I think the whole Sex Offender Registry program is a great tool for prevention of future problems. One thing that has always bothered me though, is the idea that murderers are released from prison every day and no one knows about it. You could have a convicted murderer living next door and not even be aware of it.
Isn’t murder the absolute worst crime that can be committed? Why don’t we have a system in place for these convicts also? Maybe the mentality is different? If someone has committed murder in the past, are they less likely to do again? Who makes that decision? I know of 1 person who did commit murder, sat his time, got out, and now lives in my community. There was no information about his release on the News or in the local paper. This bothers me. When someone is charged with murder, it is all over the news and in the local papers, so, why isn’t it when they are released? Is it not newsworthy? Well, maybe it should be.
I am a true advocate for “free public records” and I am a frequent user of the Wisconsin Court Access website, BUT, that system only goes back so far. If someone is released from prison for murder, more than likely the crime would have been committed many years ago and would not show up on the Court site. So, no help there.
If we have the right to know if a sex offender lives in our town, shouldn’t we also know if there is a murderer living nearby? I think so.
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