Free US Sex Offender Registry Mapping System
It names them, has a photo and their address, and puts a point on the map to show you where they live.
This is too spooky for words — in so many ways.
3 thoughts on “Using Google Maps to locate nearby sex offenders”
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Indeed, this is spooky – but not nearly as spooky as having a sex offender live next door and NOT knowing it.
I was just thinking about this last night (while watching Curb Your Enthusiasm, which featured a storyline about sex offenders). On one hand, I feel a bit guilty because I imagine that if a sex offender moved into my neighborhood, I’d be at least a little uneasy if/when I were to see that person. On the other hand, however, I also strongly believe that people should be given a legitimate opportunity to “rehabilitate” themselves through the traditional punishment process (i.e., jail).
Statistics indicate that sex offenders are those less likely to be genuinely rehabilitated and therefore, more likely to commit a similar crime in the future; don’t they? I suppose if that’s true than there isn’t anything wrong with awareness — and knowing where sex offenders live — but it still makes me feel guilty about assumptions, prejudices and the like. Thus far, I’ve reconciled all of this by simply not viewing maps of where sex offenders live. I figure the maps/posters/etc. make some people feel more comfortable, and not viewing them (at least partially) absolves me of potential guilt.
Studies do show that many of the impulses that lead people to commit sex crimes cannot ever be “cured.” (I’ve seen it compared to achoholism.)
But sexual offenders as a rule do not actually have a higher recidivism rate that that of other criminals. And, of course, the vast majority of child sexual abuse is not committed by strangers.
However, one study that looked at 15-20 years of data showed the highest rate of recidivism (77%) for those with previous sexual offenses was those who selected boy victims outside the family.
I accept that it may be hypocritical, but I started thinking about all this somewhat differently when I started making my own little boys. Just a few horrific, imagined mental images can shove my internal civil liberties compass a long way.