Speaking of sex offenders

I've been happy to find discussions of sex offender punishments in the blogosphere lately have been more sophisticated and productive compared to rhetoric on the campaign trail. Most recently:

• Kuff prints a cogent letter from a reader criticizing proposed sex offender residency restrictions.

• Rants and Raves, a blog chronicling the travails of a registered sex offender living in the Metroplex, wonders why the probation departments in Dallas and Tarrant Counties can't seem to communicate about his case.

• As always, Corey Yung's Sex Crimes Blog is the go to source on these topics.

This promises be one of the hotly debated issues during the 80th Texas Legislature - too many politicians campaigned on getting "tuff" for us not to see a wave of bills targeting these crimes. That doesn't mean they'll all pass, of course - only that the debate is coming.

Those concerned with the topic should also be sure to read the House Research Organization's public policy report,"Should Texas Change Its Laws Dealing With Sex Offenders?" (pdf).