The other day, that headline caught my eye. I read the article and found out that the story involves a 31-year-old man (let’s call him “John Doe”) who had served a bit over six years in prison after being convicted twice of indecent liberties with a teen girl as well as another conviction for attempted second-degree rape.Mr. Doe says that he found God while in prison, and after his release, he found a Baptist church in a small North Carolina community. He says that the pastor welcomed him with open arms. “God is the one that helps me progress to be a better citizen. He was open, giving me a second chance,” he said. And that’s where the story gets complicated…
According to a recently passed North Carolina law, sex offenders may not come within 300 feet of any place intended for the use, care or supervision of children. In all, there are 36 states which establish zones where sex offenders cannot live or visit.
Moncure Baptist church has regularly scheduled programs for minors as well as a nursery. So several months ago, Mr. Doe was arrested in his home after attending church services. “I cried. It hurt me so bad because that (is) the only thing I found in this world that gives me hope,” Mr. Doe said. He has trouble understanding why he was arrested: "I was constantly around adults. I was never left alone with minors at all."
But he was arrested and spent an additional 6 weeks in prison. After his release, he went to a different community and found another church that has no day care. But people complained that he and his fiancée were living in a tent in an abandoned building. The sheriff of that community says Mr. Doe needs a legitimate address. “For me to okay a sex offender living on private property, I’m just not comfortable with that.”
So Mr. Doe moved once again in quest of a church he could attend legally. And his attorney has filed a motion challenging the law banning his client from attending Moncure Baptist.
I frankly don’t know what the right answer is. Certainly we want to protect our children from predators. But to ban someone from attending religious services? Can that be right?
What do YOU think?
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That is a tough situation to be in - no-one should be barred from attending church. I hope the attorney is successful in getting an amendment to the law so that sex-offenders will be permitted to attend church services, where there are a large number of other adults present.
ReplyDeleteAn Open Letter to the Church and Ministers - A Home Missions Project
ReplyDeletehttp://cfcoklahoma.org/New_Site/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=232%3Aan-open-letter-to-church-and-ministers-a-home-missions-project&Itemid=1
The Law of Unintended Consequences just caught up with our brilliant legislators.
ReplyDeleteDave
Has anyone stopped to consider the factual basis for these laws or their effects?
ReplyDelete(1) According to US Department of Justice statistics, only 5% of sex offenders released in 1994 were returned to prison for a new sex crime.
(2) Accourding to the California Attorney General's office, "90% of child victims know their offender, with almost half of the offenders being a family member. Of sexual assaults against people age 12 and up, approximately 80% of the victims know the offender." (Citing "Facts About Sex Offenders," http://www.meganslaw.ca.gov/facts.aspx?lang=ENGLISH)
(3) Research also indicates that most sex offenses are committed by FIRST TIME OFFENDERS and not by repeat offenders...a fact reinforced by the 5% recidivism rate.
(4) States already have registries, and now the federal government is imposing its legislation on a state matter, threatening to remove 10% of federal funds from non-compliant states. This is more about money than public safety.
(5) Do you consider your federal government MORE efficient and responsive to the public interest than the states?
(6) Do you support a national ID card system? There are more than 650,000 people registered as sex offenders today with an annual growth rate of 7%.
(7) Most are not aware of the increasing number of persons considered to be "sex offenders" or the crimes they have committed, including persons who have simply urinated on the side of the road without knowing a minor was present.
(8) The largest group of registered sex offenders are 14-year-olds who will more than likely never commit a new crime.
These laws are a bad idea.
I think everyone deserves to attend church, and everyone deserves a second chance. This is a heartbreaking story.
ReplyDeleteThe only restrictions I think should be placed on this man is that he not be allowed to care for children or teach Sunday school, etc.