California Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, is set to sign Assembly Bill 1844, "Chelsea's Law". Yesterday, the California Assembly unanimously passed the bill that will enact one of the nation's toughest sex offender laws on the books. It's about time. Both Chelsea King and Amber Dubois were killed by registered sex offender, John Albert Gardner III. Amazingly, despite being a registered sex offender and sporting a tracking bracelet, Gardner roamed freely around Southern California stalking victims, after serving time for another violent crime against a child. He should have been monitored. In my opinion, he should never have been released. Both Amber and Chelsea would have been alive today had he been kept behind bars. Our local Senator, Dennis Hollingsworth, has authored a bill which passed unanimously today in the senate. This bill, S85, will help families preserve the memories of their slain children. It is called the "Deceased Child Victims Protection and Privacy Act". Under this bill, the gruesome details of a child's murder and autopsy results can be sealed by the victim's family. If a family has lost a child in a perverse killing, they have every right to privacy. I can't imagine, as a mother, turning on the t.v. to see my child portrayed as a victim of sexual torture and abuse. It would be nearly as devastating as the murder itself.
New laws proposed in California require a checklist for police to follow during missing child investigations, reduce the reporting time to get authorities working on the case, and provide for a Director of Missing Child Operations, a new position in the State Attorney General's office. All of these new laws will go into effect in January, 2011. Governor Schwarzenegger will sign them all. He has stated "I am committed to protecting our children and keeping our communities safe from the threat of sexual predators, and Chelsea's Law will help to do that by creating harsher penalties on those that prey on children". I don't think the penalties could ever be harsh enough, but California is leading the way in passing laws that actually have teeth. Chelsea's Law mandates life sentences for those who commit violent sex crimes against children. No three strikes. One strike, and it's life behind bars, just as it should be. The recidivism rates for sex crimes are so high that repeat offenders are a given. In my view, a death sentence wouldn't be too harsh, but putting them in jail and throwing away the key is going to protect children from what Chelsea and Amber and their families have gone through.
If you go to the Megan's Law website and look up the sex offenders in your neighborhood and in your city, you will be astounded. They are everywhere. Time to get them out of our neighborhoods and into jail where they belong. There is no more heinous crime than a sex crime against a child.
Showing posts with label sexual predators. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sexual predators. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Monday, March 8, 2010
Another Loss Due to a Sexual Predator
In the headlines today, another young woman's body has been found. Amber Dubois disappeared a little over a year ago while walking to her high school in Escondido. She was only 14. Her family had held out hope that somehow, somewhere she was still alive. Jaycee Dugard's story, while tragic, made them feel that it was possible that Amber could be alive. On Saturday, those hopes were dashed when her body was found in a remote area of San Diego County. Just days ago, the body of Chelsea King was found in a similar area. A registered sex offender, John Albert Gardner III, was arrested in connection with Chelsea's murder and is currently being investigated in the disappearance of Amber as well. He lived with his mother in the same area during the time Amber went missing. Gardner lived recently in Lake Elsinore, California, a community in the area in which I live and work. Over the past few months, we have been periodically called with the Lake Elsinore Unified School District warning that there was a predator lurking around schools and accosting girls. A few times, abductions were attempted and one time he exposed himself to students waiting at a bus stop. The picture provided looks remarkably like Mr. Gardner.
When will it end? This is such an easy fix! If someone qualifies as a registered sex offender, they should not be on the street. We need to be considering chemical or medical castration for these individuals, as well as long-term incarceration. Some may call that "cruel and unusual punishment". However, what those girls endured went beyond that. If we can save one child from these predators, then it would be worth all the tax dollars we spend to keep them in jail for life. There are murderers on death row who killed in a fit of rage or vengeance. They are a lot less dangerous to society than the ones who kill for their own selfish pleasure. And yet, sex offenders get a couple of years and a slap on the wrist and out they go to do it again and again. The recidivism rate is higher in sexual crimes than in another other type of crime. In the case of Mr. Gardner, a psychologist had recommended he not be released because it was felt that he would re-offend. So it was known that he was a danger. And one, two, or possibly more families are paying the price for the bad judgment that put him back out on the street.
How important are our daughters, our children? Our representatives need to know. They need to be bombarded with demands for legislation that will castrate and commit these people for life or for long enough that they could never again endanger a child -- your child, my child, anyone's child. Please take a moment and write one letter, and then encourage everyone else you know to write at least one letter to the people who are supposed to protect and serve us.
When will it end? This is such an easy fix! If someone qualifies as a registered sex offender, they should not be on the street. We need to be considering chemical or medical castration for these individuals, as well as long-term incarceration. Some may call that "cruel and unusual punishment". However, what those girls endured went beyond that. If we can save one child from these predators, then it would be worth all the tax dollars we spend to keep them in jail for life. There are murderers on death row who killed in a fit of rage or vengeance. They are a lot less dangerous to society than the ones who kill for their own selfish pleasure. And yet, sex offenders get a couple of years and a slap on the wrist and out they go to do it again and again. The recidivism rate is higher in sexual crimes than in another other type of crime. In the case of Mr. Gardner, a psychologist had recommended he not be released because it was felt that he would re-offend. So it was known that he was a danger. And one, two, or possibly more families are paying the price for the bad judgment that put him back out on the street.
How important are our daughters, our children? Our representatives need to know. They need to be bombarded with demands for legislation that will castrate and commit these people for life or for long enough that they could never again endanger a child -- your child, my child, anyone's child. Please take a moment and write one letter, and then encourage everyone else you know to write at least one letter to the people who are supposed to protect and serve us.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Jaycee's Law
It's been a couple of weeks since I've blogged and I have to apologize for that. I have been sick with some form of flu or viral illness and all I can say is that the older you get, the harder you fall!
My down time had me watching a lot of news and I'm sure everyone has heard about the case of Jaycee Lee Dugard, the young girl who was kidnapped in California at age 11 and was recently found 18 years later hidden in the back yard of a sexual predator. I can't really fathom why Phillip Garrido, a man with so many past incidents and charges, and even an extended prison sentence (He got 50 years and served 10), was ever let out of prison in the first place. It's the fault of society and all of us when we allow sexual predators to remain free.
Out of curiosity, I went to the Megan's Law website for California. There it allowed me to search my area for sexual predators. I was pretty stunned to find that there are a dozen registered sex offenders within two blocks of my child's school. How is that possible? They are listed by law enforcement on the website, so authorities obviously know where they are. Meanwhile, after school, children walk past these homes every weekday, unaware of the dangers. Shouldn't the schools be required to warn parents and children?
Jaycee was kidnapped within sight of her home while she was walking to the school bus. She was forced into a car by an adult female, presumably the wife of Phillip Garrido, who met him while he was in prison. Some people are just plain sick. Apparently, this woman was his accomplice.
Perhaps it seems a bit harsh, but I am a proponent of castration, either physical or chemical, to control sexual predators. I am also a proponent of a one strike law. The recidivism rate among sex offenders is something like 86%, so it seems like a no-brainer to keep them where they can no longer offend or castrate them so they can no longer offend. If it saves one child, I'd be willing to pay higher taxes to keep them off the streets.
Perhaps it's the times, but it doesn't seem like it was as dangerous when we were children. We didn't have to worry so much about these things. Perhaps the internet has something to do with it. Children become an easy target and are easier to find. If you've watched the Dateline NBC show called "To Catch a Predator", you know that people who wish to prey on children are a dime a dozen.
I can't imagine the joy and sorrow of Jaycee's parents upon learning of her fate. It would be unbelievable to have your daughter back after all of those years of captivity, but how can you ever really get her back? She was with her captors longer than she was with her family. She suffered unspeakable horrors at such a young age. She gave birth at 14 without benefit of a hospital or a doctor. She learned to survive, but at what cost?
We can't trust the system. The system failed for Jaycee. Even after neighbors reported children living in tents in the back yard and wild parties, police dropped the ball. They didn't check to see who Phillip Garrido was. If they had, they would have found that he was a registered sex offender with an ankle bracelet. They didn't even check the back yard, which was the source of the complaint. Another three years went by before Jaycee and her two young daughters were rescued. I am a big proponent of law enforcement and I am solidly behind our police, but that officer should be fired. He not only didn't do his job, he risked three lives in the process.
I think it's important for parents to check the Megan's Law website for their area and inform their children, those old enough to understand, that there are people they need to stay away from. Our congressmen need to know that we want continued access to this website and that we want tougher laws on the books to protect our future, our children. Please take the time to make an effort to make a difference in that regard -- if that is to call your child's school and make them aware of the dangers nearby, calling your local senator or writing your congressman to let them know where you stand on these issues. Jaycee's Law is yet to be written, but I hope it is and that it requires castration for sexual offenders. There is a special place in hell for those who would hurt children, and in the meantime they need to stay in prison.
My down time had me watching a lot of news and I'm sure everyone has heard about the case of Jaycee Lee Dugard, the young girl who was kidnapped in California at age 11 and was recently found 18 years later hidden in the back yard of a sexual predator. I can't really fathom why Phillip Garrido, a man with so many past incidents and charges, and even an extended prison sentence (He got 50 years and served 10), was ever let out of prison in the first place. It's the fault of society and all of us when we allow sexual predators to remain free.
Out of curiosity, I went to the Megan's Law website for California. There it allowed me to search my area for sexual predators. I was pretty stunned to find that there are a dozen registered sex offenders within two blocks of my child's school. How is that possible? They are listed by law enforcement on the website, so authorities obviously know where they are. Meanwhile, after school, children walk past these homes every weekday, unaware of the dangers. Shouldn't the schools be required to warn parents and children?
Jaycee was kidnapped within sight of her home while she was walking to the school bus. She was forced into a car by an adult female, presumably the wife of Phillip Garrido, who met him while he was in prison. Some people are just plain sick. Apparently, this woman was his accomplice.
Perhaps it seems a bit harsh, but I am a proponent of castration, either physical or chemical, to control sexual predators. I am also a proponent of a one strike law. The recidivism rate among sex offenders is something like 86%, so it seems like a no-brainer to keep them where they can no longer offend or castrate them so they can no longer offend. If it saves one child, I'd be willing to pay higher taxes to keep them off the streets.
Perhaps it's the times, but it doesn't seem like it was as dangerous when we were children. We didn't have to worry so much about these things. Perhaps the internet has something to do with it. Children become an easy target and are easier to find. If you've watched the Dateline NBC show called "To Catch a Predator", you know that people who wish to prey on children are a dime a dozen.
I can't imagine the joy and sorrow of Jaycee's parents upon learning of her fate. It would be unbelievable to have your daughter back after all of those years of captivity, but how can you ever really get her back? She was with her captors longer than she was with her family. She suffered unspeakable horrors at such a young age. She gave birth at 14 without benefit of a hospital or a doctor. She learned to survive, but at what cost?
We can't trust the system. The system failed for Jaycee. Even after neighbors reported children living in tents in the back yard and wild parties, police dropped the ball. They didn't check to see who Phillip Garrido was. If they had, they would have found that he was a registered sex offender with an ankle bracelet. They didn't even check the back yard, which was the source of the complaint. Another three years went by before Jaycee and her two young daughters were rescued. I am a big proponent of law enforcement and I am solidly behind our police, but that officer should be fired. He not only didn't do his job, he risked three lives in the process.
I think it's important for parents to check the Megan's Law website for their area and inform their children, those old enough to understand, that there are people they need to stay away from. Our congressmen need to know that we want continued access to this website and that we want tougher laws on the books to protect our future, our children. Please take the time to make an effort to make a difference in that regard -- if that is to call your child's school and make them aware of the dangers nearby, calling your local senator or writing your congressman to let them know where you stand on these issues. Jaycee's Law is yet to be written, but I hope it is and that it requires castration for sexual offenders. There is a special place in hell for those who would hurt children, and in the meantime they need to stay in prison.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Pro-Life and the Death Penalty
I read with sadness this morning a newspaper article on Joseph Duncan, the long-time sex offender who was convicted of the torture and murder of 9-year-old Dylan Groene, of Idaho. I read the news each and every day and make it a point to stay current on news and events. For the first time that I can recall, I sat and cried while reading this article. You may recall this case in which Dylan and his sister, Shasta, age 8, were kidnapped from the home of their mother and step-father. The parents were killed, as was their 16 year old brother, Slade. Joseph Duncan murdered the whole family with the intent of taking Dylan and Shasta, after stalking the family for some time. This predator had struck before, in Riverside County, killing 10-year-old Anthony Martinez. The evil involved in these crimes is undefinable. This is every parent's nightmare personified. Jurors in the case were shown a video of sexual abuse, torture, and death by hanging of little Dylan. Joseph Duncan taped his crimes so that he could re-live them over and over again. Shasta was forced to watch, knowing the same fate could be awaiting her. Shasta was rescued when an alert waitress notified police that the little girl looked like the missing girl on t.v.
Working in adoption, I am pro-life, as you might imagine. I like to think that I have a kind heart and wouldn't ever condone hurting anyone. However, in this case, there is no punishment too harsh -- no suffering enough -- to mitigate the crimes against the most vulnerable and innocent in our society. How many years of life did he take away? How many lives were changed because of what Joseph Duncan did? How does such a monster arrive at a place where he could possibly do such heinous things? Five people are dead. One little girl has to live with what she witnessed and the loss of her entire family. Twelve jurors, friends, and court personnel can never forget what they saw on the videotape. So, while I am very much pro-life, Mr. Duncan is the exception. He doesn't deserve to take up space or resources on this earth. I don't want any of my tax dollars going to feed or house him. He shouldn't be allowed to ever have the opportunity to do something like this again. He has received the death penalty. There will be years of appeals and he will live on for many more years before, and if, his life is taken. When it happens, it will be done quickly and humanely -- something he didn't afford his victims, certainly not Dylan or Anthony. The mere thought of what they went through haunts me.
How do we prevent this type of crime from ever happening again? How do we protect our children and our families? I wish I knew. It seems that more and more often in our world, this type of evil is making itself known. Perhaps with the advent of the internet and the availability of child porn to these predators, we are fueling their desire for children. We need to aggressively hunt down and prosecute those distributing this garbage and stop giving child predators short sentences or probation. No matter what we do, we can't help those who have already suffered and lost their lives. It makes me very sad. Dylan is my son's name. I can't even imagine...
Working in adoption, I am pro-life, as you might imagine. I like to think that I have a kind heart and wouldn't ever condone hurting anyone. However, in this case, there is no punishment too harsh -- no suffering enough -- to mitigate the crimes against the most vulnerable and innocent in our society. How many years of life did he take away? How many lives were changed because of what Joseph Duncan did? How does such a monster arrive at a place where he could possibly do such heinous things? Five people are dead. One little girl has to live with what she witnessed and the loss of her entire family. Twelve jurors, friends, and court personnel can never forget what they saw on the videotape. So, while I am very much pro-life, Mr. Duncan is the exception. He doesn't deserve to take up space or resources on this earth. I don't want any of my tax dollars going to feed or house him. He shouldn't be allowed to ever have the opportunity to do something like this again. He has received the death penalty. There will be years of appeals and he will live on for many more years before, and if, his life is taken. When it happens, it will be done quickly and humanely -- something he didn't afford his victims, certainly not Dylan or Anthony. The mere thought of what they went through haunts me.
How do we prevent this type of crime from ever happening again? How do we protect our children and our families? I wish I knew. It seems that more and more often in our world, this type of evil is making itself known. Perhaps with the advent of the internet and the availability of child porn to these predators, we are fueling their desire for children. We need to aggressively hunt down and prosecute those distributing this garbage and stop giving child predators short sentences or probation. No matter what we do, we can't help those who have already suffered and lost their lives. It makes me very sad. Dylan is my son's name. I can't even imagine...
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