Where Are the Sex Offenders?
Police urge parents to do their homeworkBy IAN HICKS Staff Writer
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Fact Box
VIEW THEM ONLINE
- View Ohio's sex offender registry at www.esorn.ag.state.oh.us/ Secured/p1.aspx, or through a link on the Belmont County Sheriff's Department Web site, www.belmontsheriff.com.
- West Virginia's registry can be found atwww.wvstatepolice.com/sexoff/.
- Another Web site, www.familywatchdog.us, will highlight the home addresses and workplaces of registered sex offenders on a map.
STEUBENVILLE - The presence of sex offenders is an issue that not only worries Jefferson County Sheriff Fred Abdalla, it's one that breaks his heart.
"There are 72 (sex offenders) roaming the streets in Jefferson County. ... One is enough," he said. "Dealing with this is the toughest thing in all my jobs as a sheriff. It literally breaks your heart."
In Steubenville, two registered sex offenders live in the same apartment building. Of the 29 total living within the city limits, 25 reside within 2 miles of Steubenville Big Red High School - and that community isn't the only one in the Ohio Valley with similar statistics.
Wheeling is home to 51 sex offenders, with a total of 60 living throughout Ohio County.
Marshall County has 47 registered sex offenders, 35 of whom live in Moundsville.
In Barnesville, 11 registered sex offenders live within a 2-mile radius of Barnesville Elementary School, three on the same block.
Martins Ferry has two on the same block, with a dozen living within 2 miles of Martins Ferry High School.
Victor Stevens, 43, is accused of raping a 16-year-old girl in Powhatan Point in August after he already was registered for a prior sex offense. In that village, four other offenders live 2 miles or less away from Powhatan Point Elementary School.
St. Clairsville High School has five sex offenders living within that distance.
According to Steubenville Police Chief William McCafferty, parents shouldn't worry unduly when presented with such numbers.
"Sure, we're concerned about (sex offenders) being in the city ... ," he said. "But just because this person is living near you doesn't make them an automatic threat to children."
McCafferty encourages parents to do research and, if there are registered sex offenders living near them, find out what the offenders did. He noted such facts are a matter of public record, and while a pedophile living near a school is cause for concern, there are a wide variety of offenses for which a person must register.
According to Ohio's registry, profiles for 14 of the 25 offenders living 2 miles or less away from Steubenville Big Red High School indicate offenses involving minors. However, McCafferty said that doesn't always tell the whole story, either.
As an example, McCafferty posed the following hypothetical situation. A 19-year-old could be arrested for dating a 17-year-old even if all sexual activity between them was consensual. That 19-year-old person would have to register as a sex offender - and while what he or she did was illegal, it doesn't necessarily mean that person poses a threat to anyone, he said.
Abdalla said "constant vigilance" by parents is the key to keeping children safe - not only through scouring sex offender registries, but by watching their children.
"It can happen in an instant," he said. "Parents can't take their eyes off their children for one moment. Not one moment ... you just can't take that chance."
He also believes there are too many repeat offenders, adding that such cases would decrease dramatically if child molestation carried a prison sentence of life without parole.
"There is no rehabilitation for someone who will sexually abuse children," Abdalla said.
The issue of sexual predators in concentrated areas came to the forefront this week as Clay County, Ga., detectives discovered a body they believe is 7-year-old Somer Thompson of Orange Park, Fla., in a landfill Wednesday, two days after the second-grader vanished while walking home from school. Law enforcement officials in that community have reported that 161 convicted sex offenders live within 5 miles of the girl's home.
It should be noted there is currently no indication sex was involved in the brutal crime against that young girl, even though the situation prompted officials to bring to light the startling number of sex offenders living near her.
To put that in perspective, consider Ohio's two largest cities. Columbus has 327 sex offenders living within 2 miles of the Ohio Statehouse alone, while Cleveland has 230 within a 2-mile radius of its city building. Of those in Columbus, 10 live in the same apartment building. In Cleveland, six live in the same apartment complex, while 132 list their address as a men's shelter operated by the Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry and 25 list a facility for the mentally ill.
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wisdomborn
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10-25-09 11:41 PM
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Nobody wants them on the streets, but seems like nobody wants to pay exta taxes to keep them behind bars. Look at the problems Abdalla is having. So they end up being let out as being "less dangerous", or put in places like homeless shelters, or, like in one community in GA, sent to live in the woods by the police. Bottom line, dangerous sex offenders pedophiles--like Ellis says, the real ones--and is there a non-dangerous pedophile?--should never ever be let out, or better yet, executed (as is permitted under federal law).
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SphinxRising58
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10-25-09 4:42 PM
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EllisWyatt: On top of being a racist troll who is under the mistaken opinion that he knows everything about everything, every where, is a idiot. Chemical & physical castration would not work for the simple fact that rape & molestation is a crime of violence & control, & not pent up release from sexual tension,duh. On top of that, it has been proven that men who cannot preform & who make such attacks are way more likely to resort to extreme physical violence by using artifical means for the S*E*X act, duh.
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SphinxRising58
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10-25-09 4:34 PM
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Steubenville Police Chief William McCafferty obviously knows very little about child predators, as they are the ones most likely to re-offend if given the chance, proven fact.
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WJU2001
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10-25-09 3:50 PM
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formerohvalleyresident - It must be tough to adjust to a president interested in peace after eight years of YOUR president trying everything he could to start WWIII and sentence millions to needless deaths for an imaginary cause. And to Sheriff Abdalla - the amount of sex offenders out there cannot "literally" break your heart, unless maybe they all joined together and *literally* opened up your chest and, well, you get my point.
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cdavidhess
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10-25-09 2:08 PM
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formerohvalleyresident, It is important to pay attention to the details of the various recidivism studies. Generally speaking, broad based studies of the totality of registered sex offenders show a low recidivism rates. Studies which which show a high recidivism rate tend to focus on small, high risk groups. For example, the Prentky study which you mention was a study of 265 rapists and child molesters who were civilly committed to the Massachusetts' Treatment Center for Sexually Dangerous Persons (MTC) in Bridgewater, Mass. The offenders in the study were all civilly committed because they were recidivists. Please note this quotation from the study: “The obvious, marked heterogeneity of sexual offenders precludes automatic generalization of the rates [recidivism] reported here to other samples...."
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formerohvalleyresident
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10-25-09 11:16 AM
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I heard RudyKing is so ignorant he got his Swine Flu shot at a Veterinary!
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formerohvalleyresident
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10-25-09 1:53 AM
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Prentky, Lee, Knight, and Cerce (1997) found that over a 25-year period, child molesters had higher rates of reoffense than rapists. In this study, recidivism was operationalized as a failure rate and calculated as the proportion of individuals who were rearrested using survival analysis (which takes into account the amount of time each offender has been at risk in the community). Results show that over longer periods of time, child molesters have a higher failure rate—thus, a higher rate of rearrest—than rapists (52 percent versus 39 percent over 25 years). 52 PERCENT!!!!!
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formerohvalleyresident
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10-25-09 1:47 AM
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Marshall and Barbaree (1990) found in their review of studies that the recidivism rate for specific types of offenders varied: Incest offenders ranged between 4 and 10 percent. Rapists ranged between 7 and 35 percent. Child molesters with female victims ranged between 10 and 29 percent. Child molesters with male victims ranged between 13 and 40 percent. Exhibitionists ranged between 41 and 71 percent.
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cdavidhess
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10-25-09 1:35 AM
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All the attention given to registered sex offenders gives a distorted perception of the more likely perpetrators of sex crimes against children. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, 93% of children who are victims of sexual abuse are victimized by family members or acquaintances. 94% of those arrested for the sexual molestation of children in New York State are first time offenders who are not listed on any registry. To put it another way, if a child has been the victim of sexual abuse, the odds are 4 in 1,000 that the child was victimized by a stranger who is a registered sex offender. The odds are far greater, 874 in 1,000, that the child was victimized by a family member or acquaintance who is not listed on the sex offender registry. The primary effect of sex offender registries is to give the public a false sense of security. A recent New York study found an 8% recidivism rate in an 8 year period.
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formerohvalleyresident
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10-25-09 1:34 AM
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Wonderwhere, “your” President is scared sh*tless of Fox news and Glenn Beck not to mention Putin, Chavez, Ahmadinejad, Kim Jong Il, and the rest of the world’s bad guys and you call ME a coward? You are just tired of getting your ignorant, factless lies chewed up and spit back in face, then you whine. It’s the WORLD WIDE WEB, moron, does it make a rat’s *ss bit of difference if I am there only part time? Are you teaching your poor children to play the victim card too? Grow up and be the d*mn Parent, not the Child, cupcake! And stand up against sexual predators, the recidivism rate among them is the one of the highest of any criminal group.
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formerohvalleyresident
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10-25-09 1:14 AM
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Oh poor RudyQueen, no school today, couldn’t find a hot date hanging around the playgrounds? If you are dying to*****on something, try my 40 Cal Glock instead of little boys. I promise I won't pull the trigger, he he he!
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Shark88
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10-25-09 12:16 AM
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Does it matter where these people are? Fact is, they are everywhere. This story points to the fact that America is in a state of moral decline. We are such a nation of hypocrites! Divorce and shack-ups are rampant, *********** is rampant, laws aimed at stemming the tide of immorality in America are struck down by unscrupulous judges, homosexuals are afforded special protections, God is kicked out of public schools and government and then we wonder why our nation is going to*****in a hand basket. Sexual crimes are often the result of the breakdown of the family. Children without fathers in the home tend to be more vulnerable for being abused. We can bemoan sex offenders but the real problem lies in the pulpits of our churches, our families, courts, and government.
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Kubotaman
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10-24-09 11:21 PM
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The article is about sex offenders and just when you think that you have one subject where everyone would be on the same page....you see people defending sex offenders. Maybe next week you guys can defend Charles Manson....
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valley148
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10-24-09 10:00 PM
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Question--"Where are all the sex offenders?" Answer--(In a perfect world)--In a large ashtray in the bottom of an oven that is used for power generation! See folks, we can used these pigs for something!
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wonderwhy
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10-24-09 6:47 PM
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recognizing that people bully on here is simply that. nothing more, nothing less.
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wonderwhy
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10-24-09 6:44 PM
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former- your childisness is making up names for everyone on these threads is a clear indication that you find it appropriate to be a bully. hide in ca and bully people in the valley. what a coward.
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wonderwhy
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10-24-09 6:43 PM
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victim? former- you say you despise it here, so why are you here? you attack people and this area every day. if you really live in huntington beach, would it not be appropriate to be there enjoying yourself? You say you think the child protection service should visit me? ok, they can. I seriously doubt they are going to charge me for hurting my children because I like the current President. besides, I have taught my children to check facts, not spread lies of right wing nut jobs as you do. Yes, I am protecting them with the truth. Not brainwashing them with lies. Go figure. Sex offenders offend because of control and power over their victim. It is a crime of violence.
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formerohvalleyresident
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10-24-09 3:19 PM
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Ellis, agree with everything you said, except one footnote. Looks like WV has min age of 16 for consent but also a 4 year DIFFERNTIAL test as well so an 19 YO has voluntary sex with a 16 YO, no crime. CA min age for consent AND sex is both 18, with NO differential. So any sex under 18 is statutory rape. Rarely enforced, though, but can be SEVERE when applied.
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formerohvalleyresident
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10-24-09 3:08 PM
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Falseseeker, that is your DEFENSE of Jennings? The child was the legal age of CONSENT? That may be 16 in Massachusetts but he was 15 when it started. Jesus, What a pathetic, weak, gutless argument !!!! WHAT IS THE LEGAL AGE OF CONSENT FOR RAPE, YOU DIC*SH*T? There ISN”T any!!! You can be raped at 50 and it is still a crime. You sir, are a PATHETIC EXCUSE of a human being, defending the RAPE of a confused young man. Stop reading the NAMBLA news, pervert!
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dolphin3111
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10-24-09 2:32 PM
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formerohv, "REAL MEN PROTECT THEIR WOMEN AND CHILDREN!" Right on ! Ellis, Involuntary castration seems OK to me, too.
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GoochStephens
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10-24-09 2:14 PM
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What really stinks on this issue, is the fact that the offenders hide behind something that happened in their past..As Ellis stated. So they use the system to recieve less punishment. However the offended child has not only been Physically abused but then becomes mentally abused by the system. I believe in strict punishment for Sex Offenders. For those that have been abused..YOU have done nothing wrong. Fight against your abuser and never give in to the rational that it is OK to hurt someone because you have been hurt....I say...Name these people so all can be more vigilant in protecting those around them..
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TruthSeeker
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10-24-09 1:47 PM
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Former: What part of "over the age of consent" don't you understand? Fox News lied about the boy being underage. Why can't you understand that Fox News, Limbaugh, and others LIED? They stir you idiots up like cookie batter and bake you till you're hot and crispy. I'm laughing at your stupidity and ignorance.
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EllisWyatt
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10-24-09 1:40 PM
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That said, I believe that convicted molestors should be assaulted in a harsh manner, then crucified alongside I-70 and left to rot. I would not be opposed to castration. Go to Singapore and pass out literature from NAMBLA and see what happens to you. Places like Singapore don't have drug dealing, rape, murder and molestation. Why? Because the few people dumb enough to engage in these practices are swiftly and harshly made an example of. Punishment DOES work. It is the current ACLU, NAACP, liberal media, coddling that has created our current situation. Criminals are often not even caught and, when they are, they get a slimy defense lawyer who cries to a jury of morons that their client had a rough childhood or is a victim. Punishment works-if it is applied.
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EllisWyatt
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10-24-09 1:36 PM
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From a Constitutional perspective, I am absolutely opposed to the requirement that offenders register. Disclaimer: I am not a sex offender or a friend of a sex offender, nor am I related to one. Lumping "sex offenders" into the same category is the same thing as the broad "DUI" generalization. There are people who can safely operate a car after drinking 3 beers in an hour, yet, they would fail a test. Those who are "offenders" because they were 19 and had sex with their 15-year old girlfriend should NOT be in the same category as people who molest children. Molestors who are dangerous enough to have to register are dangerous enough to stay in jail. It is possible to have a man who murders 20 children and gets off on a technicality living next door to you. You would never know it. If he more dangerous than a guy who banged his underage girlfriend? I believe that requiring offenders to register constitutes cruel and unusual punishment.
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formerohvalleyresident
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10-24-09 1:33 PM
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Oh, wonderware is back to the "victim" mentality, can't form a coherent thought so call everybody a bully. You CLAIM to be parent! REAL PARENTS PROTECT THEIR CHILDREN!! REAL MEN PROTECT THEIR WOMEN AND CHILDREN! Stop pandering to these bottom feeders and BE THE ADULT! Bassman, nosmart are the INMATES running the asylum back there again????
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