Sex offenders face strict laws on social websites
LAWMAKERS in the state of Vermont are considering making it a crime for convicted sex offenders to use false names on social media sites like Facebook, after one such incident was reported in the state.
Only two states have related measures, said Erik Fitzpatrick, a lawyer on the research staff for the Vermont Legislature. New York and Illinois bar convicted sex offenders from using social networking sites at all as a condition of their probation.
The National Conference of State Legislatures was unaware of similar laws or pending legislation in other states.
A former teacher at a school for boys who had committed sex crimes told a state Senate committee on Friday that he spotted a Facebook profile last fall with a picture of a former student in the program who was using an alias.
Chuck Laramie, the former teacher, said the 26-year-old man had become Facebook friends with 14- and 15-year-old girls.
The man was convicted in 2004 of sexual assault.
Laramie said he saw Facebook messages the man sent the girls, telling them he was "struggling with his sexuality and thinking he might be gay. Some of the girls were replying by saying, 'Oh, no, you're not.' He was getting these young girls to feel sympathy for him," Laramie said. "It was a classic grooming situation" in which sexual predators psychologically manipulate potential victims.
If the man were a sex offender trying not to re-offend, that was "an extremely high-risk situation to put yourself in," Laramie said.
Only two states have related measures, said Erik Fitzpatrick, a lawyer on the research staff for the Vermont Legislature. New York and Illinois bar convicted sex offenders from using social networking sites at all as a condition of their probation.
The National Conference of State Legislatures was unaware of similar laws or pending legislation in other states.
A former teacher at a school for boys who had committed sex crimes told a state Senate committee on Friday that he spotted a Facebook profile last fall with a picture of a former student in the program who was using an alias.
Chuck Laramie, the former teacher, said the 26-year-old man had become Facebook friends with 14- and 15-year-old girls.
The man was convicted in 2004 of sexual assault.
Laramie said he saw Facebook messages the man sent the girls, telling them he was "struggling with his sexuality and thinking he might be gay. Some of the girls were replying by saying, 'Oh, no, you're not.' He was getting these young girls to feel sympathy for him," Laramie said. "It was a classic grooming situation" in which sexual predators psychologically manipulate potential victims.
If the man were a sex offender trying not to re-offend, that was "an extremely high-risk situation to put yourself in," Laramie said.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS
- |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 娌狪CP璇侊細娌狪CP澶05050403鍙-1
- |
- 浜掕仈缃戞柊闂讳俊鎭湇鍔¤鍙瘉锛31120180004
- |
- 缃戠粶瑙嗗惉璁稿彲璇侊細0909346
- |
- 骞挎挱鐢佃鑺傜洰鍒朵綔璁稿彲璇侊細娌瓧绗354鍙
- |
- 澧炲肩數淇′笟鍔$粡钀ヨ鍙瘉锛氭勃B2-20120012
Copyright 漏 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.