SantaRosaWest wrote on Jan 4, 2007 9:34 PM:Politicians are really good at passing laws that are either unenforceable or baffling to those of us who utilize common sense as part of our thought processes. The so-called Jessica’s Law (Prop. 83) is a good example of what happens when politicians with no legal background draft laws. You have a new law, via Prop 83, that any first year law student can see is unconstitutional on several points, unenforceable on others and with no teeth to punish violators (living in the no-residence zone). Banning convicted molesters from living near parks and schools? Why not expand that to shopping malls, theaters, amusement parks and lets not forget churches and other places where our children gather. By the way, when was the last time there was a case where a child was molested at a school or park when it was not a school employee or park employee charged with the crime? Child molesters do not lurk around schools and parks looking for victims. The vast majority of molesters are family members or known by the victims family. As to GPS tracking devices let’s just put tracking devices on everyone and get it over with. For now its molesters and drunk drivers we want to track. Who’s next? Bring back the indeterminate sentencing laws as a first step in correcting the criminal justice system joke we have in this state. As it is now, every convicted felon in this state knows that he or she will be paroled on a given date (short of committing a new felony) whether or not they participated in any rehab programs. Then also let us not forget that most rehabilitation programs have been scrapped so that classrooms can be used as dorms to house petty check writers, drug users and a cornucopia of other petty thieves for excessively long prison terms. I am all for very long sentences for molesters and violent offenders. For the salvageable offender, provide real rehabilitation programs with completion mandatory (indeterminate sentences, meet expectation or no parole). Violent offenders who commit a new crime after having been given a true and meaningful opportunity to gain an education, vocational training and therapy … a second strike rule must be considered. Pass real laws to protect all citizens, not feel good I’m tough on crime re-elect me laws. Based on current track record, I will support Larry, Moe and Curly for any future county supervisor seat.

No No No wrote on Jan 5, 2007 4:11 PM:Other foreign countries will house our illegal criminals for half the price the tax payers pay. Get some common sense!

SantaRosaWest wrote on Jan 5, 2007 9:09 PM:The U.S. is not a foreign country unless you are a foreigner. What is an illegal criminal? You don't pay taxes? You can't get common sense, you either have it or not.

Leah wrote on Jan 5, 2007 9:12 PM:Few things are more important than protecting the safety of children, but one of them is protecting the Constitution and the rights it gives our citizens, which sets us apart from every other country. Prop. 83 is targets an entire group of people many of whom are not violent and dangerous predators. A selective approach was taken when Senate Bill 1128, which targets high risk sex offenders, was passed September 20, 2006. Residency limitations miss the point that over 90% of all sexual offenses against children are committed in the home of the victim or the perpetrator, not at a school or park. Beware of your child’s soccer coach or mom’s boyfriend. A GPS system won’t do a thing to stop these people since the vast majority of this type of crime happens between a child and an adult he/she is familiar with. Can Mr. Predator take a bus, walk, or drive to commit his crime. Let’s get real here. Where he lives or tracking his movement simply won’t prevent a single crime. Let’s take the resources needed to implement Prop. 83 and use them to immunize every child in California. There will money left over to fund our children’s educational needs. If your 18 year old son or grandson has sex with his 17 year old girlfriend, would you want him to be forced to wear a GPS system for life, after serving many years in prison? This is bad law, period.

JBuchanan wrote on Jan 6, 2007 7:28 AM:Our supervisors seem to be intent on locking up more people. People who are not violent. First, they go after medical marijuana patients. Now it's to Strenghten Prop 83. While we all want to protect children this law hurts many. Do you have any idea how many? Many that fell prey to this law are young men who had an underage girlfriend. Many will marry their girlfriends and their lives are now ruined. They will no doubt become our new homeless. How many amoung us know someone who had a underage girlfriend? Our grandparents, or parents perhaps. This law is too far reaching and needs to be rewritten. We are creating far worse criminals in our overcrowded, no programs, no medical, no family ties, intitutions. The politicians want you to think they are acting in your (our) best interest. Believe me when I tell you this is a falicy. They have their own agenda, and it has nothing to do with protecting the citizens. Prisons are Big Business in our state and there are many getting rich off of the misery of others.

FredLopez wrote on Jan 6, 2007 1:27 PM:Prop 83 aka Jessica's Law is an evil new law that will help prevent NOTHING. Our politicians took a poor little girl and exploited her name for their political gain. What Senator Runner proposed sounded good to all of those that do not have enough common sense to do their own research. We where all sucked in by the fear mongering they used. Jessica was murdered, senselessly, by a mentally ill offender in Florida. She was not abducted at a park or from her school. Living restrictions would not have prevented that demented person from committing his crime. GPS would not have been able to tell Law Enforcement what he was up to either. Prop 83 is a senseless law that will only harm the families of sex offenders. Iowa has learned the hard way. There is a movement in Iowa to have the law repealed and it's not the sex offenders doing it, it's by the Prosecutors, Law Enforcement Officials and Crime Victim Groups. Prop 83 will do more harm than good and it will waste Hundred of Millions of dollars and use up a lot of valuable law enforcement resources.

Reardon wrote on Jan 6, 2007 2:16 PM:Who knows what will stop child killers from killing children, but if those who oppose strict rules for molesters would just take those convicted molesters into their homes and guarantee the future safety of children by their molester, we might be better off. The family children of the molester supporters would be the ones most immediately at risk, we could save the incarceration costs, and if the supporters put up a bond, or pledged their personal homes, we could pay for any future court costs. A win-win!

Stephanie wrote on Jan 7, 2007 1:48 PM:Less than l/1000th of a per cent are "child killers" approximately 50 children per year are killed in the entire US by a child molester of the snatch and run type that Jessica's law is supposedly targeting. That's about one child per state as compared to 2,000 killed by drunk drivers. Can't you see that this is political hype designed to keep the prisons stocked with fresh humans and will cost hundreds of millions of dollars. The money should be spent on prevention of mental illness and support of our youth, that is the real crime prevention that our society needs.

Diane wrote on Jan 7, 2007 7:39 PM:Thank you Richard Riehl for eloquently expressing the state of our country. Instead of working on creating a system that will rehabilitate those who can be and protecting us from those who need to be keep away from society, these laws just harm our children and allow the real criminals access to our children. May many people read and hear what you have to say and join the fight for reform, for real laws that work.

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