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Off-Topic Discussion => General Discussion => Topic started by: Mars on April 10, 2008, 12:07:07 am

Title: Slippery slope bill in Maine
Post by: Mars on April 10, 2008, 12:07:07 am
This is pretty weird: "Under the bill if someone is arrested for viewing children in a public place, it would be a Class D felony..."

I know what they're trying for. I'm just really hoping it doesn't get passed

http://www.seacoastonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080406/NEWS/804060343/-1/rss56 (http://www.seacoastonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080406/NEWS/804060343/-1/rss56)

Quote from: Dave Choate, Sea Coast Online
Those who peer at children in public could find themselves on the wrong side of the law in Maine soon.
A bill that passed the House last month aims to strengthen the crime of visual sexual aggression against children, according to state Rep. Dawn Hill, D-York.
Her involvement started when Ogunquit Police Lt. David Alexander was called to a local beach to deal with a man who appeared to be observing children entering the community bathrooms. Because the state statute prevents arrests for visual sexual aggression of a child in a public place, Alexander said he and his fellow officer could only ask the man to move along.
"There was no violation of law that we could enforce. There was nothing we could charge him with," Alexander said.
He attended a talk with Hill a week later and brought the case to her attention. Hill pledged to do what she could, Alexander said, and the result was a change through the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee in the House, which made the law applicable in both private and public places.
Alexander said he's grateful Hill was willing to take up the cause, and is hopeful the measure will clear the Senate.
"I'll be pleased that we were able to identify this flaw and take steps to rectify it," he said.
Under the bill, if someone is arrested for viewing children in a public place, it would be a Class D felony if the child is between 12 to 14 years old and a Class C felony if the child is under 12, according to Alexander.
Hill said she believes the move was necessary to correct what she called a "loophole" in the state's criminal law statutes.
"I told Lt. Alexander that I would be happy to work with him and sponsor a bill that would correct this in the 2008 session," Hill said. "And so we did."
In arguing for the bill, Alexander said she cited public rest rooms as places where the people using them should have a reasonable expectation of privacy. She said the committee determined that there would not be any major side effects from expanding the statute to include public places.
The bill recently cleared a fiscal review, done because of the state's major prison budget crunch, and Hill said it should be heading to the Senate before long.
York Police Chief Doug Bracy said the statute would represent a fairly minor change that would help keep the public safer, especially children. He noted that York police respond fairly regularly to reports of public peepers on the town's beaches.
With ever-growing concern over sexual predators, Bracy said the arrests will also allow police to check backgrounds and determine if there is a criminal history involved.
"There is a growing outcry by the public to protect our children," Bracy said, noting that tourists from all over the country visit York.
Title: Re: Slippery slope bill in Maine
Post by: Kosh on April 10, 2008, 12:10:31 am
Quote
visual sexual aggression


:wtf:
Title: Re: Slippery slope bill in Maine
Post by: Mars on April 10, 2008, 12:11:45 am
Mommy, Johnny is looking at me
Title: Re: Slippery slope bill in Maine
Post by: Kosh on April 10, 2008, 12:14:57 am
No no, this is staring:

 :mad2:
Title: Re: Slippery slope bill in Maine
Post by: Nuclear1 on April 10, 2008, 12:24:23 am
This is stupid.
Title: Re: Slippery slope bill in Maine
Post by: Excalibur on April 10, 2008, 12:38:59 am
Police officer sees you looking at the dunnies for 1 sec. before you decide to defecate in there - "SIR, you're under arrest for visual sexual aggression!"

Note how you are thtill called "thir" even if you're the world'th wortht and cwappietht cwiminawl. :doubt:
Title: Re: Slippery slope bill in Maine
Post by: Ashrak on April 10, 2008, 12:56:05 am
they should completely outloaw sex in the USA, so the rest of the world dosent have to suffer :)
Title: Re: Slippery slope bill in Maine
Post by: achtung on April 10, 2008, 01:08:11 am
I think this is the second time I've seen you pull some America-bash trolling.

What's so far up your ass?
Title: Re: Slippery slope bill in Maine
Post by: redsniper on April 10, 2008, 01:12:34 am
He's not bashing America as a whole, but rather the prudish Americans who get legislation like this passed, which ultimately results in wrongful accusations and arrests and lives being ruined all to "protect the children!" But of course you can't actually say that. Because, of course, if you oppose something like this, you must be a pedophile, right? Or a terrorist, or a communist, or a witch, etc.
Title: Re: Slippery slope bill in Maine
Post by: achtung on April 10, 2008, 02:01:38 am
No, it really looks like he's saying "don't let them reproduce anymore."  =/
Title: Re: Slippery slope bill in Maine
Post by: MP-Ryan on April 10, 2008, 02:12:38 am
There are such things as good laws that are constructed poorly.  This is a candidate.

The problem is not so much the law itself - police officers could pretty clearly use discretion - but the potential for abuse.  Without clauses bringing intent into the picture, its a law that could pretty easily be used to wrongfully arrest someone were a tip phoned in.

This sort of thing is better addressed by bylaws which deal with loitering, etc.
Title: Re: Slippery slope bill in Maine
Post by: Kosh on April 10, 2008, 02:42:53 am
No, it really looks like he's saying "don't let them reproduce anymore."  =/


If he's saying that I'll second it.
Title: Re: Slippery slope bill in Maine
Post by: achtung on April 10, 2008, 03:02:12 am
No, it really looks like he's saying "don't let them reproduce anymore."  =/


If he's saying that I'll second it.

I might just agree... to a point.  :p
Title: Re: Slippery slope bill in Maine
Post by: Nuke on April 10, 2008, 04:07:07 am
just give all the kids dartguns, that should keep them pervs from watching them.
Title: Re: Slippery slope bill in Maine
Post by: BloodEagle on April 10, 2008, 12:36:21 pm
Let me see if I understand this correctly. They're saying that anyone that watches anyone who is in a public place and is between the ages of 12 and 14 can be considered a felon!?

Wow, puberty is going to seriously suck over there.
Title: Re: Slippery slope bill in Maine
Post by: Woolie Wool on April 10, 2008, 01:51:59 pm
No, it really looks like he's saying "don't let them reproduce anymore."  =/


If he's saying that I'll second it.

I might just agree... to a point.  :p
How about we ban all Baptists south of 40 degrees latitude from having sex or reproducing?
Title: Re: Slippery slope bill in Maine
Post by: Retsof on April 10, 2008, 04:27:58 pm
No, it really looks like he's saying "don't let them reproduce anymore."  =/


If he's saying that I'll second it.

I might just agree... to a point.  :p
Hey now! ... Oh, wait ... I hate kids anyway.  :P
Title: Re: Slippery slope bill in Maine
Post by: achtung on April 10, 2008, 06:28:35 pm
How about we ban all Baptists south of 40 degrees latitude from having sex or reproducing?

Getting warmer.
Title: Re: Slippery slope bill in Maine
Post by: Nuke on April 10, 2008, 07:22:54 pm
lets just nuke the earth, cant get warmer than that :D
Title: Re: Slippery slope bill in Maine
Post by: Mefustae on April 10, 2008, 08:10:11 pm
Nuke, you so crazy!
Title: Re: Slippery slope bill in Maine
Post by: Kie99 on April 10, 2008, 08:43:53 pm
:mad2:

I'm reporting you for Visual Sexual Aggression.
Title: Re: Slippery slope bill in Maine
Post by: BloodEagle on April 10, 2008, 08:46:35 pm
:mad2:

I'm reporting you for Visual Sexual Aggression.

Epic Burn!
Title: Re: Slippery slope bill in Maine
Post by: Rictor on April 10, 2008, 09:23:29 pm
(http://www.chuckdoherty.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/02/crushing1.jpg)

They will pay dearly.

crush-crush-crush-crush.