Hoosiers have a right to know

Convicted sex offenders' photos may be posted on the Internet, the Supreme Court ruled Wednesday by a 6-3 vote.\nThe High Court's message is clear: Public safety far outweighs the embarassment a sex offender may feel from having his or her picture posted on the Internet.\nThe ruling is also important locally because earlier this year the Indiana Supreme Court temporarily blocked a new state law requiring county sheriffs to post photos and addresses of convicted sex offenders on the Internet.\nThe temporary blockage should end now.\n"We feel this is a significant victory," Indiana Attorney General Steve Carter told The Associated Press Wednesday. "This will be very instrumental in the current litigation."\nHe's right, and the Indiana Supreme Court would be wise to respond swiftly to the legal briefs the state will file.\nSex offenders often target young people they know, which is why it is important to know if a sex offender lives in your neighborhood.\nIn 1994, a 7-year-old girl from New Jersey was raped and murdered by a convicted sex offender who lived across the street. Because of Megan Kanka's death, several states have enacted Megan's Laws to better inform people who have a sex offender living in their neighborhood.\nTwo-thirds of sex offenders in state prisons said their victims were not yet 18, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Nearly four in 10 said their victims were 12 or younger.\nIn addition, 90 percent of the time a child 12 or younger was raped, the child knew the offender. Victims 18-29 years old had a previous relationship with their rapist two-thirds of the time.\nIt is extremely difficult to bring sex offenders to justice because either out of embarassment or fear, victims often do not report the crimes committed against them. This makes the imperative to prevent second offenses even greater, because it is unlikely in the first place a single sex offender will be brought to justice.\nIn addition, it is impossible to quantify the significant and long-term pain a victim of a sex offense lives with -- if he or she survives. But by all accounts it is real, lasting and humiliating. If it can be prevented, it must.\nThe U.S. Supreme Court made the right decision in upholding laws from Alaska and Connecticut that provide state residents with information on where sex offenders live. Now the Indiana Supreme Court must move quickly to make sure Hoosiers have the information they need to protect their young.\n-- Michael Eisenstadt for the Editorial Board