Version of "Megans Law" Coming to UK

Link to story here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/somerset/6538371.stm

And here, a warning from Barnardo's that these trials may actually endanger more children:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6540749.stm

Personally, I think the warnings about vigilante groups are somewhat unfounded. There have been very few incidents in my home state, where Megan's Law has been in place for years.

As far as sex offenders going underground? I don't know how many are untracked in my home state, or whether or not the Megan's Law database affected their decision to go underground, so that's a no-call.

Thoughts?

 

Castration with a rusty bread knife would be a good start I feel

 

I think it's a great idea.

Everyone should have the power to protect their children, and if that means some filthy paedo loses his right to hide within communities then tough.

I understand Barnardos fears ref forcing paedos underground, but what is the alternative? Sit back and trust the plod to keep tabs on them? No thanks.

 

There was a vigilante group kicked off on some bloke in Pompey a few years back. Organised demos outside his gaff, stones through windows etc. Wrong bloke.

 

Well if families were told where the real paedo was, then there wouldn't be a case of "wrong bloke".

And before anyone gets on a soapbox about rights for paedos, don't.

They gave up any right to be treated like anything more than an animal when they started fiddling with defenceless kids.

 

I'm not a parent, but I can't say I totally understand the logic of this idea. Just because a parent knows where one or two convicted paedophiles live, they don't know where X-number of unknown paedophiles are, so what difference does it make to how much freedom they allow their child?

Logic dictates that in the world we live in today parents have to be uber-vigilant about where they let their children roam un-chaperoned and they have to be suspicious of potentially inappropriate relationships. I think that potentially this will lull people into a false sense of security without, I believe, much benefit.

 

It is a sad state the country is in. I understand how you feel as I have 2(now grown-up) kids. Families now feel that they don't trust the Courts to put these people away and they don't trust the Plod to keep an eye on them. I'm not blaming PC Plod - there are plenty of them on this site and I think we all know their views.

What we are seeing here is the result of a continual wearing down of Joe Publics' faith in the System.

And animals don't deserve bad or rough treatment!

 

Do you really think that parents will go "oh, don't go down by number 33 cos that's where the paedo lives" and then not consider their childs safety in other areas?

That, sadly, shows you are childless.


Give parents more credit than that!

 

No, but paedos do. I would glady pay through the nose (even more) to keep these people locked away for the rest of their lives.

When they are released from prison, they are hidden away and given a free reign again, apart from the odd visit from the coppers.

Why should they have that comfort after taking a childs innocence away from them?

God forbid, if anyone touched my child I wouldn't be responsible for my actions. Sick perverts.

 

Yes, that's exactly what I was saying... I was merely implying that what people know for sure they pay more attention to, occasionally to the detriment of the unknown.

As a parent Moody, what impact will it have on you?

Sadly for whom? Certainly not for me!

I will give some parents more credit than that, however others shouldn't be allowed to supervise a chimps' tea party.

 

As a parent, it won't impact that much on me, as my child is not even 5 yet and doesn't go anywhere unsupervised!

However, when the time comes for him to want to go out and play with friends, walk to school, go to the shops etc then I would feel happier knowing whether or not there is some pervert in the local area, so I can make informed decisions as to the level of freedom I can give.

 

Which goes back to my original post and your sarcy response to it! How will knowing where one or two formerly convicted paedophiles live matter when you don't know where X-number of below-radar paedophiles live?

 

Nothing sad about that state, I can assure you!

But in terms of whether or not parents are cognizant of invisible as well as identified threats, I can see both sides of it...many parents in my area apparently can't be ARRSEd to know where their kids are at 11 PM, never mind wondering who they're talking to. On the other hand, these probably aren't the parents who'd bother looking on a website for local predators in the first place.


Edit: Dozy stole my line...

 

The very low number of offences committed against children by individuals who are not known to the victim's family is testament to how good the police are at keeping tabs on sex offenders. A close friend of my Aunt was monitoring paedophiles when the News of the Screws decide to embark on their 'name and shame' scheme. He recalled that in the week afterwards, 10 paedophiles (none of whom had been named) absconded, went underground and, in his words, 'immediately became a severe threat to children in the area.' It took six months to establish the whereabouts of all the abscondees, during which time not one of them had committed an offence.

Any ex-convict has rights, the point of our justice system is that on release from prison you are adjudged to be rehabilitated and no different from any other member of society, with exceptions for sex offenders. Paedophilia is different because it is a sex offence, because of the risk of reoffending and because of links between active paedophilia and severe mental illness, but to suggest that this sort of legislation will help is misguided. The very vast majority of threats to children come from their own family and close friends. Contrary to 'red top' propoganda, we are not overrun by paedophiles and risk of abduction/sexual abuse of children is no higher now than ever before, incidents of such are simply more likely to be reported.

At the very least this will prove to be a waste of money, at worse it could lead to the public taking the law into their own hands.

 

Doesn't alter the fact that 9 out of 10 pedos are known to the victim (either family or family friends) and therefore are probably already on your xmas card list, so you already know where they live!!

As distasteful as this subject is there is no evidance to say it is more prevalent now than when the members of this site were growing up (in whatever decade), the only thing that has changed is the media histeria over the subject, and the knock on effect to parent's worrying more than ever over their child's safety.

Don't get me wrong I would happily string up one if convicted, and I am a father of 2, but histeria doesn't provide better protection than good everyday stranger danger drills.