Posted on 12/04/2010 6:08:20 PM PST by Wile E Coyote Genius
CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) - A relatively new state law bans registered sex offenders from using social networking websites like myspace and facebook, but prosecutors say it's rarely used in court.
The law was enacted in December of 2008.
Prosecutor Kelly Miller says the law is great idea, but difficult to enforce because registered sex offenders on probation typically use the internet in the privacy of their homes. They often use different screen names and don't have their pictures on the account.
It often takes a court order for police to gain access to computer information needed to verify the account owner.
(Excerpt) Read more at live5news.com ...
Could this not be enforced by requiring sex offenders to report to their ISP and flagging their IP address?
It can and does happen. For example, sex offenders in Oregon, can be restricted from owning or using ANY device that is capable of accessing the internet for the length of their post prison supervision or parole.
This can be and is verified by the parole/PPS officer that will inspect the address requested as a release address and if there are devices that violate these restrictions they must be removed from the household BEFORE the offender is allowed to live there.
This law is easy to enforce as a condition of probation, parole or post prison supervision and the idea that its "to big a job" to monitor whether a sex offender is using myspace or facebook is just a whiny cop out for those jurisdictions that are unwilling to simply ban the ownership or use of these devices by sex offenders.
And before anyone cries "unconstitutional government restrictions" I would remind them that the banning of felons from possessing or owning "firearms" has been upheld time and again.
These offenders use a computer like a weapon, preying on children online and I for one, have NO problem denying ANY sex offender access to the internet for the rest of their miserable lives.
lol!!!
Only government would be so insane to create such a rule. Only the media would be so stupid to write an article acting all shocked about it.....
If someone is so dangerous that their freedom needs to be restricted after they get out of prison, then they should still be IN prison.
I have fought for stronger sex offender sentences in my community for years and have had some measure of success, but the fact remains that there are way to many bleeding heart types that still believe that these pieces of human refuse can be "cured" with "treatment" and "counseling", although there doesn't exist a single study to indicate that to be the case.
If bans on even possessing a device capable of accessing the internet were strongly enforce we could, at the very least, make it that much tougher for sex offenders to find and exploit victims.
And if that is all that it does I would be happy with that.
I have a better idea. death penalty.
In cases of “sexual assault on a child” and any other “sexual assault” charges with aggravating factors like kidnapping or interstate flight to avoid prosecution, I would have no issue advocating for the Death Penalty.
Nope, it’s called free wi-fi.
The answer is simple. When someone is found guilty of a crime, put them in prison. When they have served their sentence, let them out and leave them alone.
Hallelujah!
Apparently, in Oregon you can get caught peeing in a park and have to be registered as a sex offender, still requires death penalty?
That is just plain stupid! A sex offender for public urination? That needs to be changed.
I totaly agree... The term Sex Offender is way too broad and to treat them all the same is crazy. Let them do their time and leave them alone. If they screw up again crusify them. To ban them from the internet is like banning a convicted bank robber from ever entering a store or bank. And a “robber” is a robber so this would apply to shoplifters as well. You bounce a check?... No more banking for life.... where do we stop? Don’t get me wrong.. If an Offender is guilty of Child Molesting they should not be allowed on school grounds.. Aviolent offender should not be allowed to own weapons... Crimes committed on social networks should be banned from social networks... etc.
If somebody is such a threat that they have to be banned from the Internet, perhaps they should still be in jail.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.