OK...the recent stories about sex offenders reminded me to do a search. In Texas (not sure about other states) you can look online for registered sex offenders.

https://records.txdps.state.tx.us/DPS_WEB/SorNew/PublicSite/Search/index.aspx?PageIndex=Search&SearchType=Address

I found out there is one that just moved in with his parents ACROSS THE STREET FROM ME. He was convicted of raping a 5 yr old boy. my son and nephew are older and over 6 feet tall. this guy is shorter than me...so I know they could handle him. but we have kids that play in the street here. It's bad enough the parents don't watch the kids (who could get hit by cars) but now this.

Have they "served their time" and should they live normal lives or should people be aware of where they are?

Yeah they have served their time. But they could always slip up again. So yeah people should know that hes in the neighborhood. We have some in our neighborhood too!!

at what point do they serve their time? or do they?

I met a guy on another site...that I found on the registry. YEP. and even with proof...they wouldn't do anything about him being there.

so I do understand their point...BUT shouldn't people be warned before hand?

I'm on the fence on this one

In one sense I can see that they have served their time and should be free to live their lives, unless a licensed counselor suggests they are likely to re-offend. On the other hand I can understand people's concerns.
It seems I read somewhere recently that a study showed that most sex offenders are not likely to re-offend.

If a sex offender moves into your immediate neighborhood... everyone is supposed to be notified.

and what is the correct amount of "time served"?? Is it when you get setenced to 20 years and you're out in 7 for 'good behavior'? Is it the full 20 years? I mean what's the right amount of time served for raping a child? At what point should you be allowed to rejoin society? That's not something I can answer. I personally believe that if you're capable of raping a child, or anyone for that matter, you're likely to do it again... no matter how much time you have served.

not sure how it is in Texas Jill. I think maybe that's what the registry is for. we weren't notified.

sad thing is the parents of the little ones here don't watch their kids now. who knows what would happen. then again...I don't remember seeing the guy but I wasn't looking before



thomas....where is the study? I had read somewhere they are more likely to repeat

I think it's called "Megan's Law" where it's a federal law that people get notified when a sex offender moves into the neighborhood.

Here in GA they let you know in the papers of the sex offenders. It will say their name and address and it even shows you their picture too.

Megan's Law is an informal name for laws in the United States requiring law enforcement authorities to make information available to the public regarding registered sex offenders. Individual states decide what information will be made available and how it should be disseminated. Commonly included information includes the offender's name, picture, address, incarceration date, and nature of crime. The information is often displayed on free public websites, but can be published in newspapers, distributed in pamphlets, or through various other means.

At the federal level, Megan's Law is known as the Sexual Offender (Jacob Wetterling) Act of 1994 and requires persons convicted of sex crimes against children to notify local law enforcement of any change of address or employment after release from custody (prison or psychiatric facility). The notification requirement may be imposed for a fixed period of time - usually at least ten years - or permanently.

Some states may legislate registration for all sex crimes, even if no minors were involved. It is a felony in most jurisdictions to fail to register or fail to update information.

Megan's Law provides two major information services to the public: sex offender registration and community notification. The details of what is provided as part of sex offender registration and how community notification is handled vary from state to state, and in some states the required registration information and community notification protocols have changed many times since Megan's Law was passed. The Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act supplements Megan's Law with new registration requirements and a "three-tier" system for classifying sex offenders according to their risk to the community.




you are right Jill. I'm not sure who would have notified us. I know I found out by looking into it.

That's the key. We have to be diligent in protecting our kids. We can't just rely on other people to distribute pamphlets or that we happen to catch the article in the paper. We need to be checking ourselves and WATCHING our kids. We also need to watch out for our neighbors kids. Know what's going on in the area. Not the same as being nosey, but paying attention to who is around and who doesn't belong.
I have one living across the street from me too

we have that on the site...but you have to look for it

I have a small issue with sex offender lists. They make no distinction between teens who are in Romeo and Juliet situations and violent offenders.

Mistakes are rampant, names are sometimes wrong, the true locations of offenders are not revealed...there have been issue after issue with these lists. Some that have ruined the lives of innocent people. (Please save the that's the price you pay crap cause it is crap)

It's a NIMBY issue...the trouble is...if you are going to let people who are sex offenders out of jail they have to live somewhere right?

When you have situations where the law has so limited the places that former sex offenders can live you end up with situations like the mess where sixty plus offenders are living under an overpass. While I have little sympathy for most of these folks that is a situation ripe with potential violence to innocent people.

I know a young man who is on the sex offenders list. His crime? Smartening up and breaking an engagement to his high school sweetheart. Her vengeance? Charges that they were intimate before she was old enough to legally consent. He was older than she. He is on this list, has lost jobs and scholarships, been threatened and harressed when he attempted to move and now as a thirty year old happily married father of two he cannot attend his children's school activities.

All I am saying is...think twice before grabbing the pitch fork and the torch.

well...they do add the charges. statutory rape is different than other charges

Why do we single out sex offender over other criminals? I for one would like to know if there is a murderer living in my neighborhood or thief or kidnapper.

murders usually stay in prison longer i guess. a thief...well this is Texas here lol.

but a kidnapper...I could see wanting to know if one got released.

but I'm wondering where their rights end or begin or whatever

Prior to Megans law he had a law. called mommies at home.

Sadly our society changed and their are no mommies home.

In my small town we had 3. And all of us told each other who to kid your kids away from and why. word of mouth back then helped. If i had young children today I would check the site regularly. I do occasionally for my own interest. I recently had a renter next door over that was arrested for murdering an old lady in a mugging gone bad. Glad I checked the local police site.

Always explain to your children not to go with strangers or in the homes of strangers or in a car.

Always error on the side of caution. Protecting your family should be your first thoughts.

Today there are not mommies home looking out watching them play.

Teach them well.

agbbieannie, very sound advice

I am not advocating a lench mob or anything...but I do think parents should be aware.

Yeah I like to know whos living in my neighborhood. Im nice to people. But Im also leery of some of them too. Like if someone pulls up into our driveway. My 4 year old niece is bad about running outside to see whos here. Were like you dont go running outside when someone pulls up. We also tell her dont go outside by yourself someone might take off with you. That usually gets her back inside pretty quickly too.



And isnt it also against the law if a sex offenders picture was not put up letting us know hes in the neighborhood? Or his certain whereabouts?

they are supposed to register. the police dept takes current pics of them...or supposed to