megans law

[Dee4j]

megans law database is now on the internet see

http://www.meganslaw.ca.gov


a website every parent should look at.

[OC Campers]

I have already looked this up.  I am not happy about what I found either.  We live in a nice area but I found 5 registered sex offenders within a mile of our home.  My Kids will not be leaving our backyard till they are ready to move out of the house.  It scares me to know how many of these criminals are out in the world today interacting with children.  

Jacqui

[Dee4j]

tell me about it. a high school sepserates my street from my sisters cul-de-sac

and the next cul-de-sac over has a guy there. how do they get to be so close to schools?

[griffsmom]

I don't know how I missed this post earlier....

We just went to a parent's safety workshop last night at Griffin's preschool and they will be in his school all next week teaching the kids about safety.  They had some good info on keeping our kids safe.  For example, if your kids play sports through a city league, the city is supposed to have run a background check on the coach.  Bad part is, not all do, but you can call and request to see it or have it done if the city has been lax on this.
 
One thing that was disturbing though was the near-hysteria and paranoia some of the mothers exhibited in their voiuces and by their questions.  I'm not naive to think that it couldn't happen to any of us, but ultimately I think it comes down to watching our kids and instilling in them the importance of teaching them about dangerous situations, having the right to say no to or runaway from a suspicious adult, and checking in with us and letting us know where they are.  Of course, that being said, I won't be letting Griffin out of my site until he's at least 35!!

[griffsmom]

Forgot to include this:

 
The group that is at my son's preschool is called the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and they have a wonderful Web site with all kinds of info on keeping your kids safe and what to do if, God forbid, something were to happen.
 
Hug your kids tight everyone!
 
http://www.missingkids.com/

[Camping Coxes]

For example, if your kids play sports through a city league, the city is supposed to have run a background check on the coach. Bad part is, not all do, but you can call and request to see it or have it done if the city has been lax on this.

Our city is requiring this of all leagues this year, at the nonprofit organization's expense of course.  I think it's a great idea, but unfortunately the added cost was added on partly in registration fees and we're going to be doing more fundraising than usual during the season to offset it.  We're fingerprinting the manager and head coach and running a check on them through an independent party, who will simply give the person a thumbs up or down, without revealing the nature of the offense if they're given a thumbs down.  The city has required it, but they had no information on how to implement it.  We had to call the FBI and local police agencies and find out what we had to do.  It will be interesting to see if anyone who has been coaching for a while will be rejected.

[OC Campers]

My sons public school requires any parent who wants to chaperone a school field trip or off-site function must also be fingerprinted.:yikes:.  I know this is a good thing but when I was Treasurer for my sons preschool it cost something like $98 to be fingerprinted.  That is a little steep for my liking just to volunteer to go on a fieldtrip.

Jacqui

[fishinful]

Hi-

At the risk of ailienating myself I'd like to put my two cents in. I feel pretty strongly about this issue having seen peoples lives absolutley ruined. There are three people within a stones throw of my house who are on this list and I know exactly where they live, however I don't know them. If you read Megans website the first thing it says on the fact sheet and the last thing mentioned in the protection sheet is that 90% of the offenders are someone one you know and 50% are relatives. That is where our real fear should lie.No further than our front door, but no one wants to think about that.


   The other part that I have an issue with is that our children are taught in school to never to speak with strangers. There's even books with that title. This is impracticle if not impossible. Not only that, they might miss out on all the good things people have to share in this world. My solution was to tell my children its fine to yak it up with whomever, just never GO anywhere with any stranger.

 To me Megans website is interesting and informative, but it misses the mark.It is a simple answer for a very complex problem.People who do this regularly are sick and, from all that I've read and seen, incurable. They should be dealt with accordingly. The real answer takes time and effort. Education and awareness in ourselves and our children until there are no more questions is the key.

By the way, Peeing in public and sunbathing nekked are sex crimes in somes states. Go figure

                                                                           Tracy

[mrflinders]

Hi Guys...This is NOT Randy...it's Kerry!! Yep, I figured out all of Randy's stuff and how to get on here today!! All by myself!!

I'd like to mention something about this thread. I was watching a program a few months ago about our children and strangers. They did an experiment. They took 10 children from families whose parents all swore they had instilled in their children the importance of NOT going into a strangers house. All the parents said they were CERTAIN that their child would never go into a strangers house. Soo...they took all these 10 kids (ages 8 to 16) and sent them around their neighborhoods under the guise of collecting money for charity. All were being filmed secretely and the parents were watching live at their homes. When the children got to the house that was the "set-up", they were invited in so that the person could write a check...
 
This part is going to kill you...
 
8 out of the 10 children WENT INSIDE the strangers house!!! The parents were totally shocked and very scared. All the strangers were Men and none of them had to try hard AT ALL to get the 8 children inside their homes!
 
Moral of the story???
 
Like Lori said, keep an eye on your kid!! They aren't going to listen to you!! Count on it!
 
Kerry