this act is trying to look out for, those who slip between the cracks. Unfortunatly, everyone has to been included in this.
I mean GPS tracking isnt a really bad idea, but maybe they should just change how they do it. Bracelets are too obvious and too easy to mess with, how about a microchip under the skin? Its possible and easier way for this criminal to try and put their lives back together.
I'm not saying I approve or even feel sorry for what has happened to them, but sometimes these people are mentally sick and deserve to try and moveo n in life.
But we can only be super careful
This could be our children, and our neighbors, and despite what I say, I would want to know what my child is exposed to in our neighboorhood...
So good valid points Namoi...The JL Act was a good step in the right direction...How do we make it better?
Naomi and Tricia,
I am also going to say that the JLA is heading in the right direction but in my opinion it is very far from any real success. The tracking device is my main problem here. We all have heard hundreds of stroies of people on house arrest that 'somehow' find their way across town not only being in places they shouldnt be but also doing things they should not be doing as well. These devices as we all know are not fool proof and have shown to fail the system time and time again. With a similar situation this time dealing with sexual predators I firmly believe the results would be the same....failure. When social workers and case workers are contacted once the tracking device goes off, it is often an extended period of time that passes until the person can be located, often too late.
When Tricia mentions implanting a chip of some sort I also believe that would be a good idea, however it would probably be expensive and unless planted in a deep area of the body, maybe even easy to take out. I think what the system needs is more social workers working less cases in order to keep a closer eye on these sick people. Computers and all the technology in the world is sometimes no match for humans, so I believe it would take more people assigned to these cases to keep a closer watchful eye so there crimes cannot be committed again.
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