[Clint Williams]

"Perhaps the greatest danger of the new law is that it is so strict that sex offenders will simply stop registering with police departments as required. ... Other states that have enacted laws similar to Georgia have seen registration rates drop from more than 90 percent to less than 50 percent."

[Tulane]

Best way to deal with the situation is to lock them up forever...

[pollyannaish]

Laws based in hysterics are usually do the exact opposite of what was intended. This is an excellent example. Unintended consequences are a pain.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Funny how the media and the cops never have a problem with outlawing gun ownership within 1000 feet of a school or church. They never cry that that level of gun control is unenforceable and forces the drawing of 1000-foot circles around everything.

[D1X1E]

...designed to keep some of society’s worst elements far from where they can cause harm,..

We already have that. They are called prisons

[Sonny M]

Other states that have enacted laws similar to Georgia have seen registration rates drop from more than 90 percent to less than 50 percent.

I've heard this before, the reason is that many of the offenders simply leave the state.

Which I think was the original intent all along.

[fix]

Registered Sex Offender does not equal Child Molester in Georgia folks. If you stop on the side of the road and run into the woods to pee, you can be charged, tried, and convicted of indecent exposure...which requires you to register as a sex offender after paying your nominal fine. Oral sex is still illegal in Georgia. Getting that special favor from your spouse and forget to close the curtains? Uh, oh! You can be charged, tried, and convicted, etc, etc.

[D-Chivas]

"Perhaps the greatest danger of the new law is that it is so strict that sex offenders will simply stop registering with police departments as required. ... Other states that have enacted laws similar to Georgia have seen registration rates drop from more than 90 percent to less than 50 percent."

This is true. Nevertheless, I saw a lot posts on stories about this law where other Freepers were cheerleading this stupid and inane law. Those people don't live in or near any state that has passed such legislation. Talk about a bunch of ignorant fools. The truth is that these laws do not protect children. 80% to 90% of sexually abused children are done by somebody they know, usually in their own home. It takes up more time of police departments and a sheriff's day to enforce compliance, even though they know where most of these deviants are living. It pushes the freaks out to the country and you've got a bunch of sex offenders living near each other in motels. Meanwhile, you've got a bunch of politicians walking around, acting like they're protecting kids. Just wait, in a few months in Georgia you will see articles from law enforcement about what a mess this is. You'll see compliance rates drop.

[ladyinred]

Perhaps they could live in prison rather than out among polite society. What a concept!