Where Are the Sex Offenders?
While watching the news, the reporter mentioned something about FamilyWatchDog.us as a good resource to see if there are any sex offenders around any neighborhood in the U.S. The result for my neighborhood was a little alarming…
The red dots are offenders against children, yellow for rape, blue for sexual battery, and green for other offenses. The pattern is also very interesting — It seems like some neighborhoods are possibly more “tolerant” of certain types of sex offenders than others. I did a couple more searches on some friends’ residences, the results were slightly better; but it seems like they are just EVERYWHERE!
The map is supposed to be able to tell you where they work as well as where they live. But I failed to find any dots representing their work address…
When I first moved to California, I also found another map that tells you where all the latest crimes are happening in your neighborhood. Internet is truly a great resource for things… I wish the government could spend more money on solving domestic issues instead of spending billions a month in the name of solving someone else’s problems. But hey, what do I know. I am not even American! 
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July 15th, 2006 at 11:06 am
Humans haven’t changed a lot in all their evolution. Why are you surprised at this map? Are you trying to scare yourself? Someone thought it would be helpful to show this info, but all it really does is serve to keep people scared. Like American news. They use fear as entertainment. This map may not be an exageration like the news stories, but it doesn’t give you the whole picture – each offense has a story – each situation is different. If our judicial system was working properly, then people who paid for their crimes would be rehabilitated and placed back into society for another chance. In not explaining each person’s situation, this mapping system serves only to frighten the viewer by making them think that each marker shows the location of the WORST possible thing you can imagine.
Being aware of things like this is indeed important – you take safeguards to help your mind rest a little easier, but if you let your mind run rampant, you’ll just go crazy and become agoraphobic. That only serves to make the problem worse. In cities where people get out and walk around, they know each other and watch out for each other and in the end it’s a safer community network. Alone in your house you are the only thing protecting yourself. It’s a dangerous thing to scare yourself into relying only on yourself to make it in this world.
I’m not saying be ignorant to things to be happy. Ignorance is indeed bliss – but it’s also stupid because what you don’t know CAN kill you. But you can rot yourself from the inside by letting fear rule your sesibilities.
How’s that for a rant. LOL
July 15th, 2006 at 7:48 pm
I am sure there’s a human story behind the description: Oral copulation with minor below 14…
Just kidding…
I debated on whether to discuss the merits of sites like these… but then I decided I really didn’t have time to get into it in this particular entry…
I am with you on your points… mostly. I was surprised at the way the dots are distributed… heavily concentrated in one area while others hardly get none (have you searched your address — practically nada compared to other hoods). If the society is truly “fair” and is holding up its end of the bargain, the dots would probably be distributed a little more evenly maybe? But then again, I am no social scientist, and there’s probably a good reason why the dots are distributed the way they are…
I believe in social reforms, educate early, improve the lives of children… etc. to get more mileage out of crime prevention (as opposed to spending billions trying to fix the problems that could have been easily corrected through good education and better support system). Unfortunately, society isn’t quite as effective nor is it forgiving. Whether these sites are purely for information, for education or are bluntly prejudice is another topic for debate.
I guess my point is, yes the society needs to do more. But looking at the way billions are being made out of garbage stuff like “The National Enquirer”, I am doubtful anything is going to change for the better anytime soon… This is not to say that I am a pessimist (or maybe I am, oh, I can’t decide!), but any society on this good Earth today is still pretty far off from a place where even Jesus Christ (or Buddha, Allah or whatever) himself would feel comfortable living in (religious extremism and social movements, that’s another interesting topic to get into over BBQ and a couple of beers).