Apparently, the information contained in the Texas database has some accuracy problems. Grits for Breakfast posts about the unreliability issue and other problems:
Joshunda Sanders reports in the Austin Statesman that information in the Austin PD's sex offender database doesn't match that in Texas' statewide database, and both contain data that's inaccurate and outdated. In one case Austin actually posted the photo of the wrong person online beside information from a registered sex offender.
Even if the information was accurate, it wouldn't help much. Most sex crimes aren't committed by people on the list. I couldn't find more recent stats, but according to the Department of Justice, "Of the 9,691 male sex offenders released from prisons in 15 States in 1994, 5.3% were rearrested for a new sex crime within 3 years of release."
We've now reached a stage in the public debate about sex offenders where politics has utterly trumped reason. The politically popular sex offender registration system in Texas is a complete mess and doesn't make anyone safer. Mostly it's just a source of media hype - providing fodder for useless "analysis" by reporters that fill the public with anxiety but really help no one. (I suppose it also gives prosecutors an extra set of technical violations to use to try to get probation revocations.)
NO LAWS GOVERN LOCAL REGISTRIES: What is most interesting with this issue is that no one recognizes that ALL local registries (such as the Austin one) do not have to follow any laws.
Local registries are generally created by someone in a local police department and they can make any decisions they want as to who should be included.
Yes, they will usually imply by displaying what the state laws are, that those are the folks that one should expect to find in the local registry. However, there is no guarantee that locals follow state laws.
INHERENT REGISTRY MAINTENANCE PROBLEMS: Next comes the registry maintneance problems, consider this, when a RSO goes in to register they must complete a form, which is given to the local registering agency, then the RSO leaves.
The next step is a local person is assigned to update the registry, but which one is done first?
Assume the local one, then the state registry is not up to date, because the state registry is not updated until that form reaches the state registry processing center and it must be physically delivered there, which creates a time lapse.
During the intrim period the two registries will not be equal.
Then when the state processes the form, then the national registry is updated.
This problem was recognized by the framers of the Adam Walsh Act (AWA) and they resolved it by forcing every state to use a computer program that is being developed by the Dep't of Justice (See AWA 42 USC 16923). That program is currently under developement and is slated to be completed within 2 years of 7-27-06.
MULTIPLE JURISDICTIONS: There is another little recognized problem with updating registries, currently RSOs who must update a residence and a employment address and maybe a school registry also, will have to appear wherever each of those registries are maintained. That creates another inherent time lapse, posibly between difffering jurisdictions. Under the AWA program, the program will update all jurisdictions at once (See AWA 42 USC 16923(b)(1))
These maintenance problems are inherent to the system as designed but the media and local police always blame the RSO and will never admit anything that could be wrong with how they do things.
FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY: It will never cease to amaze me how folks think that knowing where a RSO sleeps (address) will prevent crime. Who is it that believes that RSOs will only commit crimes when they are sleeping?
What other value is there to that address? Politicians claim TRACKING MONITOR TRACK, right, track where they sleep and somehow that prevents crime...
Posted by: eAdvocate | December 17, 2006 at 03:45 AM
* If the sex offender laws are kept, why discriminate? If sex offenders must suffer for life and be on GPS, so should ANYONE with a criminal record. If this is not done, then it is discrimination. Anyone with a criminal record should be on a registry on the internet for the whole world to see, and be on GPS for life. DUI offenders should not be able to live XX feet from an alcohol store and should have their license revoked. Drug dealers should not be able to live XX feet from anywhere children congregate, so they cannot sell our kids drugs. Murderers should not be able to life XX feet from ANYONE, since they may kill again. DUI offenders kill more people than any other crime (I believe), and I'm sure the entire public would love to know if a murderer, thief, drug dealer, etc lives in their neighborhood. If all this was on the internet for all to see, I'm sure everyone would NOT leave their house at all. These people are everywhere. Why are sex offenders being "scape goated"? EVERYONE WITH A CRIMINAL RECORD SHOULD OBIDE BY THE SAME LAWS SEX OFFENDERS HAVE TO OR IT'S DISCRIMINATION!!
* "Buffer Zones" are a false sense of security!
* "Buffer Zones" are banishing people from their town, state, and possibly the country!
* "Buffer Zones" create homelessness, which costs society lost productivity, individual dignity, and creates additional problems for enforcing any accurate registry!
* "Buffer Zones" do nothing, except banish! If someone wanted to re-offend, they'd just get in a car and drive!
* These laws protect nobody!
* "Stranger Danger" is a smoke screen & hype! Most child sexual offenses occur by someone the child knows, like a family member or close friend!
* These laws are being passed by politicians using sex offenders as scape goats, for votes!
* Registries do NOT protect anyone or prevent crimes!
* Registries are punishing sex offenders as well as their families and children, and opening them up to vigilantism. DON'T THE FAMILIES AND CHILDREN OF SEX OFFENDERS COUNT? They are suppose to be "for the children", right?
* Registries are NOT being updated in a timely fashion, so the public is getting false information! How is this helping the public or protecting them when they cannot rely on them?
* Registries are putting families and children of sex offenders in a public position to be socially outcast and discriminated against with regard to employment, housing, schooling, etc!
* About 90% of the people on the registry are NOT sexual predators or pedophiles that these laws were for in the first place!
* These laws cost millions, if not billions to enforce, and they cause prison over-population, which is already a problem, especially in California! AND TAX PAYERS PAY FOR ALL THIS!
* GPS does not prevent sexual crimes! Another false sense of security which cost tons of money! Plus they are suppose to pay for this, which will eventually go homeless. MAKE THE TAX PAYERS WHO WANT THESE LAWS TO PAY FOR THEM!
* These laws cause sex offenders to go underground and into hiding, due to the strict nature of the laws! How is this protecting anyone?
* These laws are all abount money for law enforcement and votes for politicians. Prison is a business! Politicians are salaried and want elected/re-elected! Law enforcement get paid for people in jails, prisons or on the registry!
* These laws blatantly disregard the United States constitutional rights of all citizens! (i.e. ex-post facto, due process & others)
* These laws are cruel and unusual punishment! A sex offender cannot go to a fast food restaurant which has a playground! Why? We have just as must of a right as you to get a burger! Plus they cannot go anywhere kids congregate, which is endless (i.e. Amusement parks, Movie theaters, the list is endless)
* Sex offenders can go to church, but must leave immediately afterwards. If a sex offender owns a business and someone decides to put a church or school next door, they have to now sell their business and move. This is not right, move the church or school, the sex offender was there first!
* These laws continue to punish people even after a sentence has been served, and they are trying to get on with their lives! (i.e. ex-post facto)
* These laws are driven by fear-mongering, opportunistic politicians and will do nothing to actually protect children!
* There are over one million women and children whose lives are inter-twined with a sex offender in the United Stated. They should matter too!
* Follow the money trail, these laws are conveyor-belt laws to benefit law enforcement! They get paid for the number of people in jail, prison or on the registry!
* They are currently a one-size-fits all for sex offenders! Not all sex offenders are predators or pedophiles that these laws are suppose to be for anyway!
* They are modern day witch hunts and a scarlett letter!
* If Sex Offenders are re-offending, why does the registries grow each day? Because new people are being added daily for stuff like "public urination", "mooning", "concensual sex", "young children playing 'Doctor'" and various other minor offenses that we need not worry about. We need to worry about predators & pedophiles!
* Now they are trying to make it a law that a sex offender, if they have kids, cannot "take a picture" of anyone under 18. This is totally stupid! Can't even take Christmas pictures, birthday pictures, etc!
* Also, because a sex offender owns a business in town, many people are trying to get the business shut down! The sex offender had the business for awhile. If you don't like it, MOVE!!!!
* The Nazi' did this back when Hitler was in power, with the Jews, Turks, etc.
* The thing about pedophiles not being able to take pictures of kids is stupid. You'd better shred any pictures you have of your kids when they were babies, like diaper changing, baths, etc, it may be seen as porn!
Posted by: ZMan | December 17, 2006 at 06:19 PM