14-Year-Olds Now Lifetime "Sex Offenders" Due to Playground Nonsense

I was once involved in defending the case of a 13 year old having consensual sex with another 13 year old. He was charged with statutory rape and if convicted had to register as a sex offender (funny charges were not brought against the girl). Needless to say, while they should not have been engaging in this behavior, I think this is a far cry from the type of sex crimes Megan's law inteded and this mandate should be ammended.

I do believe this is a little harsh for these young boys. Yes they were stupid in what they did but most 14 year olds ARE stupid. That law is for real criminals not stupid kids. They should be seriously punished and maybe scare the #$%$ out of them by placing them in a boys home for a few weeks but not to be labeled as sex offenders. This will destroy these boys future forever. School, relationships, friends etc. No future. New laws should have mandates and addendums to prevent something like this happening but legislatures and the like do not think about things like that and that is why our country is going to hell in a hand basket.

Here is a story that will make you take a second look at THE SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY LAW In our community a girl 16 was dating a 17 year old that her Father did not like. Well the 17 year old turned 18 and to make a long story short Dad found out that they were having sex and told the boy he was no longer welcome to come around... So what happens they start sneaking around Dad finds out and calls the police.... yep he charges him with rape the kid pleads no contest and has to register as a sex offender or go to jail... well low and behold the girl who has by this time turned 17 is now pregnant and they want to get married. NOW Daddy likes the kid just fine but oooopppps can't unring the bell that is the sex offender law. FAST FORWARD 15 years they are still married they have 3 children, he is still a registered sex offender has to notify the sheriffs dept every year where he lives, can't go to church because there are too many children there, has never been able to take his kids to a park, or Disney World, etc etc AND couldn't assist in the care of his 87 year old Grandmothers care because she lived one block from a school..... OH AND DID I FORGET TO MENTION he has never been allowed to go to one of his childrens school conferences, or any of their school functions..... Like most of these KNEE JERK laws, there doesn't seem to be any room for common sense application in them.

They need to change what gets you included on the sex offenders list. These boys should have been punished, but not labeled sex offenders for life. I also think it is harsh to label the 20 year old who is dating a 17 year old a sex offender for life. Things just need to be tweaked a little bit. I want to know what I am looking at when I see that someone is a sex offender.

For those who say that this punishment is just, these boys made a decision at 14 that will significantly narrow their choices of where to live, their choices of what they can do for a living, and carry a lifelong stigma. At 14 these boys can't fully understand the ramifications of such an action, even if they should have known better.

I agree with the writer of this article. Parents may not know their children are 'missing' until it is past the deadline. In many small communities where neighborhood kids hang out together at each others houses, kids of a certain age routinely go out and play or hang out with friends in the morning, grab snacks here and there and possibly not be 'seen' by a parent until supper. Maybe this isn't how parents should be 'parenting' in this world of ours but that is reality. Neighborhoods of people who know each other well, take care of each others kids and it's considered a 'norm' if the child is anywhere from 10-15. How does the parent know the child is 'missing' and not just at a friend's place where he or she usually is? Ok, improving the communication. Yes. But again...reality?

What will happen is that a) piles of parents will begin calling law enforcement at the drop of a hat when their child is simply not responding to their name being called out othe back door..for fear of being charged if they go past the magic hour.....or b) some poor parent is going to call after the 'magic hour' because the child wasn't at a friend's place after all...and then be charged for not calling 'in time'

This is a law that seriously needs consideration before implementation.

I'm sickened by sex offenders as much as the next person but the laws governing the treatment of sex offenders need some work. Is an 18 year old who engages in sexual relations with his 17 year old consenting girlfriend the same as a man who rapes a young child? I know many states make a distinction but not all.

this is why blanket policies and laws do not work. sex offender should be labeled but only true offenders should be given this label. the system failed these kids

Sex offender label too strong. But those kids were lucky they didn't get their butts chewed!

The soliders that returned home from war had issues and they now must register as sex offenders and the gr. of Ca. won't change the law. People say and do things in public and must register as sex offenders. Go to a concert and there are acts that are worst then that. The law is stupid and needs to change. No one has done a thing about it. While the real hard core sex offenders are out there getting away with not registering. This is a watse of tax's payers money again!

Unbelievable...Most of you have no mercy or compassion in your hearts at all. 14 is not an innocent age, no...but if they were truly heinous in their actions, would they really have stopped at just an "assing"? I found it interesting that the article (or any of the links) failed to mention whether the "victims" were male or female.

These boys deserve punishment, but not to have their lives ruined. This is an outrage, and I hope someone over there stands up for these boys. At 14...they aren't even given a chance. This is not what the law was intended for.

Ok, so some idiot kids did an idiot thing; that act may have traumatized the 12yo who knows. But...don't lessen a law to accomodate the "idiots". How about, when they hit 21, they can PAY the courts to reconsider their status as "registered sex offenders". If they have maintained a clean, socially acceptable record, maybe the courts could find them "rehabilitated" and reduce the "lifetime" reporting. But the law was written to protect the public and that is a hard job to accomplish. There will always be fringe examples like this one. Don't undo the whole system over those few.

Can making a common hand gesture lead to a sex crime arrest?1984 has past and now the lawyers will run personal responsibility! The rich and famous get away with stuff that would get the commoners a jfail cell because they can afford better lawyers! It's a shame that senators and congress inquisition people over lying to them when they lie to us constantly! They are not the judiciary! Contempt of Congress: most americans should be arrested for this! Big Brother is watching! Remember, Great science fiction usually leads to scary reality!!

If this law had been in place when I was growing up everybody in my graduating class would've been on this list, guys used to try and whack each other in the nuts occassionally.

The problem is that if any kind of penal law has exemptions or wiggle room, it will be abused and offenders will get off. On the other hand, a zero-tolerance policy that allows for NO discretion leaves us with these kinds of situations. Did you hear about the kid who was expelled because he had a toy gun in school?

people we all need to read the articles of the constitution where it states that NO BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT SHALL INFRINGE FURTHER PUNISHMENT UPON THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES .if we all let our government to run our life ,we are all going to be subjected to be punish for life .and furthermore, more and more people will and could not get a job or a place to live .every family are effected by all these laws that are destroying our constitution by our own government.

They are 14 for Christs sake. 14 year old cannot drink,vote ,smoke or drive in a lot of states because they are not mature enough to better quite yet. They should be punished, but not like that!

They are 14. Being 14 myself, I can honestly say we're childish because we're teenagers. And we're living our childhood to the fullest. They should be punished, maybe grounded for 3 months, give the child an apology, extra chores, something like that. But not being forced to be a registered sex offender. Thats too extreme.

I think that Parents need to be more proactive in their childs lives and not let them run around town like wild animals, thats why we have all the killings and drug using, because there are some parents that just do not care and let their kids run free, also 14 year olds know between right and wrong, so they should have never done what they did!!!!

What these kids did was wrong and gross, and could have been rather dangerous. However, it was not sexual in nature, it was bullying in nature. There is a difference. Should they have to register as sex offenders for this? No. Should they be punished harshly for this, maybe some juvie time, expulsion, possibly an actual criminal charge? Yes.