LOST KIDS AND GOOD MONEY

I offer a modest proposal as an addition to the federal stimulus plan. It would not be costly, but it would spread modest sums of money around with a moral objective that few would find objectionable, aside from the ACLU and some law school professors

It appears as though Florida is a favorite post-prison destination for sexual offenders. I have no way of knowing this for certain, but make the assumption based on the news. Two examples, among many. In 2005 John Couey took 9 year old Jessica Lunsford from her home, raped her, put her in a garbage bag and then buried her alive; the bag had two small holes where the suffocating child had pocked her fingers trying to get air, or freedom. Couey was a previously convicted sexual offender living close to Jessica’s home who had never registered his address with local law enforcement authorities as the law requires. Couey had been an unsuspected neighbor, a familiar face; today he sits on death row; Jessica’s family mourns.

As I write, the Putnam County Florida Sheriff’s Department, FBI, FDLE and concerned citizens from several states have been searching for Haleigh Cummings, who was taken from her home on February 10 and has not been seen since. After developing the case through normal procedure, the police quickly assumed that she was taken from her bed by force. The first people authorities questioned are the 44 registered sexual offenders who live within a 5 mile radius of the girl’s home—yes, 44 within a 5 mile circle. After a week, the intensive search is winding down with no missing child found and the sheriff’s department stating that “all the world’s a suspect,” a statement of shallow expectations.

I have no idea how many sexual offenders are out there, unregistered, unknown, but in Orange County, just down state from Haleigh’s home, there are some 1,500 registered sexual offenders, and who would guess how many others roam about unregistered in the home of Disney World?

My proposal? Set aside federal money to pay citizens who provide law enforcement with the correct addresses of unregistered sexual predators. No tolerance for vigilantes, vendettas, roving mobs, revenge seekers, false rumor mongers,--perhaps the fund could be replenished with fines levied for such offenses—but say $1,000 for every person who reports a threat to the children in his or her community. This would be little different than rewarding a person who makes a good call to Crime Stopper ($1,000 is the exact reward paid by Crime Stoppers in my community). Set up a fund, and spread the word: have celebrities do public service announcements, alert every neighborhood watch, have police hold public meetings,have newspapers place announcements, do radio call-in shows, do pro and con TV shows—but for God’s sake, do something.

If this idea seems stretched, consider a friend’s plan to place a tracking chip in the ear of every sexual offender as he or she leaves prison.

Dr.Huesos is an unrepentant New Leftist who rebuilds old Harleys