Yesterday my last-day-on-the-job giddiness was dampened by some disturbing news. The pervert who raped and murdered nine-year-old Jessica Lunsford buried her alive. This apparently isn’t news. I don’t know how I missed it all this time.
I had the most un-Christian thoughts, and praying for this animal was the furthest thing from my mind. I hope he’s treated to a hot seat with plenty of amps.
Lawmakers are finally getting serious about stopping perverts from defiling and killing children. They realize that the sex offender registry system is a lethal joke. The Florida legislature is currently working on a law called The Jessica Lunsford Act, which would require child sex offenders to wear an electronic tracking device. Law enforcement should know where these fools are at all times. If it’s good enough for Martha Stewart, it’s good enough for your local neighborhood freak.
It took the rape and murder of a seven-year-old child named Megan Kanka for lawmakers to come up the sex offender registry in the first place. Under Megan’s Law, child sex attackers are required to register as sex offenders. Megan’s killer got the death penalty.
Many states have enacted similar laws, but how effective are they? Child molesters must register once they get out of prison, if they go to prison, that is. Do cops really keep up with these creeps? Hindsight is 20-20, but somthing similar to “Jessica’s Law” should have been enacted long ago. Why in the world would anybody trust predatory perverts to become law-abiding citizens and make their presence known, warning parents that they might be lusting after their children? Registering shouldn’t be up to these madmen in the first place.
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La Shawn,
I, for one, am glad to see this type of thing coming about. While liberals may cry for the loss of civil rights on the part of convicted child sex offenders, it is well known to those of us in law enforcement, that once released, these types of offenders will almost always repeat their crimes.
One of the biggest problems is, that once they get caught due to a live victim, they often will resort to killing their next victim (as in Jessica’s case) to get rid of a potential witness.
Up until 2 1/2 years ago, I spent 5 1/2 years as a detective working nothing but sex crimes and domestic violence. I’m sure that I had thoughts similar to the ones you had about Jessica’s killer running through my mind a number of times.
Try sitting across the table from one of these perverts during an interrogation, and not coming across like you want to throttle them with your bare hands. It can be really tough.
I can imagine, Montie. I used to work in the Gang Unit at the US Attorneys Office, and prosecutors had to make nice with witnesses who were also murderers. I had to sit in the same room, sometimes at the same table, with these people.
I’m all for coming down on harder on sex offenders, but I also think we need to come down harder on career criminals of all stripes. If Florida had a three-strikes law similar to California’s, there’s a 99% chance Jessica Lunsford would be alive today, and a 1% chance John Evander Couey would have been cleared as a suspect.
Also, what’s so un-Christian about hating that S.O.B.? The Bible says plenty about loving your neighbor, and also about loving your enemies, but where does it say you’re supposed to love your neighbor’s enemies? From where I sit, the only person who has the right to forgive Jessica Lunsford’s killer is Jessica Lunsford herself, and she’s no longer able to do so.
I’ve been saying the same thing for the past month…current punishments are not enough for predators like these guys. Giving them a slap on the wrist, putting their name on a list, and turning them loose again on an unsuspecting society is just wrong.
Parents, of course, need to keep a vigilant eye on their kids, but we can’t be right next to them 24/7. Law enforcement needs to be on our side, too.
DC has a sex offender registry. Search it to see if you find it something useful:
http://mpdc.dc.gov/mpdc/cwp/view,a,1241,Q,540704,mpdcNav_GID,1523,mpdcNav,%7C,.asp
at the link, scroll down to “search sex offender registry”
I wrote about doing something with these scum of the earth the other day before I knew Jessica was buried alive.
I stated the same argument: if they can put an electronic monitor on Martha Stewart who endangers no one’s life why not do it with these perverts. The only problem I see with that, and I’m not an expert, is when Robert Blake was released he somehow had his bracelet in his hand. The electronic bracelets need to be made of something that cannot be removed by any means…cutting or any such thing. We had a lock for our son’s moped years ago that we were told could not be sawed through or removed in any way except the key, which we lost. It stayed locked to our deck until we finally had the deck replaced and built a new room. Only then were we able to slide the lock off the post.
Perhaps instead of putting it on their ankles so no one can see what perverts they are it should go around their necks and they would then be visibly branded as with the scarlet letter.
I did read somewhere the other day in some states they are being tracked by satellite. Perhaps the only thing that will stop this horror is to cut off their penises. Sounds mean, but then what they do to our children is not exactly nice.
Parents, of course, need to keep a vigilant eye on their kids, but we can’t be right next to them 24/7.
I agree with you, Brian, but the last two little girls who were sexually molested and murdered were in their homes when they were abducted. Is it so unreasonable to expect our children should be safe in their own homes?
Jeannette,
It is not unreasonable at all. Your home should be a place of refuge from these animals. Right now in Tulsa, we have been looking for a serial rapist who has been breaking into homes and raping young teenage girls, by entering through their bedroom windows. Much to our dismay, it looks now like we have a second suspect doing the same type crimes, based on the evidence from the last incident just this last week.
Of course the police are on the side of the victim in a situation like this, and I dream about being present when one of these guys tries to pull off something like this, but we cannot be everywhere all the time.
Registering sex offenders is good but it is dependent on the offender registering himself! Right now I am waiting on a response from St. Louis, MO PD on a sex offender that I have come into contact with, who has not registered here. I need info from SLPD to determine if he meets the criteria to require him to register here. If he meets it then I will arrest him for failure to register (a felony) and put him back inside.
But that’s only one of “how many”, walking around unregistered, in this city right now.
We need a Devil’s island for internal exile of violent pederasts. A location where there will never be around any children, and where they can not leave but still earn their own living. The can not leave may well need an implant that, if not electronically reset once every 24 hours, releases a disabling chemical into the blood stream.
EVERY violent criminal should lose the right of free movement forever. EVERY violent criminal should have his DNA on record and an RFI tag implant out of reach of minor surgery.
No more Mr. nice guy.
P.S. – There are seven registered offenders within a half mile of my great granddaughter’s house.
I have a (progressive) idea, don’t let them out of jail in the first place.
That’s not what I meant. Of course, children SHOULD be safest in their own homes, that’s a given. Sadly that hasn’t been the case at all. My point was that there was no logical reason for these predators moving around free among us.
I mean, honestly…who actually checks the sex offender registry for their area? I never did until recently (I didn’t even realize it was online!), and I was shocked at what I saw. There are a couple of guys that live within blocks of me…and there is a grade school in my neighborhood!
I’ve lived here for 15 years at the same address, and not once has a policeman or a sheriff come by to warn us like they are supposed to. These lists are a joke, because all they do is shame the criminal…but only if someone looks up the info.
Put them away for longer periods of time and then monitor their activities for at least 5 years or so. They should also be forbidden to live within a certain distance of any school or any other facility that caters to children (like a day care and such).
Couey should never have been out and about to do what he did, given his record. The fact that they let people like this out with just a slap on the wrist is an outrage.
Walter,
I like your idea. When I was watching the FOX news report that Jessica Lunsford was killed by being buried alive, it occurred to me that we need to re-establish a prison on Alcatraz Island to be used by ALL states to house these types of offenders for very lengthy sentences (I’m talking about “lock them up and through away the key” lengthy). This would take them out of society permanently, without imposing a death penalty for a “mere” sex crime. Of course, I’m sure it would be viewed as “cruel and unusual punishment” by the ACLU.
I agree, Montie. Child sex offenders should be locked up for a long time. Or let the child’s parents get a hold of him for a while. Or the entire community where the attack occurred.
La Shawn,
Like you, I missed that bit about the girl until yesterday. When I oppose the death penalty, but when I read the description of what happened to her all I could think of was my own 8 year old daughter, and my heart was flooded with hate and rage. I am very, very glad I’m not a cop because I probably would have simply beaten this man to death.
Lashawn: Right now judges and the courts are engaged in a jihad against the Ten Commandments and the lives of people like Terri Schiavo. In the holy war waged by our secularist judiciary they don’t have time for even thinking about child rapists and murders, let alone bring them to justice.
It will be interesting to see when (not if) the new Jessica Lunsford law gets struck down by the Florida courts. I predict three months at most.
One can never forgive a child-rapist, or anyone who would commit terrible acts against any child. But now, as a parent, this crime seems to hit a bit closer to home. I feel horrible for Jessica’s parents and would gladly help them through this ordeal if possible. I would surely find a way to kill the person responsible if my child were to ever suffer like that. One of the things we ought to do to minimize or, better yet, completely eliminate such horrific crimes is replace capital punishment with medical experimentation (an idea I got from Grace Slick – Jefferson Airplane). Apparently, the idea of life in prison isn’t enough of an deterrent; nor is the death penalty since it is such a humane procedure, unlike what the victim (a 9-year old child raped and buried alive in this case) suffers. People who commit such crimes are not human and should not be treated as such. They are vermin, no better than amoebas to be toyed with, prodded, electrocuted, dissected (alive, with no anesthesia), etc. I suspect this sort of treatment will go a long way in reducing or eliminating horrific crimes like that suffered by Jessica Lunsford. One can only hope.
Here in Detroit, every Halloween, the cops go to all the sex offenders and remind them not to answer the door under any circumstances. IIRC, a couple of years ago, they did a sting and sure enough busted a couple for answering the door.
Bring back castration for the 1st offense and capital punishment for the 2nd. It’s only humane.
As for Devil’s Island, the Feds owns quite a few desolate islands. Dump em there.
Mike,
It is very tough sometimes to keep from doing just what you describe. I was divorced just prior to getting into police work, and my kids were still very small. Sometimes I would see or deal with stuff that would make me drive all the way to my ex-wife’s house (50 miles away) just to look at them sleeping, it was like therapy (fortunately my ex was very understanding about that).
Since we know that our society will not go to the extreme of castration or death for these lowlifes I think my idea of visible tattoos or a visible permanent piercing is an excellent idea. We need to be able to spot them.
I find it hard to understand that the liberals are always doing things “for the children” but yet oppose things like this. I agree with Rita that the real remedy is death but this does seem like a reasonable alternative. This is especially true since the seems to be concensus that there is no chance of rehabilitating these people.
Doug,
Liberals aim at a utopia established by humane government programs where we are all happy, healthy and earning the same wages if we choose to work. Government programs will cure the child rapist. Have faith (small “f”), believe in government.
There is no room in their vision for cynicism regarding the potential of government programs. It’s the same as expecting the religious person to realize God’s limitations. For the religious, God has no boundaries. The same is true of the liberal view of government.
Unfortunately, liberal faith in government’s omnipotence crashes into reality all over the place, including crime. Government programs cannot begin to guarantee no recidivism, but the good liberal is willing to let criminals torch his fellow citizens while he perfects the government rehabilitation program. I am not a socialist.
I am no expert and know nothing about criminal psychology. There are crimes such as this that are so heinous that one’s logical reaction is to roll out the death penalty. I am not one of these individuals who supports trying to “understand” and rehab these beasts. Does anyone out there know what makes these people tick? I have never been able to imagine what would cause an individual to commit this particular type of violation. I mean, in between their episodes of molestation are they filled with self-loathing? Would death actually be freedom for them but they just don’t have the ability to do it themselves. I agree that life without parole in some labor camp or whatever where the sight of a child is never ever permitted again.
Is anyone out there a criminal psychologist? By the way, I am not working toward being an apologist for these evil individuals. What makes these folks tick? Are they filled with self-loathing between their episodes of child molestation – so much so that death would be a comfort? Is there anything these types fear more than anything else – besides, perhaps, actually being caught? This is just one of those crimes that is so heinous it goes beyond my comprehension.
just remember, you don’t have to love someone to let them live, nor hate them to kill them. Sometimes you just do what has to be done.
To think that the convicted sex offenders will actually register themselves and keep law enforcement notified of changes is like putting the fox in charge of the hen house.
According to the registry for Colorado, where I live, there are currently four registered “Sexually Violent Predators”, 416 registered “Multiple Offense Predators”, and 518 who are listed in the “Failed to Register” category.
Excuse me? Who thinks this system is working? There are more offenders known, but not registered, than there are those who registered properly. Plus, no telling how many of those are registered are not really current! This is sickening.
I typed in my zip code and found that there is 1 “Multiple Offense” predator within a mile of my home. Needless to say, I’ve committed his picture to memory, but that doesn’t really calm my nerves when I figure the odds are equal that there is another who has “Failed to Register” probably living down the block, but we don’t know!
Obviously, if someone is a multiple offender, then they have a problem that is not likely to just go away.
The buried alive made the top of the 11pm broadcast here (Tampa). I don’t know how much farther that went.
Fah on all of these new laws. Sexual exploitation of children, culminating in outright murder, already represents near the very bottom of human depravity in action. We need new laws to counteract this? I suspect this is one more way for politicians, who already share a large responsibility in the sick culture under which we now suffer, to boast to us mortals, “see, we’re doing something about this grave problem”.
Moreover, the solution offered by this new law serves to expand the police surveillance state that is creeping upon us now. Any person who lives among us that needs to be electronically collared I would think isn’t fit to be free anyhow. I have been wrestling in my own mind the possibility of transforming the people in question into eunuchs.
LaShawn,
I family friend who I thought was more liberal than I, said that anyone who did what guy did to
nine year old in Florida should be locked up forever or worst. This is why judges that are conservative are so important. From a conservative point of view, what is wrong with
Janice Rogers Brown? Two girls murdered within a
couple of months in Florida and five-year-old
go wild. This lady was high school teacher, but
retired because 14 year old told her he would knock her blank-blank head off. Of course student did not use words blank blank.
James M. Barber
I think that I heard that the law had passed.
And dont forget how those thugs buired those schools kids from CHOWCHILLA alive in the place to demand a ransom from the county and luckely they esacped and the no good scum who did it are no in prison and they hopefuly will never get out
DavidD, the answer to your question as to “why?” is easy.
They are being true to themselves — their sinful nature, Acts 17:16, Eph 4:17 – 19
I have a BIG problem with this one….
Let me explain however….
Anyone, and I MEAN ANYONE, convicted of molesting a child should NEVER be let out! They can not be rehabilitated. The only way this can be undone is if evidence comes before the court completely EXONERATING the said molester.
That being said, if someone goes to jail, does their time…their DONE. While I COMPLETELY abhor child molesters and agree they deserve death if they kill a child (and I think they deserve it for MOLESTING THEM)…if the Judicial system lets them out, they’ve paid their debt BY OUR OWN LAWS.
Asking them to wear LoJacks (if they’ve done their complete time! If they haven’t, then that should be a condition of parole, assuredly) is just plain wrong in the eyes of law as it’s been in the past. ie, fix that before you put a GPS tracker on someone who’s done their complete time.
You don’t, you’re breaking the law right along with them (albeit in a MUCH less worse way!)
It looks like I will have to be the divergent opinion on this issue.
And particularly for conservatives who tend to be more skeptical of the government intervening in individuals live’s I find it ironic that so many would support the lifelong monitoring of an individual after he has committed a crime, done his time and supposedly paid his debt to society.
Let me state my issues with the proposed life long penalties as mentioned above.
1st – How are we defining ’sex offender’ because there is a marked difference in degrees of sex offense.
For example, the Boy Scout leader who was found guilty of child porn position, a non-violent, or as Bill Mauer puts it ‘thought crime’ where in effect he wasn’t responsible for the creation of it, distribution of it, but primarily was only an end user.
As terrible as that may be, he committed no violent or physically abusive intent, however he may be forced to register for life and wear a bracelet for ever even after he is convicted and serves his time.
Another example is this, a 19 year old who has consensual sex with a 14 year old. In certain states this is sex offense registry deal. Is this individuals the same as say a Priest who has habitually preyed on 5 to 9 year old boys?
2nd – Statistical Evidence, I hear much anecdotal evidence, about how people who do X will always do X again, but as of yet I have seen no true statistical data indicating that sex offenders disproportionate to other criminals perform the act again. I would like to see the evidence on re-offenders before I rush to any form of judgement.
3rd – Out legal system, our legal system is founded and therefore better than anyother system in the world (wouldn’t you agree) on the premise of innocent until proven guilty. However, with these programs we presuppose the opposite. We pre-suppose guilt, even after they have ‘paid their debt’ to society. To me something is wrong about that.
I am not opposed to creating harshing penalties and even mandatories (up to life) for forcible rape of a minors and other forms of abuse. To me that is seperate then pulling a big brother on individuals who supposedly have paid their debt to society, and are presumed perpetually guilty.
Agree or disagree?
Dell, I agree that’s part of the political process in getting the kind of justice we want to see meted out. While we’re at it, we also need to cut out the psychobabble that is quick to return these pyschopaths back onto the street.
On this subject, I believe that longer prison terms are necessary WITHOUT the possibility of parole.
Also, inform the general population of the extent of their crime. In prison, the predator would become someone’s “girl friend”.
In prison, from what I hear, rapist and especially child molestors are an aboration (sp) that the prisoners “handle” on their own. They do not take that crime lightly.
Next, let it be known that their information will be released to the general population. I think that 10 to 20 years of being beaten and raped everyday would serve as a deterrent to others.
Millstone floatation devices.
Actually, life in prison for any child rape with no parole on the first offense.
Dell,
Sometimes a person is given a sentence of jail time and parole. This parole can be for a fixed period or life. It is part of the sentence, not an adjunct and constitutes monitoring of the individual after he is released which is not neccessarily a fully paid debt to society.
Life in prison is too good for such beasts – any rapist at that. While I understand some of Dell’s concern, there’s a big difference between consensual relations between a 19 year old and 14 year old and some sick monster who rapes children (or a grown adult, for that matter). All rape is a vile, heinous crime, the child form in particular which should be punishable by physical castration and, as someone else suggested, permanent installation at a place like Alcatraz. They are SOB’s, and it sure is hard to pray for and forgive them.
In a time of social chaos, society must intervene with corrective measures. In this case, its time for public execution of child molesters. On TV. Once the criminal has been determined to have done the deed. No technical points of law. No appeals. Execution within 90 days of conviction.
The wicked fear nothing today because the lawyer and the judge and the social worker and the journalist will just blame his victim and let him off the hook. Time for organizing the Public Death Penalty party. Desperate times call for harsh measures to restore order. A government that can’t command the fear of its citizens is worthless… Prisons don’t work. Instead divide punishments into 3 types – death (for all felonies), public whipping to within an inch of the offenders life(for certain misdomeaners) and monetary fines (for petty stuff). It won’t take that many public executions to get the word out that people must behave. Then we will be able to walk the streets again. By the way, it begins with the National Guard occupying the ghettos around this country and giving everyone there 3 days to turn in their guns. Then it’s shoot to kill on sight to anyone with a weapon. That should clean the place up in a reasonable amount of time.
And while we’re at it – no more lawyers in courts. Judges must decide the case, get to the bottom of it, and physically, with their own hands, carry out the sentence.
Registries? Tracking bracelets?
Child molesters cannot be cured. No method of tracking them will ever make them safe for society.
There is only one cure for such sickos. A short rope and a long drop.
Save the tracking devices for wildlife research.
Jim
The punishments may be deserved in many peoples’ minds and cases, but the harsher the punishments are, the more people(children) may not report the loved mother or father for their offenses. The parents/family are often responsible, but you place more guilt on the child/victim for the harsher punishments. The child is told his parent or “loved” one will be punished for life. It won’t be reported then. The ’stranger’ offenders will be the only ones punished, but the cycle will continue, underground, with more family offenses being hidden. You want people to be reported and found for destroying a child’s life. Make it something livable, not revengeful, especially for the first time reporting. The ability to enhance punishments should be available, but not mandated. It will deter reporting rather than encourage reporting. You are ‘pricing’ yourself out of the market by exacting your pound of flesh revenge.
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