[Antrium]

Here's a proposal I've submitted...I've tried it many times and it never got close to passing. I realize it needs some work, and there are a few things I will change before re-submitting it. Tell me what you think.


AWARE OF UN Resolution #22, Outlaw Pedophilia, but seeing that some cases of rape and molestation do occur illegally, we propose the following:

- Every UN member nation MUST start a Sex Offender Registry that shows a picture of each sex offender, along with their picture, name, age, address, and the type of people they have targeted in the past. Any country may add more information to this if they would like.
- Sex offenders will be defined as someone charged with committing a non-consensual sexual act, such as rape, molestation, etc.
- Sex offenders cannot live within 750 feet of an educational facility (schools, libraries, etc.)
- The Sex Offender Registry must be made available to the public, either in a web site or in books or packets that would be available somewhere in each town
- Sex offenders must register their address every time they move, and must get a new picture taken every 2 years, so that the registry is always updated
- The persons living in the same area (1/3 mile distance) of a sex offender will be notified by mail of their address when the offender moves to the area
- Any offender that does not register will be fined $2000 and could face 10 months to 3 years in prison

This act would help families keep their children away from sex offenders, and alert the public to their whereabouts.
It may be taking away some of the rights of the offender, but if innocent children are at risk, then it is necessary.

[Adam Island]

Looks good to me. Its well-written. Except you might want to change the definition to "someone convicted" instead of "someone charged."

I'd support this if it were targeted even more narrowly. The definition of a sex offender as one who commits non-consensual acts is a great start- gets rid of the whole 18-year old who slept with his 17-year old girlfriend situation. Here's an interesting article that brings up some more possible problems. The 13-year old boy who molested a classmate should be written out of the law. I want child rapists tracked down, not stupid kids.

There's also the problem with punishment. Is it really fair for someone who's served her or his time to be outcast from society for the remainder or their life? According to the strange foreign entity, the "US Department of Justice," few sex offenders do it again. Just because a small number of children may be at risk does not justify stripping citizens of any of their rights.

And in Adam Island, our courts would most likely not allow the enforcement of this resolution for already convicted criminals, because it would be ex post facto. You can't tack on additional punishments for the same crime after the sentence has already been served. It could work for future rapists though.

[Antrium]

Thanks for your input. I was going to change it to convicted, I already got a telegram about that. You brought up some good points, I'll try to rewrite it a bit and submit it again later. If it doesn't pass...I might try writing something else

[Groot Gouda]

I consider this a rather big invasion of privacy, and don't support the idea behind it. So I won't comment on it.

[Yuunli]

I agree with Groot Gouda. You pillory offenders like in the Middle Ages.

If everyone in the neighborhood knows who the former sex offender is, chances are they will treat her/him correspondingly, and s/he won't have a chance to lead a decent life. That could lead to her/him leaving the neighborhood (which is only a temporary relief, as the new neighbors will know, too), becoming depressive, committing suicide, or becoming criminal again...

IMHO sex offenders should get psychological treatment. Nothing against informing the police about them, but not the public.

[Grosseschnauzer]

Antrium, there are several problems I notice with your resolution.

First, there is too much detail of the process that you would impose. When Tejasdom put forth the original idea for a Tsunami Warning System, the draft contained way too much detail about the way the system would work -- it even described distances from shorelines and details about the type of sensors that would be used. It's not necessary for the UN Gnomes, it serves no purpose in how each player's rating in the different categories are affected, and with the most recent guidelines for drafting proposals posted by Hack over at the Jolt forums, it might well be the kiss of death.
Second problem is, not just the invaison of privacy issue cited by Groot Gouda, but it raises a serious question as to the real object of the concept. In RL, many states and localities are imposing bans of 2500 feet (1/2 mile) from any school, park, day care center, etc., which in many places effectively bans the person from even living in a urban or suburban area, and all but deprives them in many places of being able to legally have a residence.
The other questions is whether this is being directed towards sex offenders who target adults or children. Not all sex offenders have the same inclination as to the categories of their victims, and the recent spate of well publicized cases in the US have been for the most part in response to pedophiles more than anything else. The other legislative trend that is troubling is the tendency to required convicted sex offenders to remain in prison even after they have completed their sentences until it is possible for a medicial certification to be made that they have been "fully treated" (read "cured of their violent sexual behavior.
You know, the issues that come up in NS about sending rapists to slave labor or executing them -- that is about what the legal trand is for real.....so you need to ask yourself how broad or how narrowly you really intend this proposal to be, and adjust it accordingly.
I don;t know that I would necessarily vote fot this, but I thought I would mention some things to think about in trying to craft a well thought out and written proposal.

[Antrium]

Excellent points. I think I will either drop the idea altogether or take most of it out and re-submit it later.

Thanks for all of your comments

[Mikitivity]

AntriumAug 15 2005, 11:28 AM Excellent points. I think I will either drop the idea altogether or take most of it out and re-submit it later.

Thanks for all of your comments [/quote]
How many endorsements did it get? If you broke say 30, I'd recommend working on the idea some more and trying again.

[Antrium]

30 and it ends tomorrow. I've submitted it probably 2 or 3 times before and got about 35-40 each time.