Subject:
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Re: Here's a scary one
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.off-topic.debate
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Date:
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Fri, 17 Jun 2005 15:51:19 GMT
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Viewed:
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2146 times
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In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Frank Filz wrote:
> In this article:
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> http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/06/16/hamilton.child.support/index.html
>
> it is proposed that the government keep and publish a list of all
> accusations of child molestation. While the intent to make it easier to
> discover molesters is good, it has serious consequences for someone wrongly
> accused. Already, it is kind of scary (as someone who volunteers with youth)
> how easily one's life can be destroyed by a kid deciding to "get even" with
> someone by making an accusation. To make these false accusations easily
> searchable would probably make it impossible to recover from such an
> accusation.
This is a tough conversation to have because, to some people, even suggesting
that child molesters might not actually be the devil incarnate is tantamount to
molesting children yourself. I've been in online forums with a decidedly
left-leaning vibe, and even among that liberal crowd the child molester is a
pariah unworthy even of mention, let alone discussion.
I work with a woman who years ago participated in foster-programs for some time
and decided to adopt one of the children in her care. However, another child,
in retaliation for some imagined wrong, decided to claim that she'd touched him
inappropriately, and the adoption was immediately and summarily rejected. My
coworker was wholly innocent of the charges, but the stain of accusation went on
her permanent record, and because of the petulant comments of one troubled
child, another child was denied a family.
I fully support incarceration of sex offenders, and I even support their
permanent inclusion on a registry, if such inclusion is part of their initial
sentencing. If it's imposed post hoc and without a separate trial for
sentencing, then it's clearly unconstitutional. To impose an after-the-fact
penalty of this sort would be like the police fining you an additional million
dollars for that three-dollar parking ticket you paid last month, only worse.
And a registry of *accused* individuals? That's patently absurd and an
unmistakable denial of due process rights.
Dave!
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Message has 1 Reply:
 | | Re: Here's a scary one
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| (...) Agree with the above, and further I don't support name-and-shame as a punishment mechanism unless it's imposed at the time of sentencing, but I do support the notion of being able to inquire "is this potential employee already convicted of (...) (19 years ago, 17-Jun-05, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Here's a scary one
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| In this article: (URL) is proposed that the government keep and publish a list of all accusations of child molestation. While the intent to make it easier to discover molesters is good, it has serious consequences for someone wrongly accused. (...) (19 years ago, 17-Jun-05, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
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