Can Sex Offenders Be Forgiven

Sex offenders are considered to be the worst of the worst in society’s view of criminals. With the rapid advancement of technology, there are countless ways to find sex offenders. Because it is public information, and because it is public information, there are little places for sex offenders to hide. With various online databases like Megan’s Law and e-mail notification systems, society’s awareness of local sex offenders is at an all time high. Does this mean, though, that sex offenders should be treated like monsters? Public awareness of sex offenders is controversial, and should be looked at from both perspectives.

Sex offenders have earned various titles such as the scum of the earth, perverts, pedophiles, garbage, etc. While some of these offenders may even deserve these titles, some of them do not. It is hard to separate the “bad” sex offenders from the “not-so-bad” sex offenders, when they are all grouped into one large group. The idea of acceptance or sex offenders may seem wrong for some, and the thought of forgiving sex offenders can seem near impossible.

As a college student, I live in an apartment complex that is also home to multiple sex offenders. While it made me nervous at first, I do not feel scared or threatened to live where I do. If I had not searched the Megan’s Law database before I moved in, I would not have ever known these men are convicted sex offenders. I have even had conversations with one of the “offenders” who lives by the mailboxes. This elderly man minds his own business, and takes his dogs for walks. When I see him, I offer a friendly hello, just as I would to any of my other neighbors. From a moral standpoint, who am I to judge someone who I do not know? Like I mentioned earlier, I do not know this man’s story, what caused him to commit these crimes, whatever the severity of them may be.

Looking at the issue from a different perspective, I can see the reasoning behind other people’s fear of living near a sex offender. Parents, for example, are often so scared to live close to a sex offender, and feel the need to protection their children. This fear is understandable, and it is a justified reason to feel threatened by an offender living in your neighborhood.

It is common for a neighborhood to try to run a sex offender out of a neighborhood, but the idea of forgiving or even accepting the offender is a much more difficult task. It is important to note that if sex offenders were not required to register, most of society would not be able to distinguish between who is or is not a sex offender. Society’s issues with living near sex offenders has caused great controversy, and has often led to offenders being treated like monsters, not like the human beings that they are.