[Artemisia] RE: Background checks

[sandrah at webpipe.net]

As much as we don't like to admit it, there are a lot of "registered sex
offenders" out there.  Megan's Law requires convicted sex offenders to
register where ever they live.  Because of that it's easy to find out who
in your area is a registered sex offender.  Weber County, Utah, has over
400 registered sex offenders listed on the National Alert Registry. I've
never looked at the Registry, but that's what was reported in a meeting I
attended.

I was amazed that there were so many in our area.  As disturbing as that
number is, I'm sure there are even more that have never been caught and
convicted.

As stated, a background check will show those who have been convicted of
these and other crimes; but only those who have been convicted.  It's our
jobs as parents to be aware of where our children are, who they are with,
and to listen to them if they try to tell us something disturbing (too
many parents don't want to believe that "Uncle Joe" would do anything like
that -- or even their spouse -- it's not only men who abuse children).

I agree that we need to do a "wait and see" on exactly what the SCA is
going to require and how they will go about it.  We can speculate all we
want, but I seriously doubt that "innocent" people will be hurt by this
action.  You can be sure that the attorney's will be going over evertying
with a fine tooth comb and will make sure that whatever needs to be done
to protect EVERYONE will be done; after all, the SCA doesn't want law
suits developing over this.

Marisa

> "So try and remember that this isn't going to 'fix' anything."
>
> Perhaps, but the policy is also about due diligence here; we as a Society
> should at least make the attempt, given the mundane tools available to us
> (such as a criminal background check) to do what we can to keep sex
> offenders from getting near our children.  I agree with you that parental
> involvement/supervision is mandatory and expected, but not always
> practiced.  This turns the SCA into a prime hunting ground for child
> predators.