REPORT of MAYORS COMMITTEE for the STUDY of SEX OFFENSES (1944)
The following was submitted by a Member:
I read an interesting piece on the latest NARSOL newsletter. It was about a report on recent studies of sex offenses in NYC that were pretty much typical of what we’re used to. But then the NARSOL piece reveals it’s from a report published in 1944. The takeaway seems to be that not much has changed, even with all the laws that have been passed. In other words, it seems to imply that SORs are doing nothing to decrease sex offenses.
A copy of the report from 1944 has been made available below:
Actually what has changed is the laws creating sex offenders! I was looking at age of consent laws. The age of consent laws increased in United States of the years. Compair United States with the rest of the world and United States has some of the highest age of consent laws. With the above being said it is no wonder that some countries that have for instance an age of consent law of say 13 or 14 that don’t want a convicted child sex offender on their land as they probably think (or don’t) age of consent laws.
How many parents, grand parents, etc… would be in prison as a sex offender if the age of consent laws of 40, 80, 120 years ago are what they are now!
I agree.
I’ve spoken to many of my relatives, and every single one of them were shocked to learn that they would be guilty of statutory rape if today’s laws were applicable. Some of them explained that they were with older people in their teenage years who would have also been guilty of statutory rape.
They were taken aback even more when they realized that, had they been caught, they could be on the registry to this day, years or even decades later.
My opinion based on many conversations and observations: most people are guilty of a sex offense and don’t even know it. They carry around the idea of sex offender that the media and politicians have fed them over the years, being none the wiser until they or a loved one is caught up in it.
This is one of the reasons why education is arguably the most important mission of Florida Action Committee, other advocacy and reform groups, and any of you advocates reading this comment. Dispelling the myths is the most powerful thing we can accomplish. Everything else will follow naturally.
Yes that is true. There are a lot of countries that don’t even have a registry because the age is quite low. Imagine a SOR in Iraq or Saudi Arabia….they would laugh in America’s face at their silly laws.
Not to mention Europe. The law in Spain used to be 13, though I hear they are trying to be more and more like us recently….America is WAYYY behind on giving up the witch hunts.
Does anyone know how I can “get my hands” on watching the Untouchable documentary? Is it on Netflix or accessible online to watch it?
FAC Can do a screening – if you organize a group of 20+ in your area or can arrange a viewing for a church or similar, we can coordinate.