February 20, 2006
What's A Little Humiliation Among Sex Offenders?
The ACLU is already on the warpath on this one:
The US state of Mississippi plans to put the names and faces of convicted sex offenders on roadside billboards.
About 100 posters showing offenders, particularly those who prey on minors, will be put up, a state official said.
Don Taylor, head of the state's Department of Human Services, told a local newspaper the aim was to make the public aware of their crimes.
But human rights campaigners say the measure is unnecessary as the public is already aware once convicts are jailed.
More...
The American Civil Liberties Union in Mississippi said the billboards would be a waste of money.
"Why is it necessary to put them on billboards if they're already serving?" its head, Nsombi Lambright, asked.
"If they have criminal charges before them, the information is public, the victims are notified. The people already know in these communities who these folks are once they're arrested."
I don't know; this is an idea that might have some merit. Public humiliation can sometimes do wonders, and might serve as more of a deterrent than a few months in jail.
Question: Does the ACLU worry about the rights of the children that have been violated? Does it worry about the humiliation these children have to deal with for the rest of their lives?
Don't bet on it.
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