Ohio wants special car plates for sex offenders

[FrankRizzoXD40]

Ohio wants special car plates for sex offenders

Wed Feb 28, 2007 1:23 PM ET

CINCINNATI (Reuters) - Lawmakers in Ohio said on Wednesday they want to force convicted sex offenders to use a fluorescent-green license plate on their cars so they can be easily identified.

A Republican and a Democrat in the state legislature have joined forces to propose the law, which echoes measures in several U.S. states that require convicted drunken drivers to use a yellow, pink or red plate on their cars.

"The fluorescent-green license plate will make the most egregious sex offenders easily identifiable," state Democratic Rep. Michael DeBose said in a statement.

Police said the green plates would allow them to track sex offenders, who are already required to register with the local sheriff's office and are prohibited from living within 1,000 feet of a school.

"It will give Ohio families a great peace of mind knowing that their children will be able to recognize where this danger exists," Summit County Sheriff Drew Alexander said.

Opponents of the proposed law argue the use of a special plate would stigmatize everyone who shared the offender's car -- including their spouse or children.

The proposed law will be debated in committee before a decision is made whether to put the proposal to a vote.

http://today.reuters.com/news/articl...src=rss&rpc=22

------------------------------

Good or bad idea? Do you think any of them will be run off the road

Frank

[jednp]

on one hand it's a good idea, and on the other.. it's a bad idea.

Don't flame me for this.. I am just tossing this idea out there because it can certainly be one of the many possibilities. I agree, sex offenders aren't the best people in this world. But there are some who have changed their lives around. There are some who weren't convicted of molesting young children or even rape.

If you were a person who had done something in your past that you regret, and have never.. and won't ever do again.. completely changed your life around.. don't you think you'd fear being targeted for harassment, assault, even possibly murdered due to this license plate?

Some people have been become convicted sex offenders.. for things that weren't really appropriate for the charge put on them. And some may have goofed around, grabbing a friends butt or something.. and they took it the wrong way and they ended up charged for it.

Don't get me wrong, someone who 100% is guilty of forceable rape, child molestation, things like that.. I got no problem with them being identified by a plate. But I'd sure hate to have people who were convicted of rape due to a person who consented to sex then in an attempt to get back at them because they are upset, claim they were raped when they weren't.

that's why I think the idea of a plate is questionable. Honestly, I'd rather have people who have been convicted of robbery, armed assault, murder, identified before a sex offender. At least with sex offenders most states allow you to look at where they live, what they look like, etc. You aren't afforded that ability with other violent people.

[nikon777]

Well Ohio has plates for drunks as well so why not.

[jednp]

Originally Posted by nikon777

Well Ohio has plates for drunks as well so why not.

kind of funny, a person convicted of drunk driving shouldn't even be able to register a vehicle, let alone be able to get special plates. I'm sure it does a great job of keeping them from drinking and driving!

[DanTheEldest]

I'm going to have to disagree with this legislation. IMO all this bill is going to do is focus public ire at whoever is driving a particular vehicle whether or not they're the offender, and the last thing we need is random assaults and road-rage incidents perpetuated by things like these license plates.

I am certainly no sympathizer for sex offenders, but IMO if you do the time, that should be the end of your debt to society, particularly with publicly registering low-level offenders; I feel this stigmatizes them unnecessarily when they (of all the levels of offender) actually have the best chance of turning their lives around. High-risk offenders? Absolutely register them as the risk of repeat offenses increases dramatically with certain personality traits and the frequency of past offenses. I think sex offenders to a certain extent have become the scapegoats of opportunity for legislators who want to be appear "tough on crime" without really taking on the challenging issues facing our communities. Just my .02.

[jednp]

Originally Posted by DanTheEldest

I'm going to have to disagree with this legislation. IMO all this bill is going to do is focus public ire at whoever is driving a particular vehicle whether or not they're the offender, and the last thing we need is random assaults and road-rage incidents perpetuated by things like these license plates.

I am certainly no sympathizer for sex offenders, but IMO if you do the time, that should be the end of your debt to society, particularly with publicly registering low-level offenders; I feel this stigmatizes them unnecessarily when they (of all the levels of offender) actually have the best chance of turning their lives around. High-risk offenders? Absolutely register them as the risk of repeat offenses increases dramatically with certain personality traits and the frequency of past offenses. I think sex offenders to a certain extent have become the scapegoats of opportunity for legislators who want to be appear "tough on crime" without really taking on the challenging issues facing our communities. Just my .02.

pretty much what I was thinking as well.

[aiformula]

Well, I see this as a good idea, if implemented properly.

I do not believe all sexual offenders should be labeled like this, but anyone labeled as a sexual predator should be. There is a diff between some kid convicted of statutory rape because his gf's parents got ticked and someone who aggressively rapes/molests anyone. For those folks I don't see any reason NOT to warn us who they are. It's likely they'll get around it by registering the vehicle in a wife/kid's name anyway, but at least some of them will be recognized for what they are. If the family doesn't want the stigma... move to California where they will welcome you w/ open arms and a glass of koolaid.

[KP Ling]

Horrible idea! For one, as Dan mentioned, it means you never, ever finish serving time and so you have no incentive to reform yourself if all society is going to do is pass new restricitions on you every few years. Again, not all sex offenders are horrible people...I know one guy who had to register as a sex offender simply because he chose to take a squirt in his backyard one night (he was drunk and had a 6' privacy fence). A neighbor's young daughter happenend to see it and so the cops arrested him, he was tried and because of the girl's age, even though he was only charged with public exposure a misdemeanor, he now has to register himself the rest of his life as a sex offender. Try applying for a job or being confronted by angry neighbors who do not want you in their neighborhood by saying, "Wait! Hold on...I only took a squirt in my backyard.

Utah recently tried and convicted a twelve year old boy and 13 year old girl for having sex. ( http://www.denverpost.com/ci_4783650 ) The law in Utah reads that anyone who has sex with someone under 14 is a sex offender and so now both these children are registered sex offenders for the rest of their lives for concensual sex with one another. How can you be both victim and perpetrator of the same crime? I know children at this age should not have sex, they are not mature enough but their age also shows that there was probably only curiosity and no criminal intent between the two. How are these kids going to get into college or explain their situation? This goes to reason three there should not be special license plates for sex offenders.

Sex offenders are easily the most despised class of criminal and so are easy targets for DAs or other office holders running for election. Again, if you start sentencing people to a certain punishment, they fulfill the terms and then later you rearrange the deal; they have no incentive to behave since they see society as unforgiving and unwilling to accept them back. This is the same logic for felons and why they repeat so often, they lose rights to never get them back and so do not feel completely part of society. With this lack of a "way back" they become ever more criminal since it is the only path they know and is left to them. Sentences should be clear and finite, not constantly changing or else the punished will find ways around the increased punishment or feel resentment and so go back to their old ways out of spite.

Also, if they are forced to get special license plates, then they will simply start walking, riding bikes, catching rides, taking the bus, etc. and become even more anonymous than they had been. Remember the law of unintended consequences, all government programs produce the opposite effect of what was intended, i.e. welfare has only made poverty grow and this program that seeks to make sex offenders drivers more visible will only make them stop driving and become less visible.

You also set up a precedent that has no end. If you believe that sex offenders should have special license plates, then why should shoplifters not have to wear a scarlet letter "T" (for thief) the rest of their life so they can be more closely watched? Why shouldn't hot check writers have to buy special checks which tell the retailer their history? Why should chronic speeders not have to get a special license plate as well and get a governor on their engine tharestricts their speed to 55mph? See, this principle could go on and on and ensnare all. Remember what Paine said, "He that would make his own liberty secure, must guard even his enemy from opposition; for if he violates this duty he establishes a precedent that will reach himself." When you allow even the lowest of the low to be punished ad infinitum and become a whipping boy for politicians trying to strike a "get tough on crime" re-election stance, then one day there will be nothing to stop you from also being a popular scapegoat and perpetual enemy of the state.

[DanTheEldest]

Originally Posted by KP Ling

You also set up a precedent that has no end. If you believe that sex offenders should have special license plates, then why should shoplifters not have to wear a scarlet letter "T" (for thief) the rest of their life so they can be more closely watched? Why shouldn't hot check writers have to buy special checks which tell the retailer their history? Why should chronic speeders not have to get a special license plate as well and get a governor on their engine tharestricts their speed to 55mph? See, this principle could go on and on and ensnare all. Remember what Paine said, "He that would make his own liberty secure, must guard even his enemy from opposition; for if he violates this duty he establishes a precedent that will reach himself." When you allow even the lowest of the low to be punished ad infinitum and become a whipping boy for politicians trying to strike a "get tough on crime" re-election stance, then one day there will be nothing to stop you from also being a popular scapegoat and perpetual enemy of the state.

Good point--I hadn't considered the slippery-slope angle, but it's certainly applicable.

[eric_t12]

LOL, they both got convicted!? that's like comitting suicide then putting your body on the stand for murder... that's funny rightthere idont care who you are.

edited

my uncle got caughtu p like this.. his wife wanted the kids during the divorce, so she used the 'hemolested our daughter' play. she got the kids, and he has to tell everyone in his neighborhood he's a sex offender until he dies or leaves the country.