It is my opinion that only law enforcement should see the registry and NOT the public. I also think that if someone has no other offences after a certain timeframe, then they should be able to petition the court to be released from the registry.

I agree with you 100% FaithFlower! I think you could take at least half the people off of the registry today, and all but 5% could probably come off after 10 years maybe sooner. But it DEFINITELY should NOT be Public!!!

I am agreeing with you ladies. It shouldn't be public at all!

I disagree 100%. I think the registry SHOULD be public. But it needs a filter. The solution is so simple it is almost laughable. All they need to do in order to allow us all to live lives of normalcy is add a simple mandatory field to the first page of the registry where today you can search by zip code, or last name, or first name. If they would simply require a social security number then the registry would still be public, but it would not be as damaging to our privacy. If someone wants to look up a particular individual (the way they could any time by doing a background check) then let them.

This would allow someone being considered for a baby sitting job or really any other job that would allow that person to become a part of a families "inner circle" to be screened by the person or family considering the person for the job.

I think if it were framed this way it might be more acceptable to people. Thoughts?

Thank you for your encouragement and understanding, if you have any info to help me communicate this better please let me know or if you would rewrite it please do so. I am going to start to become more public with this message and could use your help.

terry I lost my job because of the picture being on the Web Site. I had been working for 3 of the largest Tv repair companies for over 6 years. I was the number 1 repair men doing 6-9 calls a day. I became the only mobile traveling repair men around. I order all my parts the day I received the service calls that allowed me to get the jobs done within 7 days because I did not have to make two trips, just one. I put over 60,000 miles on my car per year and bought the smallest car which is a toyota scion that also has one of the best gas mileage ratings I could find. I have been repairing Tvs for the past 30 years and I am very good at what I USE TO DO UNTIL THE PUBLIC SAW MY PICTURE. In one day I lost over $200,000 dollars. So what I earn today in 1 year I use to earn in 2 weeks. I have been a registrant for over 30 years and never LOST ONE JOB or denied to pick my kids up at school or have my older kids WHILE at school have to take down my picture glued to the walls during lunch saying your DAD IS A RAPIST. My son today is 11 years old my other two kids are 30 and 24 years of age. So you say this is good? Inner circle would be all my sons friends and how about the school should I now become a danger 30 years later? I had never in all my years of being a parent been stop from having lunch at school with my other 2 kids or to attend them on a field trips or camp outs, as I am today.
I was told the reason I could no longer work for these companies was the liability. I had insurance 300k/300k/300k and another 1,000,000.00 it did not matter its liability and this is why most companies will not hire a sex offender due to the liability. Small business are afraid because they could lose customers or employees for the same reason (fear of law suits). Any type of registry that is given to the public is bad and harm full. This law is wrong and NO one should be happy with any part of it.

Terry have you been on both sides of this 290 before the public knew and after the public was notified? For me the registry never caused me any problems for over 30 years. The problem is that they show your picture after the crime has happen and continuity showing a newer picture of the person each year that makes you guilty of the same crime no matter how many years ago it was. The registry could be used for a lot of good if they would use it correctly by having all DUI and other crime registering to the police . So the police could better protect those that would or could cause harm to society The registry was set up so the police could keep a eye out and watch those on the registry more closely this I don't feel is bad. Its the info given to the public that has made this a problem. People being homeless not able to work this was not so before 1996 so to be on the registry one day as it is today is to long!

Background checks is another problem people should be hired based on knowledge of the job they applied for. Employers should be concerned about past schooling, trade school, or work history and possible ask for references from past emplooyees, employer and family or friends. I have hired people over the years and I always started them off as part time so if I did not like them l could let them go, without unemployment getting all over my butt. Getting to know people is still the best way to find good help.

terry I lost my job because of the picture being on the Web Site. I had been working for 3 of the largest Tv repair companies for over 6 years. I was the number 1 repair men doing 6-9 calls a day. I became the only mobile traveling repair men around. I order all my parts the day I received the service calls that allowed me to get the jobs done within 7 days because I did not have to make two trips, just one. I put over 60,000 miles on my car per year and bought the smallest car which is a toyota scion that also has one of the best gas mileage ratings I could find. I have been repairing Tvs for the past 30 years and I am very good at what I USE TO DO UNTIL THE PUBLIC SAW MY PICTURE. In one day I lost over $200,000 dollars. So what I earn today in 1 year I use to earn in 2 weeks. I have been a registrant for over 30 years and never LOST ONE JOB or denied to pick my kids up at school or have my older kids WHILE at school have to take down my picture glued to the walls during lunch saying your DAD IS A RAPIST. My son today is 11 years old my other two kids are 30 and 24 years of age. So you say this is good? Inner circle would be all my sons friends and how about the school should I now become a danger 30 years later? I had never in all my years of being a parent been stop from having lunch at school with my other 2 kids or to attend them on a field trips or camp outs, as I am today.
I was told the reason I could no longer work for these companies was the liability. I had insurance 300k/300k/300k and another 1,000,000.00 it did not matter its liability and this is why most companies will not hire a sex offender due to the liability. Small business are afraid because they could lose customers or employees for the same reason (fear of law suits). Any type of registry that is given to the public is bad and harm full. This law is wrong and NO one should be happy with any part of it.

Terry have you been on both sides of this 290 before the public knew and after the public was notified? For me the registry never caused me any problems for over 30 years. The problem is that they show your picture after the crime has happen and continuity showing a newer picture of the person each year that makes you guilty of the same crime no matter how many years ago it was. The registry could be used for a lot of good if they would use it correctly by having all DUI and other crime registering to the police . So the police could better protect those that would or could cause harm to society The registry was set up so the police could keep a eye out and watch those on the registry more closely this I don't feel is bad. Its the info given to the public that has made this a problem. People being homeless not able to work this was not so before 1996 so to be on the registry one day as it is today is to long!

Background checks is another problem people should be hired based on knowledge of the job they applied for. Employers should be concerned about past schooling, trade school, or work history and possible ask for references from past emplooyees, employer and family or friends. I have hired people over the years and I always started them off as part time so if I did not like them l could let them go, without unemployment getting all over my butt. Getting to know people is still the best way to find good help.

I agree with Faith and the others. I think the registry should be available to law enforcement only. Too many vigilante rednecks out there that think they are doing society a favor by harassing people on the registry. We all know how rampant bullying is in school...why add fuel to the fire? Children should be able to go to school without having to defend their parent. We are raising a new generation of F'd up kids because of the stupidity of having a public registry. Not to mention loss of jobs not only for the registrant but for their family members.

People have always been able to do a personal background check on someone if they had their social security number. This is exactly why the SCOTUS ruled that the registry is not unconstitutional. By adding a mandatory field for social security number of the person you are trying to view to the search criteria you eliminate all of the vigilante possibilities. People should not be able to go on the registry and see a dot on a map where every former offender lives and be able to click on that dot to get to the person's information. That is too random. But allowing someone to ask you to fill out an application giving them your SSN so they can look you up - in my opinion - is a good middle ground. I think asking for this simple addition to the registry would be something we COULD get approved much easier than asking for them to eliminate the registry completely. This effectively does the same thing. How many people know your SSN?

Ok, my take is, the registry should be for law-enforcement only. IF there has to be a public regsitry, it should be at a judge's descretion as to whether and for how long you are on. Also, there should be a mandatory process by which a registrant can get off based on length of time with out a crime, classes taken, maybe community service etc. And a person should be able to petition more than once, say every year or 2

My solution effectively eliminates the public registry without making it obvious. You can never erase your criminal background - so anyone who has your SSN can find that out even if there isn't a sex offender registry.

I like the idea of adding a Ssn....

http://www.supremecourtofohiomedialibrary.org/Media.aspx?fileId=129258
If this law is found to be punitive it will be changed, 4 states now have said it is Punitive.

Yes - but you are talking about only retroactive application. I understand that makes life wonderful for you. The fact is that the registry itself is punitive not merely the retroactive enforcement of registration.

Exactly ...it is punitive for all not some!