I can see both sides of this debate. On the one hand, when stories such as the rape and murder of a child comes on the news, I change the channel. I can't watch any stories about a child being victimized. I don't see movies where a child being raped, molested, kidnapped, whatever, is the central theme, and there's alot of those out there.
On the other hand, I do think the parents of children that let them run around unsupervised should see the news stories. I disagree with ya on this one, Hair. I see small children walking to school, riding their bikes, playing up and down the street, unsupervised, all the time. My parents live in an old neighborhood that isn't as nice as it used to be and it's crawling with registered sex offenders. A couple of weeks ago, my dad was sitting outside on the porch and 2 little girls were walking down the street, by themselves. Back aways following them, was a man. My dad watched the girls until they got home, the man following them turned down another street when the girls reached their destination.
One of the worst stories was little Amber Hagerman, the girl that the "Amber Alert" was named after. She was riding her bike, alone with her little brother, when she was kidnapped and subsequently murdered. This happened a few miles where I used to live years ago.
I for one hope kids will always have childhoods where they are allowed to play outside. I don't think it's more dangerous than it ever was, but I don't know how to gauge how a parent should decide. There's got to be a smart happy medium between paranoia and negligence. The guy walking may have been doing just that.
I live by an elementary school and I see VERY small children walking alone all the time or in two's. They can't be more than kindergarten or first grade. I also note many of them are walking to school way ahead of when they are supposed to be there which is 8am which I suppose partent(s) have to be to work so the kid is wandering the school yard by themselves! We live in a pretty good neighborhood but we have a low income within a few blocks where all kinds of wierd critters live! I don't think there really are "good" neighborhoods any more with so many on drugs etc. he other issue is most of these little ones are way too trusting due to being at day care and lots of care takers at early ages. Any more if I had young ones I wouldn't let them walk across the street alone!