Chasing the bogeymen
Councilman Paul Ray, who drafted the measure, said the ordinance "is not going to make a huge dent, but it's a huge safety net. This is not meant to put an end to anything; it's just another tool for if they're in the parks and not supposed to be."
The Clinton City Council cannot be faulted for its desire to protect children, but Clinton residents should not be lulled into a false sense of security by the passage of this ordinance. Banning known offenders from city property — with a few exceptions — does not ensure that children will be free from from sexual offenses in parks or city hall. Some sex offenders violate victims multiple times before they are caught. That means they won't be on the sex offender registry and will be free to visit parks and other city properties.
Moreover, it is somewhat questionable if this ordinance can be enforced. Local law enforcers may be familiar with area residents who are on the state's sex offender registry, but it is doubtful that police have the resources to conduct round-the-clock patrols of parks and other city property. At least one convicted sex offender has announced his intention to challenge the constitutionality of the ordinance.
Ray, also a member of the Utah House of Representatives, is also considering legislation to require some high-risk sex offenders to have yellow license plates on their cars. Ray needs to carefully consider the unintended consequences of such a law. More than a third of juvenile victims of sexual assault are victimized by members of their own families. Ray's intent is that the public is more readily able to identify sex offenders, but an unintended effect might be spotlighting sexual assault victims.
The Utah Department of Corrections' Web site of all convicted sex offenders in Utah is, arguably, a better tool to deal with this population. The database includes convicted sex offenders' names, photographs, addresses, physical descriptions, targets and vehicles. The Web site address is: www.cr.ex.state.ut.us/community/sexoffenders/. Users can search for offenders by names and ZIP codes. Although the Web site helps inform the public about sex offenders in their respective communities, the information should not be used to harass, stalk or threaten convicted sex offenders.
Awareness is important, but there is no substitute for careful supervision of children in private and public settings. Beyond that, parents need to build relationships with their children so they know they can talk to a trusted adult when they encounter any situation that makes them uncomfortable.
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