Portfolio: Essay 2

At the age of 13, Alexia Rubio, a teenage girl, was walking back from the park to her house by herself. On the way, a man jumped out in front of her and sexually assaulted her. Currently, Alexia Rubio is scarred for life and keeps getting nightmares about what happened that day. As of the man who attacked her, a level 2 sex offender, was sentenced to three years in jail. People may say that everyone deserves housing and the right to freedom. However, not every person deserves the “American dream.” In fact some people don’t even deserve any kind of housing at all. A sex offender, one who has been criminally charged and convicted of, or has pleaded guilty to, a sex crime, is the least welcome resident in any city or neighborhood. Sex offenders should not be given the same choices as any other American citizen, because of the severity of the crime they have made. Parents fear for the safety of their kids, and sex offenders have a greater chance of re-offending where kids are near by. Very few sex offenders are able to change their habits and their thoughts of mind and start a new life. This statistic makes people very scared and forcing the city and state to react by making tougher laws against sex offenders. Such laws consist of sex offenders are to stay away a certain distance from schools, parks, pools, and any place where kids are to be playing or living. The best way to prevent sex offenders to strike again is to maximize their punishment. Housing is a privilege, and it is a human right until the privilege is lost by committing a sex crime, especially against a helpless minor.

Sex offenders are categorized in three levels, a level one, a level two and a level three offense. The level one sex offenders are people with a minor sex offense, yet the level three offenders are predators that are likely to re-offend. Then why are these sex predators out on the streets? In a press release by The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, it shows that the United States has 603,000 registered sex offenders and 100,000 are unaccounted for. These sex predators can be our neighbors without no one realizing it. This is not good news for Americans. The only way to solve this is to either provide some kind of housing for all sex offenders, micro chip them or sentence them to life in prison. “We will not mess around with those who mess with our children,” Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, R-Calif., said in June of 2006, “We will find them. We will put them in jail. And we will keep them there.” I believe with Governor Schwarzenegger, that it is possible to catch and put these predators behind bars. In a report from last April, the U.S. Marshall Service caught up with 1,102 people who are either wanted for a sex crime or sex offenders who have failed to register. General Alberto R. Gonzales, a U.S. attorney, says “The operation targeted the worst of the worst.” The majority of Americans may agree with him, but there may be a few people who disagree. Critics say that tougher laws, especially in Iowa, have made sex offenders go on the run and become an extreme danger to the people of America. On the other hand, the sex crimes in Iowa have dropped significantly ever since tougher laws have been in place. Also it makes complete sense to guard kids from sexual predators. State Representative Keen, a sponsor of a Georgia proximity law states, “People are putting a premium on the safety of kids.” I agree with Mr. Keen, the only way to secure the future for America is to take care of the young generation, and one major step that will help is to take sex offenders out of society. They are a bad influence not only to our second generation, but more generations to follow.

Housing is an opportunity that every man and woman has in America. Although, anyone can lose that opportunity in a heart beat. All it takes is one mistake to lose the right to housing. The reason for the harsh regulation is to keep people from re-offending and the safety of the citizens of the United States. According to Stacie Rumenap, the executive director for Stop Child Predators writes in an article, “Sex offenders are four times more likely than other criminals to commit a sexual offense.” Although some may argue, that sex offenders should be given a second time, I believe it is too big of a threat to the general public. Parents should not have to worry about a sex offender living next door. If a sex offender does live near a minor, he is more likely to re-offend and destroy yet another innocent life. If I was a parent, I would never want a sex offender living near me or my kids. I would always have doubts in my mind, and worry all the time about my kids. I wouldn’t want any other parent doing the same, and that’s exactly why tougher laws are being placed against sex offenders.

In recent studies, fewer sex crimes have been committed in the last decade than in the 1990's, and the reports show that the decline in sex crimes is a result in tougher laws, making people aware of the consequences they may face if they commit such a crime. A recent law that has been passed enables a 30-year minimum sentence for those who have sex with a child younger than 12. The U.S. Department of Justice has made fighting sex offenders a top priority, and it seems like they are doing an excellent job of it. People might argue that new laws do more harm than good. Although part of it may seem correct, in the long run it is the right decision made by law makers. This “harsh” punishment will make sex offenders think twice of recommitting a sex crime, or a person to commit a sex crime for the first time. Electronic monitoring, frequent visits by patrol officers and restricted zoning are just some of the ways the U.S. government is helping battle the war between the U.S. citizens and sex offenders. A study from the University of Florida State shows that out of 75,000 sex offenders placed on a GPS monitoring system, 67,500 sex offenders did not re-offend, which is 90% of the entire number of sexual predators tested. People are now aware of the severe consequences of a sex crime, and most are not willing to risk their entire life for a “fantasy” they might have.

Alexia Rubio is now 16 years old, and the man who demolished her self esteem is now free. Alexia goes to get treatment once a week for the incident that occurred three years ago. The last thing any parent would want is getting a sex offender notice flyer in the mail. In the western culture, sex offenders are never welcomed, because of the threat they pose to anyone. Sex offenders reduce the value of the neighborhood. I believe most sex offenders are not able to change their habit of sexual “fantasies” with minors, and should not be given a second chance to re-offend. Sexual predators, in reality, have a better life in prison, where they get food, a clean shower, and a shelter. It is in the best interest of everyone if sex offenders are kept in a safe place, where they can not devastate any more lives. They should receive the utmost punishment possible, and they should not be given any other shelter besides the jail cell.

Works Cited

DAVEY, MONICA, and ABBY GOODNOUGH. "Doubts Rise as States Hold Sex Offenders After Prison." NY Times. 4 Mar. 2007. 25 July 2008 .

Friederich, Steven. "Predator housing elusive." Seattle PI. 4 Feb. 2003. 25 July 2008 .

Greenblatt, Alan. "Sex Offenders." CQ Researcher. 8 Sept. 2006. 25 July 2008 .

JONES, MAGGIE. "How Can You Distinguish a Budding Pedophile From a Kid With Real Boundary Problems?" NY Times. 22 July 2007. 25 July 2008 .

Warren, Jenifer. "Sex Offender Housing Scarce." LA Times. 31 May 2006. 25 July 2008 .