Am I a good neighbor? Did I do the right thing?

[maxcoen]

Rehabilitation does not work. If I am not mistaken 50% off all crimes are committed by re offenders and 60% of paroles return to prison. A 50/50 shot at someone not harming someone again is not good enough. To me if you are violent or a sexual deviant the only answers is punishment not rehab.

A SHORT PIECE OF ROPE would fix allot of problems in this world.

And to the OP you did the right thing. It is our duties as citizens to keep a watchful eye on those who may one day threaten our own, our family's or our communities safety or security.

 

[Fletch]

Rehabilitation does not work. If I am not mistaken 50% off all crimes are committed by re offenders and 60% of paroles return to prison. A 50/50 shot at someone not harming someone again is not good enough. To me if you are violent or a sexual deviant the only answers is punishment not rehab.

Recidivism is a heterogenous statistic. You are lumping things together which do not belong lumped together.

The vast majority of recidivistic crimes (those committed by repeat offenders) are theft in its various forms and those who buy and sell contraband items, especially weapons. These hover in the 75% range.

On the other hand, those arrested for crimes like rape and homicide are re-arrested within 3 years at a rate of 2.5% and 1.2%, respectively.

The numbers for sex offenders are slightly less encouraging, with re-arrest rates of 5.3% for generic sex offenses and 3.3% for child molesters.

On the whole, the statistics seem to generally support the idea that if an offender is going to re-offend, he will most likely do it in the first three years following release.

 

[Caleb]

Recidivism is a heterogenous statistic. You are lumping things together which do not belong lumped together.

The vast majority of recidivistic crimes (those committed by repeat offenders) are theft in its various forms and those who buy and sell contraband items, especially weapons. These hover in the 75% range.

On the other hand, those arrested for crimes like rape and homicide are re-arrested within 3 years at a rate of 2.5% and 1.2%, respectively.

The numbers for sex offenders are slightly less encouraging, with re-arrest rates of 5.3% for generic sex offenses and 3.3% for child molesters.

On the whole, the statistics seem to generally support the idea that if an offender is going toers re-offend, he will most likely do it in the first three years following release.

"most likely" is subjective as are your statistical numbers...even if most don't re-offend, what really makes you think that one won't? Unless you are physic, in that case, tell me which lottery ticket will hit the jackpot.

 

[maxcoen]

I will just throw it out there then agree or not in my mind the only punishment suitable for violent or sexual crimes especially against children is death. If this offends to bad I don't care. I am fine with all nonviolent criminals first being punished then rehabilitated.(I don't believe you can punish and rehabilitate at the same time.) I believe even a .01% chance a violent criminal will re offend is to much. If this is a problem for people then they should not commit crimes. And if mental incapacitates are to blame then god will sort them out.

 

[22rssix]

Since the last time that I posted I did speak to a lady who looked up his info while I was on the phone. He has served his time in jail and with the courts. Since he is done serving he only has the obligation to register for the list.

She told me I can tell the neighbors about him just so they know and that is what the list is for.


Yes he as been "clean" for 7 years. Knowing he spent 23 years out of 50 years locked up still bothers me.

I still plan to speak to my one neighbor with the kids to see if he knows the other parents since his kids are about the same age.

 

[Fletch]

"most likely" is subjective as are your statistical numbers...

How are these statistics subjective? If my statistics are subjective and therefore inadmissible in this conversation, then the previous poster's statistics must be as well, since I'm willing to bet he got his from the same place I got mine: the US DOJ. But they're not -- you know and I know that you just took it on faith that 50% recidivism applied evenly across the board for all crimes, or that crimes like rape and murder and sexual assault had higher recidivism rates. Once evidence was found that your prejudice was wrong, you jumped on the "statistics are subjective" bandwagon rather than re-examine your prejudice.

Statistics can be subjectively skewed based on methodology, but again, if the statistics I use are methodologically flawed, so too must be the one maxcoen quoted, since it's the overall recidivism rate reported by the DOJ.

If you want to argue the methodology, you're free to do so... the numbers are online over at the Bureau of Justice Statistics, and I'm sure that if you dig deep enough you'll find a document outlining the data collection and organization methods. I'd be willing to discuss that if you care to.

 

[maxcoen]

Fletch do work for the ACLU?

 

[Fletch]

I will just throw it out there then agree or not in my mind the only punishment suitable for violent or sexual crimes especially against children is death.

Might want to carefully consider the ramifications of that one, especially next time you see a parent spank their child in public.

If this offends to bad I don't care.

It may surprise you, but I'm not offended by this.

(I don't believe you can punish and rehabilitate at the same time.)

We agree on that much.

I believe even a .01% chance a violent criminal will re offend is to much.

The Brady Bunch says the same thing about the chance of a gun owner killing someone, as reason for keeping people from owning guns.

 

[Fletch]

Fletch do work for the ACLU?

No, though I am concerned with civil liberties of all types, not just the one protected by the 2nd Amendment. I don't even consider the 2nd Amendment to be the most important, though it is very very high on the list.

 

[maxcoen]

Might want to carefully consider the ramifications of that one, especially next time you see a parent spank their child in public.



It may surprise you, but I'm not offended by this.



We agree on that much.



The Brady Bunch says the same thing about the chance of a gun owner killing someone, as reason for keeping people from owning guns.

Apples and Oranges.

 

[Fletch]

Apples and Oranges.

Perhaps, perhaps not. Both attitudes share an absolutist approach to risk avoidance, and rely on the government to guarantee safety. It's true that one class of person has already demonstrated at least some small propensity for antisocial behavior, but the risk factors are close enough to be comparable.

 

[Caleb]

Fletch, statistics is flawed and biased...I can go to 3 different studies on the exact same thing and still get 3 different results. Statistics are usually averaged anyways...

Might want to carefully consider the ramifications of that one, especially next time you see a parent spank their child in public.

Did you seriously just suggested spanking kids is a violent crime?

 

[maxcoen]

Perhaps, perhaps not. Both attitudes share an absolutist approach to risk avoidance, and rely on the government to guarantee safety. It's true that one class of person has already demonstrated at least some small propensity for antisocial behavior, but the risk factors are close enough to be comparable.

Yeah but you are forgetting intent the person who committed a crime in the first place intended to do so no matter the state of mind. Some one who purchases a gun with the intent to protect their family or themselves and it is stole and used illegally or there is an accident. These are two different things, different types of intent one originally seeks out to harm or hurt and one does not. The stats may align the same but I think I will take the risk of accendently being shot then purposfuly being hurt.

You would really classify the risk of firearms sold in the same boat as violent criminals. No way.

It has been fun, Now I am off, oh and I found a link you may like to get more involved. Wish you the best

 

[Fletch]

Did you seriously just suggested spanking kids is a violent crime?

There are those who do suggest that very thing, and there are cases of good people being run off to jail for it. Under the proposal posted, this would be a death sentence.

We like to think that the justice system is all very cut-and-dried, very scientific -- especially with constant propaganda like the "CSI" shows telling us that it is. We have to think that because the alternative is far too frightening, but that frightening alternative is probably closer to reality than our idealized version. If one starts by reading the case of Dr. Stephen Hayne and continues reading about similar things all across the country, as well as the ways that local social mores change perception of seemingly innocent acts in the courtroom, as well as accounts of prosecutorial misconduct, of conviction-by-innuendo, any reasonable person will come to more of a conclusion that our justice system is at best a crapshoot, and "there but for the grace of God go I".

So when someone casually suggests that execution is a simple solution to a complex problem, if you've spent any time at all looking into this sort of thing, it should give you pause. As it does me.

 

[Fletch]

It has been fun, Now I am off, oh and I found a link you may like to get more involved. Wish you the best

Thanks, but I don't need the address of the ACLU. I find them generally repugnant as an organization, and what little good they do is greatly offset by the harm they inflict.

However, I am a fan of the Innocence Project and the Institute for Justice.

 

[RHurt919]

I get to register all the Sex Offenders in Marion County. There are some that just get under my skin. Come in and joke around like they have done nothing wrong. And the sad part is, most served less than 2 months in Jail!!! Doesn't seem right.

I have had first hand experience with complaining about Sex Offenders to DOC or even the Sex Offender Unit. There is so little manpower to deal with all the tips and complaints the Unit gets. Now there is nothing wrong whatsoever with the Deputies in the Unit. I am not talking bad about them at all, They are so under staffed they can't handle everything that comes to them. All sex offender are required to register their work/home/school every year, and some every 3 months. I have came across so many that dont care and will register whenever they want. Two years, three year or never. I locked up a guy on a traffic warrant and i saw he was convicted of molesting two kids about four years ago. I asked if he has up to date on his registry, He told me that he wasnt going to register no matter what. He "didn't feel he should have to". Nothing has been done last time I checked.

I can talk allllllll night long about this subject but Ill stop.