Verified Document

Sex Offenders More Stringent Laws Essay

This is a very difficult task, since it involves not only crime prevention but also risk detection and systems cohesion. One way this challenge might be approached is through increased reporting requirements. Too often, alleged abuse in schools or daycare centers goes un-reported and the accused teacher is simply let go from his job. He is then likely to go to another school and be re-hired there, effectively placing a whole new set of students at risk. The Student Protection Act was introduced in the Senate in 2007. If passed, the Act would create mandatory standards for reporting incidents of sexual misconduct, and would develop a nationwide database to house that information. When a school was conducting a job search, for example, it could quickly learn whether or not a candidate had ever been sanctioned for committed sexual acts against children. This bill has not yet passed. Another proposed reform has predictably come following another horrific case. In this instance, 17-year-old Chelsea King was raped and murdered. Her killer was a convicted sex offender who had escaped detection by all the existing measures in place. Chelsea's Law, now proposed in the California state legislature, would intensify sentencing for sex offenders, by allowing prosecutors to pursue a life sentence without parole for certain violent sex crimes committed against minors. For offenders who had attacked a child younger than 14, sentences would include a lifetime of parole including GPS monitoring. Finally, Chelsea's Law would prohibit sex offenders from even visiting public places where children congregate, like parks.

Controversy

If current laws that convict and punish sex offenders are so weak as to allow cases like the Chelsea King murder to occur, why would there be any controversy surrounding efforts to create more stringent laws? The primary source of disagreement...

They also point out that "there is no proof that longer sentences and parole terms are effective," (Shih, 2010) and that even if laws are passed there is likely not enough money in state budgets to implement new regulations effectively. Examples of loopholes in existing laws are abundant, and law enforcement officials are reluctant to commit to new laws when they find themselves already stretched to abide by existing requirements.
These arguments are ultimately unpersuasive. Imagine if we waited for full effectiveness of laws already on the books before tightening sentencing or seeking to close loopholes. The safety of the nation's children has to be of paramount importance and reducing risks from sex offenders is both bipartisan and publicly supported. Civil liberties are, yes, important, but when it comes to sex offenders there seems to be little room for debate. The risks far outweigh any other considerations.

Conclusion

Laws that seek to close loopholes in existing laws and create new, more stringent laws, should be passed. Sex offenders should be more aggressively pursued when they are free citizens. Once they are arrested, they should be more aggressively detained, and held behind bars for as long as possible. Once they are released, they should be more aggressively tracked through registries and publicly-accessible websites. Proposed reforms including the Student Protection Act and Chelsea's Law are steps in the right direction.

References

National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (2007). The Frontline. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention: Washington, DC.

Sex Offenders: History. Available at: http://www.missingkids.com/missingkids/

Shih, Gerry (2010). After Another Murder, Another Proposed Law. The New York Times

April 13th.

Sources used in this document:
References

National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (2007). The Frontline. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention: Washington, DC.

Sex Offenders: History. Available at: http://www.missingkids.com/missingkids/

Shih, Gerry (2010). After Another Murder, Another Proposed Law. The New York Times

April 13th.
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Therapy Sex Offender Therapy in
Words: 6395 Length: 20 Document Type: Capstone Project

3. Variables Such as Gender There are various disparities in the overall demographics of this type of offense. As one report on the demographics of sex offenders in the United States, notes; "… although the vast majority of attention on sex crimes focuses on men as the offenders, an increased awareness of females as sex offenders has surfaced in recent years." (Female Sex Offenders, 2007) This study also adds the important

Human Trafficking and Sex
Words: 10151 Length: 20 Document Type: Multiple Chapters

Human Trafficking: Comparative Analysis of Human Trafficking in the United States with the World Stephanie I. Specialized Field Project Human Trafficking is a very serious issue that affects every country around the world. Human Trafficking is also known as "Sex Trafficking," or "Modern Day Slavery," which reflects the primary reasons people are bought and sold today -- sex trade and involuntary labor. The Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA) defines sex trafficking as "the

Classification in Prison
Words: 1896 Length: 6 Document Type: Term Paper

Classification in Prison Classification Systems Classification systems aid in the minimization of the upheaval of prison violence, institutional delinquency, and break out situations. During the past several years, professionals in prisons and those that are employed in correctional systems have worked unremittingly in order for them to improvise their recent approaches in the classification of offenders i.e. In accordance with work, supervision, and programming needs. The process of classification takes place in

Organized Crime in Canada Each Year, the
Words: 2552 Length: 8 Document Type: Research Paper

Organized Crime in Canada Each year, the Criminal Intelligence Service Canada (CISC) creates an organized crime report to inform the public of organized crime activities and markets in Canada. The nature of such activity is evolving -- new threats, participants and policies spring forth each year (McIntosh, 2010). It is critical that Canadians are informed of the nature and scope of such activity, governmental interventions and policing, and what they can

Guns on Campus Should Students Be Able
Words: 1788 Length: 6 Document Type: Thesis

Guns on Campus SHOULD STUDENTS BE ABLE TO CARRY GUNS ON CAMPUS? Of all the places in the world, one would think that the collage is the safest place for a student to be and sometimes it is not. In this paper it will be discussed whether students should be allowed to carry concealed weapons to college. The advantages of allowing students to carry a concealed weapon will be discussed and why

Child Prostitution in Asia Forcing Children Into
Words: 2841 Length: 8 Document Type: Essay

Child Prostitution in Asia Forcing children into adult roles can lead to a destructive adulthood. This has been proven empirically and is beyond the realm of ethnocentrism. Physical and emotional abuse of children can destroy someone. Even worse is the type of abuse that is characterized by sexual activity and sexual interaction with children. Forcing a child to commit sexual acts before they are physically or mentally mature enough to handle

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now