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Red signs outside the homes of convicted sexual predators.

Posted: Mon May 06, 2013 2:18 pm
by AdamSavage
What do you think of this? Police in Bradford County, Florida are posting red signs outside the homes of convicted sexual predators. I don't agree with this. This is straight up bullying, and we are no better then them for doing something like this. Bottom line, I don't think this is right. You are opening a very large can of worms.

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Re: Red signs outside the homes of convicted sexual predator

Posted: Mon May 06, 2013 2:35 pm
by Makoes
I've mixed feelings about this. On one hand I believe that if the person has served their sentence and is deemed fit to live in public, then a sign like this is somewhat counter productive.

However, on the other hand I believe that people have the right to be made aware of possible danger of having someone of this nature (past or not) living in their area.

It comes down to weighing whats more important, the rights of the person whom the sign is about vs the rights of the public to be aware of possible dangers.

Re: Red signs outside the homes of convicted sexual predator

Posted: Mon May 06, 2013 3:00 pm
by Rawr
I personally know someone who was raped at the age of 8 and her rapist got only a few months in jail. I am in total support of this and would like it if more extreme measures were taken, like moving them all to a location outside the city, chemical castration, or even regular castration. People need to know that these guys (used as a general term for people) did physically and mental harm that effects their victims for for the rest of their lives. Why should these people not be affected for the rest of their lives too. :mrgreen:

Re: Red signs outside the homes of convicted sexual predator

Posted: Mon May 06, 2013 3:37 pm
by cowmuflage
I tend to go with the "if you do the crime,you do the time and that's it" thing. I mean if they are deemed fit to get out of jail that is.

If it makes people think it's fine to do "vigilantie justice" to these people I think it's doing the wrong thing. Vigilantism is only okay in comics. I mean it could make them do crimes again in the worst cases.

Re: Red signs outside the homes of convicted sexual predator

Posted: Mon May 06, 2013 3:50 pm
by Rawr
cowmuflage wrote:I tend to go with the "if you do the crime,you do the time and that's it" thing. I mean if they are deemed fit to get out of jail that is.
A few months for raping an 8-year-old is not time done. The reason they got off is because 8-year-olds are "too young to understand what was going on in that situation" and "their testimony needs to be corroborated by an adult because they are unable to really distinguish right from wrong". How many other little boys and girls had this happen to them? Just because they did the crime doesn't mean they did the time and people need to know what these people have done and they are to be avoided. :mrgreen:

Re: Red signs outside the homes of convicted sexual predator

Posted: Mon May 06, 2013 3:57 pm
by cowmuflage
Rawr wrote:
cowmuflage wrote:I tend to go with the "if you do the crime,you do the time and that's it" thing. I mean if they are deemed fit to get out of jail that is.
A few months for raping an 8-year-old is not time done. The reason they got off is because 8-year-olds are "too young to understand what was going on in that situation" and "their testimony needs to be corroborated by an adult because they are unable to really distinguish right from wrong". How many other little boys and girls had this happen to them? Just because they did the crime doesn't mean they did the time and people need to know what these people have done and they are to be avoided. Studies have shown that majority of rapists will repeat the act, people should be aware of that. :mrgreen:
I don't think this is the way to do it. The way they did it before by making them tell everyone who lives in the neighbourhood was better imo. This will just lead to worse crimes being committed I think.

Re: Red signs outside the homes of convicted sexual predator

Posted: Mon May 06, 2013 3:59 pm
by Rawr
cowmuflage wrote:I don't think this is the way to do it. The way they did it before by making them tell everyone who lives in the neighbourhood was better imo. This will just lead to worse crimes being committed I think.
The only thing worse than rape is murder and if the rapist is the one being murdered the murderer did the world a favor. :mrgreen:

Re: Red signs outside the homes of convicted sexual predator

Posted: Mon May 06, 2013 4:06 pm
by cowmuflage
Rawr wrote:
cowmuflage wrote:I don't think this is the way to do it. The way they did it before by making them tell everyone who lives in the neighbourhood was better imo. This will just lead to worse crimes being committed I think.
The only thing worse than rape is murder and if the rapist is the one being murdered the murderer did the world a favor. :mrgreen:

Let's just agree to disagree. This is going no where.

Re: Red signs outside the homes of convicted sexual predator

Posted: Mon May 06, 2013 4:07 pm
by Rawr
Agreed. :mrgreen:

Re: Red signs outside the homes of convicted sexual predator

Posted: Mon May 06, 2013 4:18 pm
by GormanGhaste
This is public shaming, not justice. If you think they are dangerous enough to warrant a sign in their yard, then they should still be in jail. I believe in very strict sentences for rape, but after jail time is served, you have to give people a chance, and this does not.

Re: Red signs outside the homes of convicted sexual predator

Posted: Mon May 06, 2013 4:22 pm
by AdamSavage
This is only going to open the door for more hate crimes, and draw unwanted attention to the neighborhood. I agree what they did is wrong, but if you are going to do it to them, then why not do it someone who has murdered a person. If we allow this, then when do we draw the line of what is good and what is bad ? This almost like a modern day version of a public stoning, or the salem witch trials in some aspects.

Re: Red signs outside the homes of convicted sexual predator

Posted: Mon May 06, 2013 4:38 pm
by Silivren
GormanGhaste wrote:This is public shaming, not justice. If you think they are dangerous enough to warrant a sign in their yard, then they should still be in jail. I believe in very strict sentences for rape, but after jail time is served, you have to give people a chance, and this does not.
I agree. Rape is wrong. There's no doubt about that. I know around here people are warned or can check with their counties to see if registered sex offenders have moved into the area. The law requires them to say something but there are no signs outside of houses. That's extreme in my opinion. I will say that sometimes that label "Registered Sex Offender" is COMPLETELY unneeded. I knew a guy who's 22 and went to a party where he met a girl who said she was 21 and she looked it, was drinking alcohol and her friend confirmed she was 21. They slept together. Come to find out she's 15 and her parents charged him with rape even though the sex was consensual. So now he spends the rest of his life as a "Sex Offender" for something he didn't even know he did. And I would HATE to see a sign like this up near his home because he made a stupid mistake because some girl lied to him.

Re: Red signs outside the homes of convicted sexual predator

Posted: Mon May 06, 2013 5:22 pm
by Bowno
The only reason why I do not agree with this.. Is that those red signs are eyesores. They need to make them more pretty or something. I dunno. I wouldn't want to wake up and see that across the street every day every time I look out the window. It's just so... loud looking.

IDK. Maybe that's just me.

Re: Red signs outside the homes of convicted sexual predator

Posted: Mon May 06, 2013 5:45 pm
by AdamSavage
Doctress wrote: I knew a guy who's 22 and went to a party where he met a girl who said she was 21 and she looked it, was drinking alcohol and her friend confirmed she was 21. They slept together. Come to find out she's 15 and her parents charged him with rape even though the sex was consensual. So now he spends the rest of his life as a "Sex Offender" for something he didn't even know he did. And I would HATE to see a sign like this up near his home because he made a stupid mistake because some girl lied to him.
The law is really messed up when it comes to stuff like this. 30 years ago, it wouldn't of been as big of a deal. Even 100 years ago it was common for young women under 18 to have children and be married to older men. Not to mention the countless video's out there, that show underage girls fully nude and that was ok back then. Now, you so much as look at someone under 18 the wrong way and you would likely get dirty looks. You have sex with someone under 18 (16 I believe in Canada) you are labled a "pedofile". It's fine to label them as "Children" when it comes to stuff like this, but it's also ok to call them "Young Adults" when it comes to driving, moving out on their own etc..

I'm sure others may disagree with me on this, but that's ok. You can't please the world.

Re: Red signs outside the homes of convicted sexual predator

Posted: Mon May 06, 2013 6:36 pm
by Danielfboone
I agree that it's wrong. They don't do it for killers who have been paroled. It's a total violation of civil rights.

Re: Red signs outside the homes of convicted sexual predator

Posted: Mon May 06, 2013 7:52 pm
by Azunara
Doctress wrote:
GormanGhaste wrote:This is public shaming, not justice. If you think they are dangerous enough to warrant a sign in their yard, then they should still be in jail. I believe in very strict sentences for rape, but after jail time is served, you have to give people a chance, and this does not.
I agree. Rape is wrong. There's no doubt about that. I know around here people are warned or can check with their counties to see if registered sex offenders have moved into the area. The law requires them to say something but there are no signs outside of houses. That's extreme in my opinion. I will say that sometimes that label "Registered Sex Offender" is COMPLETELY unneeded. I knew a guy who's 22 and went to a party where he met a girl who said she was 21 and she looked it, was drinking alcohol and her friend confirmed she was 21. They slept together. Come to find out she's 15 and her parents charged him with rape even though the sex was consensual. So now he spends the rest of his life as a "Sex Offender" for something he didn't even know he did. And I would HATE to see a sign like this up near his home because he made a stupid mistake because some girl lied to him.
Actually, I believe because they were under the influence, it still constitutes as rape because it is not consent while both parties are under some sort of influence unless there was clear consent before any sort of alcohol or drug usage.

Regardless, the problem should focus less on shaming and more on the rapists getting more severe punishments.

Re: Red signs outside the homes of convicted sexual predator

Posted: Mon May 06, 2013 8:31 pm
by Wain
If it was my child or loved one that had been harmed then there's no telling what I might do.

But that's the difference between an angered individual and a civilized society. If we want a good society then it needs to be people with cool heads that decide how to handle crime, not angry mobs. It doesn't mean that criminals are always treated or punished as they should be, but that's where people should campaign hard for change, not paint targets for lynch mobs. The former is actually a lot harder and takes more conviction.

I sometimes think people never really got past the "Old West" mentality. I blame 50s television.

Re: Red signs outside the homes of convicted sexual predator

Posted: Mon May 06, 2013 8:48 pm
by Castile
As someone who works as part of the justice system a big red sign is not going to change anything. If someone is not rehabilitated they will commit that crime again. The cycle will just loop and all this does is encourage vigilantisim by people who probably have nothing to do with this individual nor the crime they commited.

Instead of wasting money on signs we need to spend time correcting the justice system itself. We need more psychologists and prison personale to make sure when someone is released they are not going to reoffend and if there is a possiblility they are, there needs to be a support network outside of prison to make sure they don't/minimise the risk.

Ofcourse there are no guarrentee's in life and we can only do our best as a society to protect those most at risk but this is not justice. It isn't preventing anything. And if someone warrants a sign such as this then they clearly aren't ready to be released into the community.

Re: Red signs outside the homes of convicted sexual predator

Posted: Mon May 06, 2013 9:04 pm
by Rawr
Apparently none of you know anyone who has actually been raped. You have no idea how long it takes to recover from it. How long it takes you to trust people again. How long before the nightmares stop. How much therapy before your loved ones can hug you without you screaming and crying. How much relationships are strained almost 20 years after the fact because you still have a problem being touched. I'm sorry some people are wrongfully imprisoned for a crime they didn't commit but that will always happen, there will always be someone who doesn't deserve what they got. But for the majority of victims of rape justice is never served. We are talking about people who lack the ability to control themselves and just 1 time of them giving into their desires ruins the life of someone else, forever. In that regard rapists aren't people they are animals, just like a dog that has bitten someone, they need a sign that says they are dangerous and a threat. None of you will ever understand how important it is that these people be shamed and shunned for the rest of their lives untill it happens to you or someone you love. And hopefully none of you ever do understand. If a rape victim has to suffer for the rest of their lives so should they. :mrgreen:

Re: Red signs outside the homes of convicted sexual predator

Posted: Mon May 06, 2013 9:14 pm
by Castile
Rawr wrote:Apparently none of you know anyone who has actually been raped. You have no idea how long it takes to recover from it. How long it takes you to trust people again. How long before the nightmares stop. How much therapy before your loved ones can hug you without you screaming and crying. How much relationships are strained almost 20 years after the fact because you still have a problem being touched. I'm sorry some people are wrongfully imprisoned for a crime they didn't commit but that will always happen, there will always be someone who doesn't deserve what they got. But for the majority of victims of rape justice is never served. We are talking about people who lack the ability to control themselves and just 1 time of them giving into their desires ruins the life of someone else, forever. In that regard rapists aren't people they are animals, just like a dog that has bitten someone, they need a sign that says they are dangerous and a threat. None of you will ever understand how important it is that these people be shamed and shunned for the rest of their lives untill it happens to you or someone you love. And hopefully none of you ever do understand. If a rape victim has to suffer for the rest of their lives so should they. :mrgreen:
Its quite clear that your friend did not get justice and for this I am sorry. But a sign will not stop them doing it again. A sign does not rehabilitate. Shaming someone who has gone through an extensive jail time (which a rapist should get - again this did not happen in your friends case) and counselling etc does not help them become apart of society again.

Again I say this sign doesn't help anyone. You don't want this sign, you want justice. And for that you need the Justice system itself to change. You want more then 8 months in jail for a crime as abhorent as the one you describe but if the government wastes money on useless things like this then that won't happen.

You're angry and thats understandable but channel that anger at getting tougher sentences for these criminals not a useless red sign.