Sexual Predation and Pedophilia

Smith Aja

Professor Chuck Russo

RC507

American Military University

Introduction Childhood is supposed to be a time of discovery and play, not abuse. Sexual predators have been lurking this planet for decades; now they're being marked for life because of there actions. Neighbors and the home towns of sexual predators are being alerted of their crimes and whereabouts by local police. Such towns have responded by putting up signs in their town, "CHILD MOLESTER TWO DOORS DOWN" (Popkin, pg 73). Others responded by burning or flooding their new neighbors out (Popkin). What did these convicted criminals do to deserve such punishment? They violated the most precious living creature on this planet, a child. Communities definitely have a right to know that a dangerous child molester is moving to their town. Child molesters have been convicted, charged and sentenced for their crimes for many years. Do people really know the people they live by so well, that they would leave their own child with them? Also, if they had a legal right to, would they check out their neighbor's history at the police office, or trust them? In the summer of 1994, seven-year-old Megan Kanka was kidnapped, raped, and then killed by convicted child molester Jesse Timmendequas. The outraged community was never informed that Timmendequas and two other convicted child abusers had moved in across the street from Megan (Megan Kanka). Megan's death inspired her parents to do notify communities of convicted child molesters. "Megan's Law", a law that would require immediate community notification of convicted child abusers, who were living in their area (Popkin). Some critics contend that the law is unconstitutional because it adds additional punishment to offenders (Megan's Unfinished