Sexual Predators In My Area

Sexual Predators are Everywhere

Tragedy struck again today in Satsuma, Florida as young Haleigh Cummings was missing from her bed this morning. Haleigh lived with her father and his girlfriend. The girlfriend discovered the little girl missing at about 3 am this morning. The authorities were contacted and upon arrival found at least one entrance to the home unlocked.

The local news media report that over 25 registered sex offenders reside in the immediate area. As the father of a three year old and with another on the way, this story literally makes me ill. First and foremost my heart and prayers go out to Haleigh and her family. I pray that God return her safely to her family.

Several months ago we posted a blog regarding sexual predators. In the post we listed some great references and resources; my hope then and now is to raise awareness regarding the danger these sex offenders pose. I think this is a topic that is important to revisit. If we can help prevent just one sexual crime this is time well spent.

I have one request of everyone who reads this post. Please, please, please send it to all of your friends, family and community members.

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children is a priceless resource with a wealth of information and safety tips. One of the most important resources is several links to discover and track sex offenders. The US Department manages the National Sex Offender website. Go there right now and do an advanced search of offenders in your zip code. I just did exactly that and found 30 “hits” in our zip code! You can drill down and view the picture, address and crime for each.

Now go to the FBI’s “Crime Against Children” website. At this site you choose your state; you are then redirected to your State Police site (in our case this is the Louisiana State Police). This site is more detailed, for instance my search turned up 15 convicted sex offenders within a 2 mile radius of our home! To say this makes me very uncomfortable is an understatement. So then I look at the first and closest offender to my home. This guy lives less than a quarter mile from my home and has been convicted twice. The crime molestation of juvenile. As I look a little more I find that about 30 percent of these people are “non compliant”, meaning law enforcement has no idea where they are. So what you get is a last known address.

Again, awareness is the key. You must go to the links above and find out the who, what and where regarding these sexual predators in your area. Now call a neighborhood meeting and show them what you’ve discovered. Insist that they notify everyone they know. Next, contact your local sheriff’s or police department; ask them to come out and speak to your family, friends, or community. Partner with local law enforcement to help keep tabs on these animals. Post a add in your local newspaper with the web resources and encourage people to “spread the word”.

Let your preist or pastor know what about these resources and ask if he can mention it in the monthly newsletter or post on the web. You get the idea! Educate yourself then educate others. You can truly make a difference. By doing this you could save a child from falling victim to these predators.

Now how do I teach my child about personal safety? Many parents and guardians feel challenged to keep their children safer in today’s society. At what age can we begin teaching our children about personal safety.

Unfortunately, “one size” doesn’t fit all. A child’s ability to understand safety skills and put them into practice is determined not just by age, but also by the child’s educational and developmental levels.To truly learn new safety skills, children need to model, rehearse and practice the skills to incorporate them into their daily lives.

* Speak to your child in a calm and reassuring way. Fear is not an effective teaching tool; confidence is.

* Speak openly about safety issues. If you approach child safety openly, your children will be more likely to come to you with problems or concerns.

* Don’t confuse children by warning against “strangers.” Danger to children is much greater from someone you or they know than from a “stranger.”

* Teach children that no one has the right to force, trick, or pressure them into doing things they don’t want to do.

* Practice safety skills by creating “what if” scenarios. An outing to a mall or the park can serve as a chance for children to practice safety skills, such as checking with you before they go anywhere or do anything, and locating adults who can help if they need assistance.

* Supervise your children. It is vital to their protection and safety. Children should not be put in the position of making safety choices if they are not old enough or skilled enough to make those choices.

* Check out adults who have access to your children. The more involved you are in your child’s life, the less likely it is that your child will seek attention from other, potentially dangerous adults.

Simple Rules for Children When They Need Help

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) has a signature safety publication, Knowing My Rules for Safety, to help parents and guardians teach personal safety skills to children. The rules are simple and concise and provide encouragement and options for children who need an adult’s help.

Help make a difference today! Statistics show that the first three hours after an abduction are critical. By signing up for wireless Amber Alerts you could play a vital role in the recovery of an abducted child.

Tracking sexual predators

Tracking sexual predators

Sexual Predators?

I just asked this question a couple of minutes ago. I think people are reading into a little too much. I just wanted to know if ALL sexual predators must stay away from children. I work at the YMCA 4 hours a week and someone suggested that we should have a listing of all the sexual predators in our county. Someone else thought it would be against their rights. Then someone else said that they have no right to be at the YMCA because there are children present. This is why I was thinking about it. Just wanted to know what the laws say if anyone knows. Thanks!

What is the best way for parents to warn their kids agains internet sexual predators?

We want our kids to be aware of possible danger, yet we want them to be able to trust too.
What should be the approach?

(teens are more than welcome to answer too)
to Sirena: I agree with what you say, except that last sentence "Your invitation for teens' answers could be seen as a predatorial one"
How in the world could that be? Asking a teen who's facing the problem, and who may or may not have heard about it from his parents can be a incredible input. What's predatorial about that? (I'm really confused)
NYCB – thanks for the input.
Please allow me to point out that if you put the word "babe" in your nickname, you pass yourself more for an older girl, than for a 14-year-old teen.

My grandfather used to make me watch the news and read articles about girls that disappeared or were raped/murdered. It scared the heck out of me and he said, 'see, this is what happens when you talk to strangers. don't trust anybody.' It worked for me. I am still very cautious.

What can we do to change child abuse laws, especially of sexual predators?

I am doing a research project and I have found that most children that have been abducted and murdered have been killed by known sexual offenders, many of them doing no or little time in prision for that. What is going on and what can we do do fix this tragedy in America?

To add, what about kids getting beaten too and the justice system allowing them to go back to that envinroment?

If you can stand it look at this…it will make you cry, but these videos were made to make people open their eyes more. Laws need to be changed, and not at the cost of little lives lost like these two precious children.

Kelsey Shelton Smith Briggs – 2 years old

Christopher Barrios – 6 years old

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LtdfV6Rm08

This law (http://www.answers.com/topic/protect-act-of-2003 ) attempts to deal with some of those issues:

-Provides for mandatory life imprisonment of sex offenses against a minor if the offender has had a prior conviction of abuse against a minor, with some exceptions.
-Eliminates statutes of limitations for child abduction or child abuse.
-Bars pretrial release of persons charged with specified offenses against or involving children.

What chemical was suggested as a way of chemically castrating sexual predators by Governor Pete Wilson?

Does anyone know what the actual chemical was called? I've been looking for it for like an hour and I can't find it.

depovera is usually used
just surgically castrate them and have it over

How do I find a list of sexual predators in my area?

I have a name and want to know if this person is convicted of anything. Is there a way to find out?

http://www.familywatchdog.us/

http://www.mapsexoffenders.com/

On both sites you can search by name, or you can type in an address and it will map the locations of sex offenders in the surrounding area (with their address, name, picture, etc).

Women, would you support a law that required sexual predators to be castrated if it included……?

Women, would you support a law that required sexual predators to be castrated if it included that if the predator is female, she must undergo something similar.

I know it's not the same thing but you can't have a law that punishes men more than women for the same crime.

Such as if a female teacher is caught having sex with one of the children she teaches, she must have her sexual anatomy mutilated? Like those tribes in Africa where they cut of girl's clitorises and sew their vaginas shut?

Seriously, it is totally irrelevant since the problem lies within the predator's brain.

What are the facts on pedophilia and other sexual predators….?

What is the likelihood that a former sexual predator will victimize another person?

Please cite credible sources.

In addition, how do you think is the best way to deal with a “repentant” “former” pedophile who wishes to return to his place of worship where children are present?

Note: This is not an issue that is affecting any one I know. I’m am attempting verify the accuracy some of the responses I saw on another question.

On any topic it’s hard to find sources that provide the same statistics.

“Research shows pedophiles have a high rate of repeat offenses – with study statistics varying between 65 and 80 percent.” http://www.summitdaily.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2003305080103

“On average, a pedophile will victimize hundreds of children.” http://writ.lp.findlaw.com/hamilton/20050825.html

“The average pedophile will victimize 244 children in their lifetime, according to the Massachusetts Children’s Trust Fund, a child advocacy group working to prevent child abuse and neglect.” http://www.aninchfrommurder.com/blog/archives/2005/05/outrage_follows.php

“The prognosis of successfully ending pedophilic habits among persons who practice pedophilia is not favorable. Pedophiles have a high rate of recidivism; that is, they tend to repeat their acts often over time.”http://www.minddisorders.com/Ob-Ps/Pedophilia.html

“The incidence of recidivism for pedophiles is upwards of 80 percent.”
“Dr. Saunders tells me that a molester molests — a typical pedophile molests about 380 children in a lifetime, 380.” http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0503/30/ng.01.html

“25% of all sex offenders re-offend within 15 years”
………Sarah Tofte http://vigilantantis.wordpress.com/2008/04/28/martin-cusick-repeat-sex-offender-captured-pedophile-absconder/

“A major problem among incarcerated child pedophiles is that they often aren’t treated in prison, and thus, become repeat child offenders.”

http://childprotection.lifetips.com/cat/63575/pedophile-search-and-statistics/index.html

While it’s true that most statistics on child molestation show that men are more likely to abuse children, the fact is that some women are also child molesters. In 1994, the National Opinion Research Center showed that the second most common form of child sexual abuse involved women abusing boys. For every three male abusers, there’s one female abuser. Statistics on female sex offenders are more difficult to obtain because the crime is more hidden (Interview with Dr. Richard Cross, “A Question of Character,”, National Opinion Research Center; cf. Carnes). Also, their most frequent victims (boys) are less likely to report sexual abuse, especially when the abuser is a woman (O’Leary, “Child Sexual Abuse”). http://www.catholicity.com/commentary/hudson/tenmyths.html

While it’s difficult to obtain accurate statistics on childhood sexual abuse, the characteristic patterns of repeat child sex offenders have been well described. The profiles of child molesters never include normal adults who become erotically attracted to children as a result of abstinence (Fred Berlin, “Compulsive Sexual Behaviors” in Addiction and Compulsion Behaviors [Boston: NCBC, 1998]; Patrick J. Carnes, “Sexual Compulsion: Challenge for Church Leaders” in Addiction and Compulsion; Dale O’Leary, “Homosexuality and Abuse”). http://www.catholicity.com/commentary/hudson/tenmyths.html