Posted on 05/15/2008 10:50:44 AM PDT by PercivalWalks
From the Associated Press' Sex Offender Banned from Son's Graduation (5/10/08):
"School and law enforcement officials have told a St. Joseph man that he can't attend his son's eighth-grade graduation because he is a convicted sex offender and isn't allowed on school property.
"James Jones, 36, said he may go anyway although the Buchanan County Sheriff's Department has told him he would be arrested and face up to four years in prison.
"'I've already been punished for this. This isn't about me anymore. Now they're punishing my kids, and that's taking it a little too far,' said Jones, who served five years in prison after being convicted in 1990 of forcible rape of a 15-year-old girl when he was 17.
"'I'm always preaching education to my children. How does that make me look if I'm not there at graduation?'..
"Sheriff's investigator Shawn Collie said although Jones has argued against the school property restriction more than any other offender, he has signed an agreement acknowledging he knows about the restriction. That means he can't claim ignorance if found on school grounds, such as for the May 22 graduation.
"'We'll be there. And we'll arrest him if he's there,' Collie said."
A few thoughts:
1) Regarding the rape, he was convicted, so let's assume he's guilty. "Forcible rape" is pretty bad stuff, and it's real hard to feel sorry for a rapist. Yes, Jones was only 17, and that's young, but it's old enough to know it's wrong to cause other people pain. And I'm sure that two decades later the young woman he assaulted still suffers because of it.
2) Prison is supposed to be about punishment and rehabilitation. Rape is a terrible crime, but Jones paid for it with five long years in prison--upon his release, he's paid his debt to society and should not be subjected to further punishment.
3) The best thing for society is if criminals are able to be rehabilitated, and from what we see in the article, it sounds as if Jones is an excellent and admirable example of this rehabilitation. For this, Jones deserves credit, not exile.
4) It probably will mean a lot to his son for him to be at his graduation, and will be hurtful if he can't attend.
All in all, I side with Jones.
Glenn Sacks, www.GlennSacks.com
[Note: If you or someone you love is faced with a divorce or needs help with child custody, child support, false accusations, Parental Alienation, or other family law or criminal law matters, ask Glenn for help by clicking here.]
Should he be banned from sons graduation ceremony? Yes, and he should be in jail!
The guy is an idiot.
What the heck is a “former sex offender”?
He was in jail. He served his time.
The ambulance chaser sides with the child rapist. Surprise, surprise.
YES!
Maybe James should ask his son if he wants his classmates to know what his father looks like.
if he’s a threat to society, he should be in prison. If he isn’t safe around schools he isn’t safe anywhere public.
Just because he served time doesn't mean he is exempt from the law.
To top that off, he acknowledged doing his time, but he doesn't exactly sound sorry for the crime.
So, no, he shouldn't be allowed to attend.
He’s served his time in prison. If a sex offender does it again, they should throw away the key, but they shouldn’t stop him attending his son’s graduation...
Forcible rape? Burn in hell scumbag. This POS should be dead and buried.
This is not one of those stupid non-cases where the guy is a "sex offender" for urinating in the woods, or where a 22 year old male has sex with a 17 yo female he met in a bar (fake ID cases).
If he was 17, presumably was tried and convicted within a reasonable time after that and served only five years, then married and fathered a child and has not reoffended in the years since then, then he was probably not a true compulsive sex offender and should be legally rehabilitated.
However, I think the idea of his going to his son’s graduation and getting arrested at it is truly stupid and shows he has no concern for his son.
Can’t do the time ( or repercussions ), don’t do the crime.
> All in all, I side with Jones.
Five years in Gaol is quite a while, and it is probably in-line with the seriousness of the crime of forced rape. And in that respect he has paid for the crime.
But no, he should not be allowed to attend the graduation: sometimes our life choices carry lasting consequences that go beyond any punishment meted out. One of those consequences is, unfortunately, that rapists and child molesterers tend to never be trusted around kids ever again.
Life is tough: sometimes it seems unfair. But that is what Life Choices is all about.
Jones is a sex offender, sex offenders should face the same punishment murderers do. He should thank his stars he’s even alive to hear about his son graduating.
If he does show up I hope they throw him back in jail for a long, long time.
He should go, be quiet and then also accept whatever sanctions come his way. That would be the principled thing to do in my opinion.
Yes and now he must comply with the rest of his punishment and the restrictions placed upon him for the protection of society.
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