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I have such mixed feelings about the ability of the public to locate where sex offenders live. I understand that any parent would want to know if a sex offender is living next door. I just wonder if making this knowledge public really helps matters.
If we as a society deem that sex offenders are such a danger to society that there is a need for lists like these, why are the offenders released in the first place? Isn't it in our best interest to keep them locked up forever? We don't release mass murderers, why repeat sex offenders?
On the other hand, if we believe that they can actually be rehabilitated to a point that they are not a danger to society, then shouldn't they have a chance to, after serving their sentence, have the ability to move on and live their life without fear of a lynch mob?
Recently studies have shown that the recidivism rate for sex offenders is far lower than earlier thought. While it used to be commonly believed that 90% were re-offenders, recent studies put the number far lower at about 14%. Now some may say that 14% is still way too high to take a chance but studies also show that many other offenses actually have much higher recidivism rates than sex offenders. Should we have lists of addresses for people who have committed robberies?
Another factor is the all encompassing term "sex offender", which can include offenses such as indecent exposure. This means that someone who is caught urinating in public can be deemed a sex offender and put on the list. A 19 yr. old having sex with a 17 yr. old can also find their name on this list. While illegal, I'm not sure it is the moral equivelant of molesting a child and yet, they can find their way onto this list as well.
Perhaps there are no easy answers. I do think, however, that we as society need to make a decision as to whether it is safe to return sex offenders to society or not. If it is not, give them life without the possibility of parole. But if we are going to say that they have paid their debt to society, then they should at least be given a chance to prove that they are rehabilitated. I think that providing the whole world with information on where they live ensures that things aren't going to go well for these people. They will be forced to move many times and never get a real chance to start over and move on with their lives. The stress may even push them to re-offend. That doesn't really fix anything.
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