A warning about Megan’s Law

Re “Megan’s Law of unintended consequences,” Opinion, Dec. 13

It is courageous to tackle a sacred cow that society worships, particularly when that worship is knee-jerk and unreflective. Patt Morrison’s pointed criticisms of the implementation of certain current sex offender laws embodies this type of courage. She is on target when she writes about the public frenzy that fails to differentiate between the “pathetic flashers” and “bona-fide monsters.” A person who has never physically harmed another person nor solicited a minor for sex acts should not have to face the same restrictions on where to live as someone who has assaulted another human being or solicited a child.

No topic should be off-limits for deliberative discussion. Morrison’s warning about the dangers of the otherwise full-speed-ahead attitude toward all sex offenders is a much-needed dose of rational caution amid a sea of public hysteria.

Edward Tabash

Beverly Hills

--

The death of Michael A. Dodele highlights the persecution that previous sex offenders face. The unreasonable restrictions and hate heaped on these people who have fulfilled their debt to society only encourages them to go off the grid, halting any therapy they might need to successfully re-integrate into society, which only increases the chance that they may re-offend. One must ask, if the knowledge of the identity of former criminals is so important to public safety, then why aren’t all ex-cons’ names and faces posted online? I’m sure Dodele would have liked to have known of his alleged assailant’s conviction for a violent crime.

John Ota

Culver City