Rounding up sex offenders

Haven't seen this posted yet, and couldn't find anything on AP about it, but apparently the town of Lima, Ohio is planning to "round up" all listed sex offenders on Saturday, for about two hours, to keep them away from trick-or-treating children.

Now in no way, shape or form do I advocate ANY crimes against children, but is anyone else disturbed by the city "rounding up" anyone? And if they feel these people who've paid their debt are that much of a threat, why don't they also round up ANYONE who's ever been convicted of any violent crime?

 

Is not exactly rounding them up.
I think they are being required to report to their parole officers for two hours while everyone else trick or treats.

While I understand the idea, I don't agree with it.

Then again, I don't think Sex offenders are treated as fair as average criminals after they are released. Again, I completely understand the reasoning, but I can't see how a lot of the treatment - forcing them to register as a sex offender - has been upheld by the courts.

 

That's exactly my thinking. And wouldn't the average person have more contact with more children during the course of an average day?

 

Guys who prey on children get what they deserve, but I hate to think that some guy who was 19 with a 16-year-old girlfriend could get thrown into the same mix.

 

I seem to recall reading about a similar "round-up" last year. Don't recall if it was in Lima though.

 

Ace, we're not talking about sex offenders not being punished. We're talking about after they've served their time having to be "rounded up", even if it's not an official rounding up. Don't confuse the two.

 

If you're still on parole you haven't truly served your time have you? Are they ordering just people still on parole to show up or anybody who has ever been convicted?

 

Well, this is a stupid move. I think having to register and all that is fine, but they lump everyone together as sex offenders -- even if the risk of them "offending" again is small.

It's also clearly politically motivated. They make these people jump through hoops -- not to protect children, but to earn political hay.

 

Here is the story:

Associated Press

LIMA - About 40 sex offenders will be required to report to a probation office for two hours while children are trick-or-treating in this northwest Ohio city, a county court official said.

"They do not have a choice," said Jim Wingate, project director for Allen County Sex Offender Risk Reduction Court. "Anybody under my supervision, if they're directed to show up and they don't, they will go to jail."

The sex offenders will undergo drug testing and have their ankle monitors checked, Wingate said. Failing to appear could mean a violation of their probation, he said.

Children will go from house to house between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. on Saturday. The court plans to have police officers look for sex offenders who don't come to the probation office during that time, Wingate said.

"Kids are out, they are vulnerable and they come to strangers' houses," Wingate said.

Defense attorney Bill Kluge called it ludicrous for sex offenders to be rounded up on the premise that children will be safer.

"They are on ankle monitors in the first place. They know where they're at," Kluge said. "Why not corral all people convicted of a second DUI from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m.?"

Wingate said the idea of holding the roundup on Halloween came from a regional sex offender specialist through the state prison system. Prisons spokeswoman JoEllen Lyons said Columbus has had success with the program in past years.

Allen County has 139 registered sex offenders.

Most of those required to report to the probation office are classified as sexual predators and are considered to have a high risk of committing another sex crime, Wingate said.

The sex offender court, run through the Allen County Common Pleas Court, started in January as part of an effort to reduce the rate of repeat crimes.

The program has placed monitors in schools that sound an alarm if a sex offender wearing an ankle transmitter comes within 600 feet.

 

i think i read that in nyc they are required to stay indoors from 3 p.m. until late in the night while the kids are out

 

A murderer seems to have more of a chance to become an accepted part of society than a sex offender does. I've never heard of the term "registered murderer" before. Not judging one way or the other, just find it interesting, is all.

 

What the hell happened to trick-or-treating on Halloween? Saturday from 3-5? That's bullshit.