Registry Good Tool to Combat Repeat Sex Offenders

By Steve Caraway

Posted: November 22, 2009 at 2:26 a.m.

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People need to be motivated to learn about the location of sex offenders, according to state officials.

The Arkansas sex offender registry is the top weapon to limit repeat offenders, said Paula Stitz, manager of the Arkansas sex offender registry.

“The registry works,” Stitz said. “These people tend to work in the dark. We’re shinning a light in the dark corners.”

The federal Crimes Against Children and Sexually Violent Offenders Registration Act of 1994 set up guidelines for states to establish sex offender registries. Before 1994, only a handful of states required offenders to register their addresses with police. Now all 50 states do, as does the District of Columbia.

Not all of the people on the registry are dangerous to children, Stitz said.

“One of the scariest men on the registry has never touched a child,” Stitz said. “We think he has raped about 20 women, though.”

Marc Klaas, whose daughter Polly Klaas was kidnapped and murdered in 1993, recommends three changes to help reduce repeat offenses.

First, keep the predators behind bars, Klaas said. Second, keep the registry more up to date and make sure states keep in better contact when an offender moves from one state to another. Finally, expand the use of GPS, or global positioning system devices, to keep up with the location of offenders at all times.

Offenders move constantly, Stitz said, trying to keep ahead of the registry. The public is the best help to make sure offenders live where they claim they live.

“The more eyes watching the better,” Stitz said. “We get calls constantly from people saying some offender is not living with his parents anymore. He’s moved in with a girlfriend, they say.”

The state has registered 9,559 sex offenders since 1997, Stitz said. Of those, 54 have been deported, 414 have died, 1,542 have moved out of state and 1,297 are in jail, Stitz said.

“We have 351 who are lost,” Stitz said. “We don’t know where they are.”

The Web sites of Benton and Washington counties sheriff’s offices have links to maps with the location of sex offenders. Entering an address will pop up a map of surrounding offenders.

The state Arkansas Crime Information Center Web site also has a database with the locations of sex offenders. People can register an address with the center and an e-mail will be sent out when a sex offender moved into the area.

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Obviously this Stits person is continuing the myth the public registry protects Arkansas children. WRONG...parents must be aware of who their children are visiting and having contact with its proven fact 93% of victims know their offender as its usually a family member or a friend of the family. Mark Clause says track them by GPS well they can easily cut this off and there are many being labled as predators due to a federal law named AWA which does not allow the courts to determine someones risk but goes by legislation and offense not facts surrounding the offense. They state sex offenders move constantly which may be true. The public registry allows them to be harassed by neighbors and vigilantes and many cannot locate stable employment so must move regularly which research proves destabilizes former offenders. This article clearly did not state any facts regarding sex offender laws and the reporter should write a new one and do some research which is their job to report facts to the readers and subscribers. More info for those who care to educate themselves to research and facts visit www.sosen.org, www.rickyslife.com...Thanks

Posted by: rickysmom

November 22, 2009 at 10:28 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

ARC radio show discusses sex offender issues with researchers, experts and those effected by the laws such as wives, childen and forme roffenders and parents. visit www.americansrealitycheck.com and join us to debate the issue or share comments.

Posted by: rickysmom

November 22, 2009 at 10:32 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Paula Stitz, manager of the Arkansas sex offender registry certainly needs an education based on research.

Here is just one of many sites that have studies.

http://tinyurl.com/ns36qu

Posted by: Letsgetreal

November 22, 2009 at 10:54 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

The manager of the Sex Offender Registry is of course going to say it is a good tool. She does not want to make the public think that money is being wasted on a directroy that is costing millions of tax payers money. The sex offender registry is not working. Look to the sicko in Calif, or Ohio if you think it is working. One held a kidnapped victim for over 18 years the other killed over 11 woman and both were registered sex offenders. Why it is not working is because it has to many people listed. If testing were done in each state to see who has the highest chances to re-offend and then we only listed the high risk criminals on it, well it may be of some value then, but the way it is now it is over inclusive. This makes it hard for the public and Law Enforcement to know who to watch with a closer eye.

Posted by: TimPa

November 23, 2009 at 12:35 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

One should ask if Paula Stitz has invested in GPS technology, as so many other politicians who push this uselessness have.

Sex offender registries have less than 0 effect of 'saving' children. It's why the general public doesn't bother to use it. It's simply a tool of social shunning and harassment. She knows it, we know it.

The registry has been around for a LONG time now, Paula Stitz. Thank you for your 'concern', but the public would be beating a path to your door if this really worked as you claim. It didn't work for Nazi Germany, and it doesn't work for America.

Good job security effort, however!

Posted by: Mry2K

December 31, 2009 at 2:05 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )