Tuesday, March 06, 2007

dark day for new york state

without public input and without thought to the constitution, new york state passed a civil confinement law for sex offenders. this allows the state to hold convicted sex offenders indefinitely AFTER they have served their sentenced time in jail. now, before you cheer the fact that these dangerous predators are off of the streets and won't be able to harm anyone else- think about the implications. these people already have served their time under the law. they have paid their debt to society and are now free citizens again. this is the way america has run for over 200 years. my thought is- change the existing laws to have stiffer penalties and longer sentences- but to hold someone who has already served their time INDEFINITELY in a mental facility is unconstitutional. perhaps these legislators know something for sure that we don't?

6 comments:

dawn said...

Can't agree with you on this one. They may have served there time but as research has shown there is no cure for pedophilia and violent rapist. They may have served there time for the one crime but will get out and revert to themselves which is a danger to all society. If I cou;d be assured a child molester could get out and he wouldn't hurt another child then ok but just because he served his time does nothing for his mental state. I'm sorry I'm rambling but I'm sure you know what I mean. To be honest I don't care that they served there time by committing the crimes they have they lose there rights as people.

billie said...

no- i don't agree. it is a slippery slope when you start targeting one group of people- who have served their time under the law of the land. if you want them to do more time- or make the law life in prison- then change the law. i have no problem keeping them in jail longer--as part of their original sentencing.

Sarah said...

This law is a drain on those who are mentally ill. They will have to share quarters with dangerous sex offenders, which is idiotic.

Let's make it simple - put sex offenders in jail for life with no parole. End of story. They can get the mental health treatment behind bars anyway.

Dawn is correct - these monsters cannot be rehabilitated nor should they be allowed back into society. I have no pity for people who prey on the innocent.

C-dell said...

I am not a fan of sexual predators, but the second that we start holding free people against their will what have we become, the. It seems that the great experiment is failing. Someone needs to save it.

Peacechick Mary said...

I would imagine the first one they try to imprison on this law will bring it up as unconstitutional and it will have to go through a review. There must be other means of containing these serious offenders without busting the constitution. It would be cheaper to have around the clock chaperons than life in prison.

Unknown said...

This is the same ideology that Bush/Cheney use to defend their GITMO policy and their wiretap policy.

Destroy our rights, while claiming to defend our rights, by using FEAR!

WOW, these guys could sell ice cubes to an Eskimo. They would simply tell the Eskimo's that the ice cubes will stop global warming.