Texas Sex Offenders Push for More Lenient Laws

Convicted sex offenders in Texas have started an organization advocating more lenient penalties for nonviolent and low-level offenders.

[Ben]

This is preposterous.

[Louisa]

My initial reaction upon seeing the headline was no way, what a terrible idea. But upon reading the article, and hearing the guy's arguments, it really does make sense. You don't want to lump horny teenagers with rapists and pedophiles, and you don't want to treat them the same way either.

[Ted]

Hook up with NAMBLA and maybe you all can get some legislation passed... or not. Not happening guys.

[mya]

hou old r u guys

[Arnold]

It is pretty horrible what is happening to these people. Too bad the law doesn't allow for more nuance.

[Janet]

It's hard to imagine this one getting much support.

[BettyB]

What scares me is that when some offenders have gotten breaks in the past, tragedy struck. I do agree that not every offender is as dangerous as the next one may be, though.

[Blair]

Can't really support this one, no.

[Maureen]

I don't think I can support this, either. It's unfortunate that they are paying a price for earlier indiscretions, but BettyB is right. There are too many cases where people have struck again.

[Wesley Allen]

Do you think it's true: once a sex offender, always a sex offender?

[babs]

sex offenders should have no rights. period.

[Tricia]

from the page:
"The sex was consensual and that girl is now his wife, but on his registry profile,“there’s little to distinguish him from the repeat pedophiles and violent rapists who are among the 54,000-plus registered sex offenders in the state’s database,” writes the Houston Chronicle."

What about now babs?

[wake up texas]

Execute these scums and move on.
They are no longer human, that have been Jacksonized.

[jay]

There are changes that need to made in regards to how sex offenders are group together. You have those who seek and prey on victims and those who have had anone encounter with someone who lied about their age to have a good time with friends! The person admits she lied abot her age no sex was involved but in Texas you don'y need to have sex a touch is all it takes to ruin someone for the rest of heir lives. You tell me where is the justice in never being able to hug your own brother or sister until they're 18 or hug your own child, take them to a park things of this nature? This is not justice it's insanity. The only victim is the peron on probation but jailed on the outside for life. The female not a care in the world if you think she's a victim you haven't seen her my space!

[martino]

I do not care if the sex offender list is large! This is a growing problem people! My daughter was lured off the internet when she was 13 from a 21 year old man. She was raped. Consensual? Not in Texas and rightly so. These "older" young people prey on these young teens. They know they are vulnerable and looking for someone to "understand" them. When I was 18 I knew and anyone who was not an idiot knew that you did not have sex with someone under 17. I'm tired of hearing all the whining from these offenders. What about the people who's life they affected? THE LAWS SHOULD GET TOUGHER! THE LAWS AGAINST THESE PEDOPHILES SHOULD GET MUCH TOUGHER! They would think twice about luring a younger person for sex if they KNEW that there would be a HARSH price to pay.

[Glaxo]

This guy had sex with a girl 16 when he was 32. Well would you support a 28 year old having sex with a 13 year old.Do you really think that girls turn into women in a three year period.
People want to talk about bodies, curves etc. or their fascination with their sexual development. It does not mean that they are emotionally mature and should be interfered with.This is exploitation.

It is hard to 'cover all of the bases' but setting an age at least warns people about what is accepted by the law and what is not. There is room for judges to sentence in ways that fit the offense.

Sex offenders should not be the ones who decide this.

[Glaxo]

You are going overboard with comments about hugging your brother and sister etc.There are sex offenders who say that is what they were doing but when you have access to the police investigation, the victim impact statements, psychological assessments from both sides etc - it was sexual abuse.

There could be cases of girls lying about their ages and that is a problem when you talk about a 17 year old boy and a 15 year old girl. Not so much when the guy is 32 and the girl is 16.

If a boy and girl go to the same school they have grades to judge by, whether she drives to school sometimes or never drives, how old her friends are, does she have a 15 year old sibling as well and isn't a twin,is it really rude ( not ) to ask a girl in that category how old she is.

I would suggest that 17 year old boys aim higher and if they feel it is imperative that they have sex try to find a 19 year old.

At any rate if he gets a 'normal' judge the sentence will reflect that he made some effort to accurately determine the girl's age.

Maybe he should send her a note asking her to send one back stating her birthday, day, month and year to see if they have stars that are aligned. Then he can save it for court. There are creative ways, direct ways, devious ways, ask HER parents via phone!

The problem is that 17 year old boys still decide to date the young girl when they know and don't have all that much will power when the chips are down. Then it is just breaking the law.

jay wrote:

There are changes that need to made in regards to how sex offenders are group together. You have those who seek and prey on victims and those who have had anone encounter with someone who lied about their age to have a good time with friends! The person admits she lied abot her age no sex was involved but in Texas you don'y need to have sex a touch is all it takes to ruin someone for the rest of heir lives. You tell me where is the justice in never being able to hug your own brother or sister until they're 18 or hug your own child, take them to a park things of this nature? This is not justice it's insanity. The only victim is the peron on probation but jailed on the outside for life. The female not a care in the world if you think she's a victim you haven't seen her my space!

[kimbev69]

Tricia wrote:

from the page:
"The sex was consensual and that girl is now his wife, but on his registry profile,“there’s little to distinguish him from the repeat pedophiles and violent rapists who are among the 54,000-plus registered sex offenders in the state’s database,” writes the Houston Chronicle."
What about now babs?

actually the date of the person's offense is on there so that does determine what age the "man" was when the offense happened, and not for nothing but most of the time statutory rape offenses are due to the parent filing a complaint...so maybe he should be angry at her folks .... how bout the case where the 20 yr old and the 14 yr old "PARENTS" sat by and watched as their 2 YR OLD yes the 14 yr old had a 2 yr old child...well the kid drank drano or some caustic liquid used to make meth, but count the yrs..these two had the child when she was only 11 or 12 just wrong i say, and pedophiles don't deserve a second chance, it could be any one of our kids that is attacked by one of these people that want leniency

[kimbev69]

16 and 32, that says it all to me, she's his wife now...hmm she must be getting too old for him, he wants the restrictions lifted so he can find someone younger i'm sure...what a pig, i'm sorry but he has no room to even be interviewed for this, he isn't a 17 yr old boy that got head from a 15 yr old girl..he was more than twice her age

[sam]

i am a register sex offender i wa 12 when my lil 9 yr old cussin said i touched her no sex just touch a year went by after the state decided 2 press charges i had a stupid lawyer so i was 13 with a felony of aggravated sexual assualt i cant get a job a apartment nothing im 23 now a grown man and if my parents die im going to be stuckout now tell me is any of this fair rather i touched her or not i was a child she was child i am a grown man now