Slog

Another wee bit is that the local law enforcement jurisdictions determine the level of the offender. In other words Issaquah can determine that so and so is a level 3 and another jurisdiction in Kitsap for instance, can determine they are level 1. They can determine level 3 as a way to keep harsher tabs on them or as a way to drive them out. The problem is that you send them underground and in that scenario the community does not win, though they think that by driving them somewhere else they are some how safer. Is not pleasant to say it, but it is to the community's benefits that these people do well outside so they dont re offend.

It makes it difficult for legislators to create laws and policies that are nuanced enough to deal with the wide spectrum of sex offenders, most of whom do not want to abduct and murder children.

Agreed. But a lot of these laws are supposed to be 'protective' of children, exactly because we don't know who is going to escalate their behavior, and who is not. Joseph Duncan didn't murder children either....all the way up until he did.

Hey, since we're talking about how fucking overblown the threat of strangers to your children is, can you do a nice article about Amber Alerts, and how most children who are kidnapped are snatched away by a parent?

according to the fbi statistics, child kidnap/murders have remained at a steady 5-per-year nationwide for the last twenty years or so. thanks to the trashy exploitation of local news stations, most people are under the impression that this is a crime on the rise, and that a murderous pedophile lurks around every corner. as a result, all these paranoid parents severely restrict their children's freedom, and generally instill fear into them. there's too much kneejerk fear in this country, and it's hurting us.

They should have alerts for guys and gals that violate no-contact orders too - we'll call them Loony Alerts.

Did no one notice that the 17 year old "predator" caught in this sting was a minor himself? The article never mentioned how old of a girl he was led to believe he was meeting. They're usually around 14 in such stings. Yes, 17 year olds shouldn't be looking for 14 year olds on the internet, but 3 year age differences between dating couples is hardly abnormal. It's pretty stupid to call a teenager a deviant for having normal sexual desires, and to claim he's preying on young children and will kidnap and murder them. For documentation of how our tax money is being wasted to destroy children's and teenagers' lives by calling them "sex offenders," see www.ethicaltreatment.org .

Nice work- much needed defense of pedophiles by the readership of this rag.

7, we're not defending pedophiles, we're pointing out harmful excesses. have anything actually informative or intellegent to say, curtis?

This thread reminds me of a sketch from that venerable and short-lived HBO series Mr. Show..."Nambla: at least we're not killers!"

Having lived with a sex offender for a couple of years - one that I'm sure did NOT re-offend - I applaud the good, even handed coverage of this topic. There are those who, with treatment, will not or are unlikely to re-offend, however the current popular "wisdom" is that a sex offender can never be cured. It's a difficult topic and I don't know where the balance is. I'm not sure that we have a good ability to diagnose those who are unlikely to offend. I am sure that the current scarlet letter treatment is not working well, if at all.

@6 - good point about the minor. I was struck by his age as well. Still, in an age where 12 year olds are charged with murder, I suspect his age would get him trial as an adult. What is the age of consent in Washington anyhow?

When will people learn. That hot 13 year old Lolita on the other end of the chat room is a POLICE DETECTIVE. Jesus. Can we send them to jail for being morons on top of being perverts?