The State of Texas is talking about putting together a domestic violence registry for those individuals that have been convicted of domestic violence 3 or more times.
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Roy Rios from Lubbock’s Women's Protective Services supports House Bill 100. Under the legislation, it would take three convictions for a person to be entered into the registry.
"Having your information out there on this level is always intimidating, but I think as far as what this really stands for, making sure people are accountable when they are convicted of family violence, I think it has more pros then it does cons,” said Rios.
Rios believes that by making this information public, it will add to public safety and help deter people from getting into violent relationships. Defense attorney Rod Hobson believes otherwise.
"The idea is I guess you're not going to date the person if they've been convicted three times of something that's in a centralized database. Some people might not want to date somebody if they've been convicted once. Some people might not care. Why is the state of Texas getting involved in a situation to this extent," Hobson said.
Hobson said domestic violence convictions are already a matter of public record and asks who is going to pay for it.
There are concerns on both sides, which would include how this could stop offenders from gaining employment. Another reason they brought up was having their name posted online forever even after they had been rehabilitated.
I would have to wonder what they would consider 'rehabilitated' personally. Men and women that graduate from the domestic violence classes that are court ordered after three convictions?
If we look at recidivism rate three convictions doesn't show that it slows it down. The classes they offer are a joke. Why would people think individuals with this mindset would be 'fine' after a couple of chats?
People that harm others in this manner, and NOW they want to talk about 'stiffer' sentences instead of the registry? I'm not sure what to think.
Quite frankly, the prison system makes people worse from my viewpoint instead of better. YES I do think stiffer sentences after so many convictions should be in place anyway, but I waffle at the thought of that because you CAN also teach them how to be 'better' criminals with a ton of mentors while they are in.
Talk about a rock and hard place.
Than you think of the children. The way the laws are set up now? If the person that was convicted didn't get charged with abusing the children as well? There is no safety net for the children. If you talk to the everyday joe they seem to think the abuser will see the children with 'supervised visitation'. The everyday joe is using more common sense than the court system does, because that doesn't happen most of the time.
I don't see that changing anytime soon, and I have to wonder if neighbors will watch more closely when they do have visitation with their children if on the registry. If they hear shouting matches within the home - would they be more likely to call the police due to concerns?
Silence and secrets are the best weapon abusers have at this point, and all are known for NOT wanting people in their 'business'. In a way people will stay out of it if they do keep their nose clean, but on the other hand abusive personalities also tend to be paranoid. Will the registry cause them to be more trigger happy?
Hobson sarcasm doesn't make me feel he takes the issue to seriously.
"It would be an additional form of punishment. Maybe we should just stamp them with a brand, wife beater, or make them wear a license plate. The whole purpose of criminal law is to punish people for what they've done. So if there is a criminal law and it's too lenient, and then increase the punishment for the criminal law," said Hobson.People that react in this fashion? They make me wonder if they have something to hide, or have friends or family that this would applied to.
Do we 'brand' sex offenders? No. Do we make sex offenders wear a license plate? No.
Can we say stupid comment then? Why the fear mongering?
We are talking individuals that have a history of being 'convicted' - not just CHARGED - with violent offenses. HELLO?!
If you have an individual that has a history of battery charges, and domestic violence charges (since they look at them differently) wouldn't that be something people should know if they are going to around them? They have history of 'going postal' on people already, and its wrong to label them 'beaters'?
If you have someone convicted of theft on numerous occasions do we not label them 'thief'? Could it be there is a reason for that?
If you look at any issue, and it doesn't even have to be domestic violence today? The consequences are very limited most of the time now. The system tends to worry about being to 'harsh' on people, and not worry so much about the impact they have on society.
When you look at our prison system? They don't encourage 'rehabilitation', and what you get once they get out are more hardened criminals.
When you look at the system that is setup to help individuals early in life? It's awful and lacking, and we get more kids that DO grow up to be broken adults. If they go to prison - they are shown how to be even more broken and hardened. That system is underfunded and lacks accountability as well.
Accountability on every realm is not there. Road blocks are placed on any avenue of accountability, and rehabilitation services are not present. They have some services, but 'encouragement' of taking advantage of them - tools to help them be better? People are set a drift, and those broken people raise children to be broken. The cycle just continues.
There is a lot of violence in this world. Would the registry help in some ways for some individuals to avoid being in to much contact with those that have track records of being violent? You will always have those that don't care, but are those select few the ones we really should be worrying about?
Consequences and accountability for actions is biblical. People have to 'earn' the trust, and today they don't have to. They are seen as poor victims with a system that setup against them. You heard about people making it despite the system, and you hear them say its HARD! People should be focusing more on them, and not making another program called, 'leave no multiple offender behind'.
Getting help and making a decision to change your life is choice. We don't have a system that encourages that, and holds people accountable with any meat. The police know who the dangerous people are, and you have to wonder if they wouldn't mind placing their pictures online after they have had to clean up the bloody messes three times.
Are there pros and cons to this domestic violence registry? Yes most definitely. Stating we shouldn't have a registry for these types of crimes because it may be to 'harsh' for them? All we are doing is encouraging 'professional victims', because most hardened criminals already look at themselves like that. Now we are told we encourage that mindset if we hold them accountable? SERIOUSLY?
It reminds me of people that enable others out of guilt. The system they put in place failed, and now we should be easy on dangerous people. If that doesn't work with addicts? It won't work with those that are danger to others either. I mean DAHHHH!
Related Articles to the Domestic Violence Registry:
Proposed Bill Would Create Domestic Violence Registry
Texas Domestic Violence Registry Proposed
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1 comments:
Does this man Hobson have any idea how much abuse has usually gone on before that first phone call to the police?
Has he given any thought to how hard it is to get a conviction on domestic violence charges?
This proposed registry is only for people who have been CONVICTED THREE TIMES, not merely accused and not merely charged, but found guilty by a jury of their peers in three separate incidents. Everyone knows that past offenses can't be brought up during a trial, so each conviction stands on its own burden of proof. That is one messed up human being living a lifestyle of bullying and violence who gets convicted three times.
Oh wait, Hobson is a defense attorney. He does know all of this! Wtf!?!? Something stinks there, that's for sure.
A man who once abused women or children, who is truly reformed, will champion a domestic violence registry, even if it means his own name would be on it. Because if a man is truly reformed, he will be all about protecting women. He will understand how insidious misogyny is and he will know that it won't go away without trauma therapy and determination to heal over a long stretch of time. A reformed abuser would do anything to protect others from the crazy he himself (or she herself) has managed with much hard work to leave behind.
I hope the bill passes.
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