'April's Law' A petition calling for Sex Offenders to be on Register for life

[jixy]

More than 16000 people have signed this petition so far. Will it help protect children from abuse and murder under April's Law or does it need a totally new approach to indecent images/child porn and any associated internet searches

http://www.southwales-eveningpost.co.uk/april-jones/story-29917729-detail/story.html

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[John]

More than 16000 people have signed this petition so far. Will it help protect children from abuse and murder under April's Law or does it need a totally new approach to indecent images/child porn and any associated internet searches

http://www.southwales-eveningpost.co.uk/april-jones/story-29917729-detail/story.html

Calling for all sex offenders to be on a register for life is a very naive approach to a very serious issue.  It does require a new approach and not this sort of one size fits all nonsense.

[mrswah]

SOME sex offenders need to be on the register for life, ie people who have repeatedly abused children.

However, others do not-----for example, those guilty of looking at indecent pictures, and who have not passed the pictures on, or actually abused anyone.

In addition, people such as Jeremy Forrest (the teacher who ran away to France with a 15 year old student). It was right that he lost his teaching job, but he is not a sex offender. The girl went with him willingly, and , although she was not yet 16, she knew exactly what she was doing.  He committed a crime, yes, but he hardly needs to be on the register.

[jixy]

I agree John it definitely needs something new. The Register itself isn't fool proof and people do break the conditions over and over while others are monitored quite safely. So as you say a one size fits all approach wouldn't work

I can see why the family would want to do something, anything to help their pain. Not sure what the solution would be

Mrswah I agree anyone who has harmed a child should stay on the Register for life. I don't dismiss just looking at pictures because at the other side of that is a victim the Sex Offender has sometimes never met but a real victim never the less. More treatment for such people is a must, along with serious monitoring of their internet usage etc. For how long? I really don't know

[mrswah]

I read somewhere that the number of people on the register is growing year by year.  This is not going to be sustainable: some are going to fall through the net, and they might be the ones who really need watching.

[jixy]

More reason to tighten the net. Everyone who has committed a Sex Offence however small it seems to others need watching.

Children should be protected at all times and anyone who gets a kick out of looking at pictures of them being abused is clearly very very sick indeed

[John]

SOME sex offenders need to be on the register for life, ie people who have repeatedly abused children.

However, others do not-----for example, those guilty of looking at indecent pictures, and who have not passed the pictures on, or actually abused anyone.

In addition, people such as Jeremy Forrest (the teacher who ran away to France with a 15 year old student). It was right that he lost his teaching job, but he is not a sex offender. The girl went with him willingly, and , although she was not yet 16, she knew exactly what she was doing.  He committed a crime, yes, but he hardly needs to be on the register.

I have met many sex offenders and their crimes are extremely varied.  Some are repeat offenders who will never change their ways while others unfortunately found themselves in situations in which they behaved badly.  The latter do not dereserve to have their lives blighted until the day they die because of one stupid mistake.

[John]

I read somewhere that the number of people on the register is growing year by year.  This is not going to be sustainable: some are going to fall through the net, and they might be the ones who really need watching.

And many disappear abroad never to be seen again.

[jixy]

http://metro.co.uk/2017/01/31/petition-for-aprils-law-to-get-tougher-sentences-for-sex-offenders-passes-target-6417781/

A decision on whether ‘April’s Law’ will face debate is set to be made within 24 hours.


I wonder how this will play out and  implemented should any changes go ahead