Lawmakers have again approved a bill that would exempt certain offenders from having to register (often for life) on the state's fast-growing sex offender registry. Now the only question is: Will Gov. Rick Perry sign it?This bill is the least they can do - almost literally the very least - to address unintended consequences from Texas' over-broad sex-offender registry. Perhaps Gov. Perry will allow it to become law this go-round so the Legislature and the public can see that the sky won't fall if low-risk offenders are allowed to get off the list.
At issue is whether certain youthful offenders, or so-called "Romeo and Juliet" offenders – those involved in a consensual relationship with a person under 17 – should be given a chance to avoid registration and the collateral damage that follows. The bill, which is retroactive, would allow for youthful offenders involved with a person who is at least 15, and not more than four years their junior, a chance to avoid registration, if a court finds that the person poses no threat to public safety.
Friday, May 13, 2011
'De-Registering Romeo and Juliet'
The title of this post is the headline of a story byJordan Smith at the Austin Chronicle, which opens:
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6 comments:
Hopefully this will become law. If all the Romeo and Juliet relations that happened around THS more than half a century ago were registered, why, the world could not contain the scroll!
Someone had an attack of common sense. I approve.
This is a real need. I have dealt with a case involving a then 17 year old who was invited to have sex by a 16 year old girl and was convicted of stat rape, and is now in his 50s and can't get certain jobs because of that event and the registry. The stat rape occurred in another jurisdiction, not Texas, but the detriment continues here under TX law.
Next can we get something passed that juvenile sex offenders who do their time, stay out of trouble, et cetera, have their names and info removed from the registry once the 10 year registration period has ended? What good is it to tell them, "its only for 10 years," if it follows them forever even if they never again get in trouble?
People! Why have a registry for anybody in the first place? I mean, do you, in your spare time, go sex offender hunting on the web? And if you do have the time for this type of "VOYEURISM", exactly what do you do with the information? Say you find a guy who is on the registry in your hood, then what? You gather a lynchmob--think the hunt for Frankenstien, pitchforks and all--roll up to the guy's man-cave and demand his head? Tell him to GET OUT of the hood? How stupid will you guys look? Some "supposed" rational voices would putforth the argument that it helps them to identify such people and be on guard. Well, if they are that concerned, they need to concentrate on and know about all the RSOs in their town/city, because even though an RSO does not live in your hood doesn't mean he can't come from across town to victimize you--get it? And this 500 feet from a school or daycare thing, are you foolish enough to think that a real predator will go up to the 499th foot and say "Oh, can't crossover there". Duhhh!!! As to this "Romeo & Juliet" law, I believe there is a certain class of parents who are basically trying to protect their children. Which I can't blame them, I'm a parent, but then what should go for one--deregistration--should go for all. I believe the U.S. Constitution calls it "Equal Protection of the Law".
Wow... Texas finally wised up. It is hard and time consuming for parents to sort through hundreds of sex offenders when actually maybe only 50 are actual threats. The list has become so saturated in hopes of political gain that it has become useless for parents. I could care less about Joe Blow who was 18 and had sex with a 13 year old. I'm worried about the ones who were 30 years old messing with 13 years olds or even younger. A 17/18/19 year old acting immaturely does not make them a predator. Stop wasting our tax money!!!
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