Rep. Yarde brings us the latest in the War on Sex Offenders with HB 1100 which would make it a Class D felony for a registered sex offender to go to a public library.
I have kids, and I’m as creeped out and scared by sex offenders as the next guy. But, these “tough on sex offenders” laws proposed by legislators who range from well-meaning to demagoguing create an unworkable snarl for the people at the ground level who actually have to administer them and respond to court challenges about their constitutionality. But, if we’re going to continue in this direction, maybe we should just get it over with and require that they be tagged with RF chips and required to report to some sort of Yucca Mountain for sex offenders after sunset.
Hello. After reading your blog here, I am curious, are you being serious or are you being sarcastic? Do you personally know any sex offenders?
It’s sarcasm. And I’ve met some sex offenders in the course of my legal work.
I am one of your dreaded sex offenders! My “crime was 26 years ago. I met a girl at a party and we ended up in my car fooling around. No sex but close. I gave her my # and wrote great kisser. I did not know she was underage at all. She did not look or act it. Her parents found my # and note and called police. I cooperated fully. I did get into a small amount of trouble but never went to prison. Ten years later now married with two kids I am forced onto the reg. Then in o7 23 years after the fact I am forced onto the public internet. I have never had a sex crime before or after 1985. Yet I am treated like I molested little kids. I am stuck to all of this crap that a child molester deals with. people hate me just because I exist. The list goes on and on. I am very fed up with the law makers and idots that think all people on the reg. are perverts. F U!! There is no constitution for me. There is no end for me from this until I die. I don’t even have the chance to go to court. Think before you act people. If the gov. can do this to people like me then they can do whatever they wish. Just word it properly and get the media on board and they are all set. Vote for me I am protecting you! F joke!
Fed Up: a very sobering comment. Our criminal justice system, especially the way we treat sex offenders, needs to be fixed. You, and other non-recidivist sex offenders, have my sympathies.
Next year’s proposed legislation will probably add Barnes & Noble to the definition of a public library.
My sympathies, fed up. I’ve had to remind some people that find a sick thrill in looking up the internet listing of sex offenders that sex offender != child molester, and that there are many cases like yours. I’ve also forgotten that fact myself from time to time.
Thank you for posting, it helps to remind everyone that there is more than black & white here.
I suspect fed up is either minimizing the offense he committed or is a wholesale fabrication. The most minor of offenses that require registration on the Indiana registry only impose a duty to register for a period of 10 years after incarceration or imposition of probation (IC 11-8-8-19).