Texas is in the final stages of implementing an overhaul of the sex offender registry, which will allow some offenders to remove themselves from the list, according to the Midland Reporter-Telegram.
The Council on Sex Offender Treatment is holding a meeting on Feb. 26 to finalize the new plans to deal with low-level sex offenders. The council’s current plan is to allow offenders off the list after an unspecified amount of time and therapy.
According to Allison Taylor, executive director of the Council on Sex Offender Treatment, the list adds about 100 names a week and the cost of maintaining and managing the database is becoming unreasonable.
“This is a more common sense approach, we have to balance public safety with a limited amount of funds to ensure the maximum amount of public safety,” Taylor said.
While hosting a database may become a hassle, allowing people to deregister isn’t the best idea.
It may cost more money to maintain, but it protects the public — murderers aren’t allowed out of prison just because there’s no space left.
The list of offenses that are qualified as low-level include compelling prostitution, possession or promotion of child pornography and sexual performance of a child. None of these sound particularly friendly.
The removal process is estimated at around 10 years, according to the Midland Reporter-Telegram. It will require counseling and institutes a probation period similar to parole.
The question is, does the cost of running the list outweigh the benefit to society? In this situation, the answer is no.
Protecting children is not something that can be measured in dollars. Some things simply cost money — maintaining a list of sex offenders is one of them.
Texas is facing a budget crisis, true, but that is no excuse for lowering sex offender guidelines. There are other ways to cut costs; lowering the safety of children should not be one of them.
sex laws are the manipulation of religious and political pandering using lies and their own filthy misconception in some assa9 eugenics idea that people that have sex should only be what Arin, blond and refuse to be in a porno? Ha! some of our greatest advancements have come from what these assa9 freaks call mental retards. It was retarded to think the sun is in the middle of our solar system too ,,, huh? No there thinking is so off base that we are hard pressed too chuck um out of law entirely by ending sex laws all together before they screw us up any more than they already have.
Dump sex laws and start loving one another, and stop the pairsitic relationship with the same people that brought this whole thing up in the 1st place. Their sickness over sex is unfounded and like any group that cuts themselves sells them selves a bandaid and profits by the action is not healthy from the gate. peace
The solution is to eliminate government jobs at local and state levels. Let them contribute to a 401k plan and eliminate pensions. Cut their salaries by 1/3. There is no other 'just' solution.
The funny thing is, Murderers are let out of prison when their isn't space left. You have to make room for those evil dangerous Marijuana smokers you know.
On the point, a lot of good can come from taking low level "offenders" off of the registry. Those are the males arrested for statutory "rape" where an 18 year old gets caught with his 16-17 year old girlfriend. He gets arrested, charged, and put on the registry. He has to go around wherever he lives and tell people he's a "sex offender" and he'll never find a job that doesn't involve flipping burgers or taking out trash bags.
How exactly does maintaining a list of 'sex offenders' protect children, or anyone for that matter. So..you know where they live and what they did to get in the fix they are in. Then what? Does demonizing them make them less of a threat? What about insuring that they become a burdon on society when they can not get reasonable employment or a safe place to live? What if everyone had to post a list of their sins and past crimes on their door post. Would you feel safer then? Would you feel comfortable sharing your own short comings with the world. Would the world be 'safer' knowing this information? Do you know what very little it takes to be branded a sex offender in the state of Texas – for the rest of your life? You don't have to be a threat to anyone to be a member of this club. Just some thoughts to ponder.