Changing our priorities

America is a country of contradictions. We might be a nation of immigrants, but we actively condemn those who cross borders for a better life. We might be the freest nation in the world, but we are also home to its largest prison population. As a society that has greatly neglected the needs of the poor, we are quick to express moral outrage towards same-sex marriage, drug users and murderers. And perhaps no group receives such denunciation like sex offenders. \nI was especially reminded of this when CNN aired a special report on sex offenders and the residency requirements they are subjected to. Specifically, rules in Miami state that offenders must stay at least 2,500 feet away from places where children might gather. As a result of the vague wording of the rule, five sex offenders are being forced to live under a bridge. Has it finally come to this? The very rules that are intended to protect children might be putting them at a greater risk than ever before. \nUnfortunately, sex offenses always involve an emotional response as opposed to a rational one. We want nothing to do with offenders so we place these ridiculous residency requirements on them. However, such rules only help in exacerbating the problem – as more offenders become ineligible to live in urban neighborhoods where schools are present, they will be forced to move to rural areas. In such communities, constant supervision by parole officers is difficult and expensive. Furthermore, around 90 percent of sex offenders are known to their victims, usually in the form of parents or family friends. Harsh residency restrictions will certainly not protect children from being victimized in these instances. \nPerhaps the most disturbing trend here is the emergence of online sex-offender registries. \nCreated as an offshoot of Megan’s Law, which requires law enforcement officials to notify the public about sex offenders, one can look up all registered offenders in any part of the country. The operative word here is “registered.” Some offenders might decide against registering since it involves a blatant invasion of privacy. Having your personal information up on the internet might lead to threats from community members and general shunning by the neighbors is a thought unbearable to many.\nWhile the news media might be trying to convince us that children are at a great risk from pedophiles, the numbers tell a different story. In the last decade, the number of sexual assault cases against adolescents ages 12 to 17 plunged 79 percent. Furthermore, recidivism rates for sex offenders are much lower than those for the general criminal population. For example, child molesters have a recidivism rate of 13 percent as opposed to 63 percent for non-sex criminals. I am in no way downplaying the havoc wreaked by these offenders on young kids, many of whom are unable to lead normal lives after such devastating incidents. In reality though, our children are more in danger from pollution, rising obesity rates and falling standards in schools.