Sexual Predators Essay Example

involves.

Children require food, clothes, and a home, all of these are subject to the whims of the offenders (Sanford, 78). As children mature they naturally go outside the home to form relationships as part of the maturing process. Youth and teens commonly develop online relationships in the pursuit of social relationships and to communicate with others. Teenagers complain regarding the lack of time to visit with friends during school hours.

Forty-eight percent of students surveyed stated that the internet improved their real life relationships and thirty-two percent made new friends (Wikipedia, 38). Most teens screen out adults with a few chosen phrases and comments. CCRC found that only five percent of online offenders pretended to be other teens (Magid, 2). What is behind the media coverage regarding internet access by sexual predators? MySpace received negative publicity, regarding sexual predators with active accounts. A report released in July 2007, sighted 29,000 registered convicted sex offenders had created profiles on MySpace.MySpace has received suggestions of greater policing, stronger verification of age and new measures to filter out pornography (Catts, 1).

Will MySpace lose money by restricting sexual predators from having access to other accounts, especially children? MySpace’s business models, along with other web sites models, do not include pornography or sexual predator’s activities. Web site owners do not make money from illegal activities (Blumenthal, 2). Therefore, they will not lose money by stopping or controlling these activities.The ultimate impact of MySpace’s new implementations to their website is whether law-abiding members perceive the efforts to uncover sex offenders as too aggressive or intrusive (Catts, 1). How does one identify a possible offender? Characteristics of an offender Primarily, offenders refuse to

take responsibility for their own actions by blaming others or the circumstances for their failures in life.

Profiles show the young victims and strong denial system added up to an immature and self centered individual who lacks a sense of consequence (Sanford, 89).Many feel a sense of entitlement believing they are due something from society in general or from a particular individual. Sexual predators suffer from low self-esteem with a need for power and control. They lack empathy. Many reported offenders are male, with a history of abuse and a troubled childhood.

Men are child molesters in at least ninety-seven percent of reported cases (Sanford, 83). One investigation noted eighty percent of sexual offenders had committed their first crime by age of thirty with all by the age of forty. Between 200 and 300 men are prosecuted to every one woman (Sanford, 83).Research has uncovered repeated drug and/or alcohol abuse issues among convicted predators. Lastly, sexual offenders suffer from deviant sexual behavior and attitudes (Henderson, 39). Further exploration discovered that the choice of sexual expression correlates more to the child’s age then the offenders (Sanford, 87).

Offenders do not form intimate relationships with other adults (Henderson, 39). Eight-five percent of sexual activity was nonorgasmic with one-fourth of activity ending before any stimulation occurred by the offender (Sanford, 83).Now that we know some offenders characteristics, it is paramount that we learn to identify traits that may be common to youthful victims. Characteristics of a victim Crimes against Children Research Center (CCRC) at the University of New Hampshire found current research makes the stereotype of the online child molester who uses trickery and violence to assault children is inaccurate (Magid,

1). Youth who use aggressive behaviors online by making rude or nasty comments, along with repeatedly embarrassing others, are twice as likely to become a victim.Talking online with strangers about sex, with a wide variety of unknown people in their buddy lists, were the most likely for solicitation or harassment (Magid, 2).

Three-fourths of all offenders were known by the victim is the form of a neighbor, baby-sitter, school, church, family and friends (Sanford, 83). A misconception is that all of this takes place at night or a dark location. Two-thirds are committed between noon and eight pm (Sanford, 85). An astonishing fifty percent of the crime is conducted in the victims or offenders home, not a seeding location in a bad part of town (Sanford, 84).Obviously, we need to address how to protect children.

Protection for children Our challenge is how to protect children from these predators without depriving them of the benefits of the internet, a sense of privacy and the ability to pursue their interests effectively (Henderson, 39). Parents must know their kids’ internet activities, who they are interacting with, and what they are saying on the internet (Henderson, 43). Surging interest in child abuse, child protection, and children’s rights created the most significant social developments in the 20th Century (Encyclopedia Britannica, .United States and Europe enacted many variations to Megan’s Law, which requires schools, day care centers, and residents to be notified by police of the presence of convicted sex offenders (Wikipedia, 1). New laws listed as predator laws, will keep, individuals with a history of sexual offenses, much longer then right now for the same offenses; thereby, keeping them away from the

public (Leo, 3).

One example required sexual predators and certain sexual offenders to report every three months to the local sheriff’s office.These new measures posed a serious threat to vigilantism and arguably infringe upon the legal rights of the offenders (News, 1). More educational programs for schools and homes… perhaps featuring interactive simulated encounters with various types of predators on and off the internet. Another possibility is redesigning the e-mail system (SMTP) so that senders are verified before mail is forwarded to its final destination (Henderson, 50). This leads us to the question of who has jurisdiction and whether the government needs to step in and protect our children.

JurisdictionWe need to realize the never-ending balancing act between the public’s right to know versus the right to an individual’s safety (Encyclopedia Britannica, 3). “Public safety should outweigh a convicted sex offender’s right to privacy” (Black, 2). 1996 Megan’s Law was passed by President Clinton due to the brutal rape and murder of a seven year old New Jersey girl, by a twice convicted sex offender living across the street from her home (Encyclopedia Britannica, 1). A study conducted by American Psychological Association (APA) found that the recidivism rate for treated and nontreated sexual offenders or predators was no different (Vatz, 2).There is a fine line between an irresistible impulse and an impulse not resisted; it is probably no sharper then the line between twilight and dusk (Encyclopedia Britannica, 4).

APA believes recidivism among sexual offenders is that they will continue to act, be caught, serve a short sentence, and then return to society until such time as they commit a murder. Society should not have to tolerate a

revolving door of sexual offenders; the use of psychiatry for offenders that can not be rehabilitated could lead society to a downward spiral of abuse (Vatz, 5).Let us look into a few examples of the newest laws surrounding sexual offenders and predators. Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act 1998, 18 USC 2425, states that it is a federal crime to knowingly ask for information by way of phone or internet to solicit or entice into unlawful sexual activity. It ensures that persons do not misrepresent themselves to a minor, by using computers or internet-access devices to locate and gain access to a minor, are severely punished.

It further states that no one can collect personal information from children under the age of 13 without parental consent (Henderson, 67).One new term that became part of main stream language is stalking. Due to the increasing problem in this area relating to sexual offenders a new law was passed. Stalking Prevention and Victim Protection Act of 2000, “the mail or any facility of interstate or foreign commerce, to place a person, in reasonable fear of … death, or serious bodily injury (Henderson, 69). ” We needed to identify any way a person could contact another individual. Lastly the newest law passed, Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006.

(Adam Walsh Act, Pub L. No. 09-248 2007) Juvenile fourteen or older must register as a sex offender or sexual predator (News, 1). Due to the spiral effect of one offender acting on a victim, then that victim becomes the offender. We have an increasing need to identify those under the age of eighteen.

Due to the newest laws here are a

few different opinions. Because of laws like Megan’s civil libertarians, argue that the stigmatization and ostracism that inevitably results from registration, constitutes a second punishment for the one crime and rehabilitation is made harder (Encyclopedia Britannica, 1).Not all convicted sexual offenders become recidivist, sometimes it was a one time episode. Others see these new laws as an infringement on all rights.

Samuel Francis believes under the new statue that supporters claim is a “rifle shot” aimed at deviants who repeatedly attack women and children, convicted offenders can be kept in prison indefinitely – long after they have served their full sentences. “What few seem to grasp is that the statue is a direct attack on the concept of the rule of law as well as on the even more fundamental concept of moral responsibility and punishment.Today it locks up sex offenders; tomorrow, recidivist red-light runners (Francis, 2). ” Federal Courts invalidated Washington States’ sexual predator law saying it punished twice for a single crime by keeping people locked up indefinitely (Encyclopedia Britannica, 1).

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the APA does not use terms as mental illness or mental abnormality, they use mental disorders to cover these areas (Vatz, 3). Because of this new laws have been drawn up to state “mental abnormalities”. Mental abnormalities” is justification to hold someone beyond their sentence as it is constitutionally permissible for civil confinement of a dangerous sex offender or predator, ruled by the Supreme Courts (Vatz, 2). Our greatest need seems to be for more coordination between federal, state, and local agencies in prosecuting crimes…(Henderson, 2). Courts, law enforcement, and the federal government must address computers seized, in

such a way that neither the user nor some automatic program can erase the data.

Data needs copied to a backup medium in such a way that courts can prove nothing was tampered with (Henderson, 48). Monitoring children’s internet activities will remain within the hands and the responsibility of the parents. “Parents have to be the first line of defense. There’s absolutely no question that law enforcement can not substitute for parental responsibility” (Blumental, 3). Weighing the scale of society’s rights versus individual privacy has begun a long battle.This explosive subject will generate many new laws, interpretations of existing laws, and new ways of accessing information on the internet.

What steps, is any, should the government take to protect children from sexual predators on the internet? There is no quick answer to this question. Society will have to take a stand for our children or the rights of those who abuse.

Bibliography

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3. Williams and Tamara L. Roleff. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1997. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center.
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