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.]
Obviously he did not go to jail right away, he had to be 18 when he became a dad. When I was 36, my oldest child was 4. If the law is that he is not allowed on school property, then he is not allowed. Next life, don’t violently rape girls, and wait until you are a grown up before you have children.
It’s also possible that his son is the product of the rape.
There are many reasons why parents cannot go to their children’s graduations. Sometimes their jobs are such that they cannot take time off, or they could be ill. Let someone videotape it and he can watch the video.
At 17 he probably didn’t realize the long-range effects of his crime, but that’s the way things work. He did the crime and he did the time, but he must continue to suffer the consequences. I’m sure his victim still has to live with the memory of what happened to her. Not going to his son’s graduation is pittance compared to what she is living with.
Hopefully like the piece of dog==it he is.
Can someone tell me what an unforceable rape is?
Statutory.
This just turns the good guys into bad guys and makes the former bad guy into the victim. It is beyond justice and becomes returning evil for evil. When that happens, God help us all. This is like a pre-crime division. It’s more dangerous than the risk of repeat offense.
So this isn't a high school graduation , it's graduating from middle school? Sheesh! I think he is an idiot for saying he might break the law and go to jail for an eighth-grade graduation.
He served his time. If released you get your rights back sorry. If what he did was that bad they should have put him to death or in prison for life. But the fact is they let him out. He has the right to see his son graduate.
How do you know she did not cry rape after the fact? Do we know any facts of the case?
Well that just makes it rediculous. 8th grade graduation?
What an idiot. Now I really hope he goes and gets thrown in prison. Getting locked up for an 8th grade graduation will really show his kids what a smart individual he is.
If he goes to this one and gets thrown in jail for 4 years,
he will probably miss the high school graduation, what
is the use in that?!
That is a very good question. I believe there is no such thing as a “former” sex offender. If it were former, then he would no longer be on a registry, right?
If he has to register as a sex offender, then he should not go. If he is not registered, then he did his time and should be allowed to attend.
We know one fact.
He got a guilty verdict for his "forcible rape".
If there was facts out there saying this was a miscarrage of justice, shouldn't Glenn Sack say so?
Shouldn't our violent rapist say so?
The silence answers the question.
Whatever happened to the concept of Ex Post Facto law???? I hardly doubt that the punishment at the time of his crime included these provisions. And if it restricts his freedom to travel and be on public property then I daresay it is “punishment” and not regulatory.
I bet the girl he raped doesnt’ think 5 years was appropriate.
It’s an 8th grade graduation. The boy is 13-14.
You want to see a parade of offensive sexual displays, then go to a pride parade in San Fransicko. Sex offenders are a lifestyle there.
I guess statutory rape
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