Hottinger explains Ohio's child predator law

I took a pop at the law that permits government to go after a teenager as a sex predator for a minor offense when I wrote about it here 10/9/08. I said it was Jay Hottinger's badly written law at fault.

Well, it's a lot more complicated than that. After exchanging correspondence with Jay and his legal assistant I have concluded that the law is indeed imperfect and Jay may have contributed to that imperfection by not being able - any more than any other legislator who voted for it - to envision the loophole that allows prosecutors such as Ken Oswalt to snare a child into the category of sexual predator for inappropriate behavior. Also, that this law will be revised by the Ohio legislature.

Here are are three key paragraphs from Jay's letter to me as they relate to the prosecution of a local teenager under Megan's Law, which he authored, and which was revised under the title Adam Walsh Law:

"I can tell you with 100% certainty that as I was writing the bill, as it was being debated, and as it was being passed with broad and overwhelming bi-partisan support in 2001- the discussion was always on these young people doing very dangerous and serious adult-like crimes.
 
"I was not involved in the Adam Walsh writing but I can tell you that no legislator ever envisioned an incident like our current local situation being used to prosecute a young person as a sex offender and having to register. 
 
"This case is a classic example of why are laws in Ohio are called the Ohio Revised Code.  I believe there certainly needs to be some revision as while this girl broke the law and there needs to be some form of consequences - to label her a sex offender and to have to register for 20 years is tragic and absurd.  I am certainly not condoning her behavior but this possible sentence is not in balance with the offense."

At this link you can read Jay's letter and an explanation by his legislative aide of the laws in question.

Sex offenders, cell phones, and local revitalization

Sex offenders...
I second today's Advocate editorial regarding the mistakes of the new sex-offender regulations. They just don't make sense, and particularly so when compared to the ways in which other types of convicted evil-doers - drug dealers and killers, for instance - are set free after serving their time.

Good job, Advocate. Read it here.

Cell phones ...

Consumer Union is making it really easy for citizens to speak out for regulation of the cell phone industry. I used the form they e-mailed me to encourage meaningful federal legislation.

CU sent a follow-up e-mail, encouraging me to spread the word. Here's what the e-mail said:

"Pass the Cell Phone Consumer Empowerment Act of 2007
"The cell phone industry doesn't like real competition--so it produces phones we can only use with a particular company, contracts that lock us in with early termination fees, and more. I just took a moment to help turn it around. After FCC investigations last fall and pro-consumer standards passed in some leading states, Congress is finally stepping in to improve the market for all of us.

"I just took two minutes to tell my lawmakers the most important changes I want to see, and I hope you will too. It will take support from tens of thousands of regular people like us to offset the power of a well funded corporate lobby, but Consumers Union -- the nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports and a cell phone reform proponent -- has a great track record getting things done. Click here to join me in action."

18th Congressional renewal plan ...

Zack Space is launching "Renew Ohio 18," a long-term game plan to revitalize Southeaster Ohio's economy. Read it here.

Shall we buy another false sense of security?

The most certain way to riches is to invent something that plays on fear, then get the government to make people use it.

Such a maneuver is in the works by a company in Chargrin Falls which manufactures a device "that would warn people when a sex offender is approaching," according to an article in the Cincinnati Post.

Convicted sex offenders would be locked into a monitoring ankle bracelet equipped to set off vibrations in small devices to be carried by folks who want to be alerted when a predator approaches.

Fear of sexual predators creates a ready market. The idea is being pushed by Ohio Senator Tim Grendell, who chairs the state Judiciary Committee on Criminal Justice. He wants a law requiring the existing GPS ankle bracelets to be modified for this purpose.

But even a spokesman for the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center says it won't help because nine in 10 sex crime victims are assaulted by a person they know or trust. "This just plays on the great myths out there, such as the stranger danger myth that's not true," the newspaper quoted her as saying. "It's sending the wrong message and setting people up with a false sense of security."

She's right. Protection from predators should be provided by other family members, mostly moms and dads or guardians. Knowing where kids are and what they are doing and with whom would virtually wipe out this awful problem that has resulted from the breakdown of the family and the refusal of parents and relatives to be responsible.

I don't think legislators can remedy stupid and irresponsible parents; I'm also pretty sure these electronic gimmicks will do no more than make yet another company rich by giving it my tax money.

Susan's Law - What it is, how it works

WCLT did a fine report about the city sex offender law, which has become known as "Susan's Law," after the late Susan Verkest, a chief proponent. Here's the link.

This report tells about what the law means to sex offenders in this city, how it's enforced, and the overall success of it. A really good job by reporter Eric Brown.

Susan's Law

Until I talked with Bill Verkest, husband of the late Susan Verkest, I wasn't aware Newark has something called "Susan's Law."

This refers to sexual offender legislation that City Council approved last year. "Susan worked very hard to get Council to adopt the legislation and deserves a great deal of credit," said Marc Guthrie, council president.

Bill is passing out bumper stickers like the one reproduced above, and encouraging the spread of "Susan's Law" to other communities.

He also wrote of Susan's work to John Walsh, who produces "America's Most Wanted" television program.

Walsh wrote back to Bill, and said, in part:

"I truly wish I would have had the chance to meet such an amazing lady and congratulate her for all the good she has done on behalf of women and children.

"It is people like Susan Verkest that truly make this world a better place. Susan took what I say every Saturday night on America 's Most Wanted "you can make a difference" and truly did.

Bill (whose e-mail address is: wverkestsr@yahoo.com) also passes out cards that say: "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."

On the flip side it says: "Susan Verkest."

Boy abused for 4 years: Where were his parents?

There is a boy in Licking County who was abused, it is charged, more than 200 times over a period of four years, beginning when he was 10.

A Plain City man, David Arthur Meadows, has been charged, according to The Advocate's news report.

Likely he'll get jail time. But just as likely, the cooperators, the other perpetrators, will escape blame or punishment.

Society and the law should ask: How could even one such incidence occur without the knowledge and intervention of this boy's parents or guardian?

They are a root cause of all such recurring incidents. Without parents, guardians, relatives, neighbors who care, there is just a kid by himself against a pervert.

How can these "parents" not be held legally - not just morally - guilty of rape and perversion?

The Magic Nanny will save your kids

Rest easy, parent. The U.S. Attorney General will speak today in Cincinnati about how best to protect your children when they connect to the internet.

The Magic Nanny rides again.

This is a very difficult matter. Of course we need government to save us.

Or we could log on to ProtectKids.com where you'll be taught to teach your kids about predators, find and install protective software, and most of all just to know what your kids are doing and supervise them as you should anyway.

There are many similar educational sites, lots of software, and tons of advice. It's all there for any parent who cares enough to do his or her job.

But there will always be parents who want the government to do it for them. Without folks like that the Magic Nanny wouldn't survive.

Special plates for sex offenders is a mistake

Reuters reported on 2/28/07 that two Ohio lawmakers want to force convicted sex offenders to use fluorescent-green license plates because, said one of them: "The fluorescent-green license plate will make the most egregious sex offenders easily identifiable."

To which I add: And their families.

There's nothing wrong - and everything right - about identifying these dangerously abnormal individuals clearly and widely.

But, as with putting the onus on autos licensed to convicted drunken drivers, it's not fair to other folks who have to drive the marked car.

Anyway, legislators need to quit screwing around with license plates for all their feel-good needs. There is so much garbage and bumper sticker material and far-out graphics - sometimes covered by a plate frame that obscures the name of the state - that Ohio license plates seem to have lost their purpose, which originally was to identify the auto.

As for sex offenders, maybe they could be made to wear a distinctive hat while driving - say, one shaped like a big green penis.

Whatever happens with that idea, every parent ought to be checking for predators on the sheriff's web site. Go to http://www.lcounty.com/sheriff/sex_offenders/ and type in your address. If you haven't done this before you'll be amazed at how many there are; you'll also get to see photos of those convicted. You owe it to your child to run this check every few weeks.

If our state legislature wants to pass yet another feel-good measure that would likely cost a bundle of tax dollars to implement, let it be more screwing around with license plates. If it wants to do some good, let them provide more education about identifying and dealing with sex predators.