An article in the Atlanta Journal Constitution today discusses some proposed legislation in Georgia that could have an impact on Kentucky and other states that refuse to get tough with sex offenders.
One proposed law would prohibit sex offenders from working within 1000 feet of any place that children congregate. Should this pass (and I think it should) it would cause a mass exodus of sex offenders from the state. Think about it: how do you make sure that you are working 1000 feet away from children? What if a day care center moves in down the street or your employer moves to a building near a school? So the real question is where will these people move when Georgia passes this law, to Tennessee? What happens then?
People who commit sex crimes (especially those against children) should enjoy very minimal freedoms when they are released from prison. At the very least, Kentucky should make laws to establish our state as a place that is extraordinarily inhospitable to these people. If we don't, we may just inherit them as they flee other states who have strengthened their laws.
Some limp-wristed radio host in Lexington got a little whiny back in the summer when I suggested we decriminalize harassment of convicted sex offenders. But when other states start rolling their perverts downhill, we need to make sure that we aren't at the bottom of that hill.
