sex offenders

I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around this story. David Earls, who admitted to raping a 4-year-old girl, will be released from jail after only a year. The 64-year-old man got 19 years of his 20-year sentence suspended.

The judge, who has come under fire, says that he simply followed the law by approving the plea agreed to by the district attorney, defendant, and family.

Prosecutors reasoned that it would be better to offer a plea deal and guarantee that Earls register as a sex offender than to risk losing the tough case. Because the victim was so young, they reasoned, she would have a hard time being a credible witness and articulating what happened to her. It's a cruel irony that this girl's age is making it harder to put this man away for a long time when it should make it easier.

This latest clip is just too close for comfort. Similar to the story we told you about in May, another lil girl was molested in plain site at a big name bookstore. The first incident happened in the children's section of an Arcadia Borders and the most recent occurred at a Corte Madera Barnes & Noble, also in California.

This time, a five-year-old stepped just feet away from her mother who was at the counter paying for goods. But, the short distance and those split seconds provided a predator, who was silent during the attack, enough time to take the child's hand and put it inside his pants. Another incident happened at the same store this past Summer. While holiday shopping, you may be tempted to let your tots peruse the next toy aisle or stray a bit while you're in the checkout line, but in light of these reports, you should think twice about doing so.

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Halloween is supposed to be a spooky fun holiday for kids to indulge in freaky activities and gather sugary goodies. The fright night gives parents enough issues to fret about — fire hazards, getting lost, candy and street safety to name a few. I'm also concerned about predators. It's the perfect time for offenders to steal a glance at unsuspecting children.

Some states require registered sex offenders turn off their porch lights and place a sign in the window saying, "No candy or treats at this residence." To trick-or-treat on the safe side, I looked up the homes of registered sex offenders on Family Watchdog. Just type in the zip code where you plan on trick-or-treating and see which houses your family should avoid.

As part of their parole, Maryland sex offenders must display a pumpkin sign that states "No candy at this residence." Along with posting the warning sign, the violent and child-sex offenders must also stay in their homes on Halloween, keep the lights off, and not answer the door. The state has distributed warnings to families, telling them to stay away from homes with the pumpkins.

The ACLU is currently challenging an identical Missouri law, claiming the provisions are too vague to enforce and add punishment to sentences already served. While parents and the community must protect children, do you think rehabilitated sex-offenders have a right to some privacy? Does fear go too far in trampling the rights of these ex-cons, or did they give up those rights?

You can never be too careful of who your child is befriending — even while at school. A sex offender passed as a seventh grade boy and enrolled in Arizona schools. Neil Havens Rodreick II, 30, successfully pulled off the ruse for two years with the help of men posing as his cousin, uncle, and grandfather. According to CNN:

Rodreick attended charter schools in Surprise, Payson, and Prescott Valley starting in 2005, authorities said. They say he shaved and wore pancake makeup to help him appear younger, convincing teachers, students, and administrators that he was a young boy named Casey.

Though no victims of sexual abuse have come forward, Rodreick once grabbed a classmate's rear. A search of his residence turned up more evidence. It said:

When authorities searched the four men's home in Chino Valley, a community northwest of Phoenix, they found more than 600 graphic photos and videos of child pornography and a sex tape that depicts Rodreick and a boy between the ages of 10 and 13 having sex in a motel room.

What are your thoughts on this story — is the school system to blame for not checking paperwork more carefully?

California's strict sex offender law — called Jessica's Law — passed by 70 percent of voters in 2006 may not be the fix they'd hoped for. The provisions hoped to lock away more child molesters are not only not helping, but could be causing more harm.

One of the hallmarks of the law, banning sex offenders from living within 2,000 feet of a school or park, in some cases means entire cities are off-limits for offenders. Though intending to keep kids safe, because the number of offenders who consider themselves "transient" has risen 44 percent, the amount of offenses actually increases.

To see why this is, and how to find a map of your own neighborhood, read more

Maybe more so than other crimes, a convicted sex offender's punishment does not end with jail time served; it follows him onto the National Sex Offender Registry, onto the Internet, and soon, in Tennessee, onto his driver's license.

Starting Sept. 1, all convicted sex offenders in Tennessee must hold a newly designed license. It will bear a mark to notify police of their sex-offender status.

While I don't envision kids at the playground asking candy pushers for ID anytime soon, it wouldn't matter if they did: ID checkers will not (or should not) be able to distinguish the license from any other Tennessean's, because the mark will only be viewable to the trained eye — like a big scarlet letter written in invisible ink.

Proponents say the new law will help ensure the safety of children. If a sexual offender is pulled over, the license will prompt police to watch for signs otherwise ignored in a routine traffic stop. To see the incident behind the law, read more