CommunityWatch has followed the continuing story of the three teens in Lacey who participated in the extremely ill-advised act of ‘sexting.’
Convicting these children as Registered Sex Offenders would be grossly inappropriate, a complete misuse of the Registry, and is a punishment that far exceeds the severity of the crime. There are instances where ‘sexting’ can meet the severity or purpose of the Registry, but we have read no indication of those details here. There was no coercion, no extreme age difference, no profit. The only ill-intent was standard, deplorable, teen maliciousness.
Child pornography laws were not written to cover this crime. This is clearly an area where law has not caught up with technology, and as responsible adults and care-takers of both children and justice, it is important that Thurston County prosecutors use discretion and compassion to mete out appropriate consequences. Community service is a much more appropriate punishment than the life sentence of exclusion and shame that they’re facing.
We hope that this is a learning moment for teens across Washington, and for parents and care-givers across Washington, that some decisions can be made quickly, and affect your entire life negatively. In the digital age more than ever, we need to think before we act, because you really can never get that digital file back again. There is a great new resource for teens with regard to digital responsibility: A Thin Line, from MTV, is having a very relevant and teen-oriented conversation about sexting, and we encourage teens and tweens to join that conversation. http://www.athinline.org/
We would like share our support and best wishes to the parents of these teens, and to other parents in Lacey, so that the community can move past this in a constructive manner.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Increasing School Safety Legislation in WA
Five days a week in Washington, the law says that kids need to get up and go to school. Many of them have a safe trip, many of them don’t. In some areas, kids walk past gang members who are actively recruiting, selling drugs, and/or soliciting. During tough economic times, gang activity increases.
Well, we’re in tough economic times, and some of the state’s hardest hit areas are suffering from economic trouble and epidemic gang problems. For example: in Mattewa, the Wahluke School District, which has approximately 2,000 students, spends $40,000 a year to bus every single child to and from school, because it has been determined that it is too dangerous for the children to walk.
Two Bills have been introduced to provide local schools and school districts with the tools they need to effectively protect students from gang activity at the community level. Time is running out, however, and if these do not pass, another year will go by with some policies being applied inappropriately, and many children not receiving much-needed protection from predatory gang violence.
Gang Policies in Schools, Senate Bill 6511, and Increasing School Safety Senate Bill 6512
We have been told that this Bill does not have support because these issues are largely taking place in Eastern Washington. We find this very confusing, and want to be sure that the folks in Eastern Washington are aware of this Bills existence, and invite them to speak up.
As a member of the Gangs In Schools Task Force representing the PTA, and as a person who has heard time and again from parents how worried they are for their children and communities, and who has heard from teachers and school staff that they’re sometimes afraid coming and going from school… I have to say that this Bill would serve a valuable purpose.
State-level laws are incredibly difficult to draft, because they need to work for every person in the state. SB 6512 offers a tool to schools across the state, with standards in place, that can be used at the community level. With oversight, to protect freedom of expression and to protect the rights of WA children to receive an education.
Well, we’re in tough economic times, and some of the state’s hardest hit areas are suffering from economic trouble and epidemic gang problems. For example: in Mattewa, the Wahluke School District, which has approximately 2,000 students, spends $40,000 a year to bus every single child to and from school, because it has been determined that it is too dangerous for the children to walk.
Two Bills have been introduced to provide local schools and school districts with the tools they need to effectively protect students from gang activity at the community level. Time is running out, however, and if these do not pass, another year will go by with some policies being applied inappropriately, and many children not receiving much-needed protection from predatory gang violence.
- Until Olympia can figure out how to help these communities end the gang epidemics that many are facing, Olympia needs to make sure that these communities have the tools they need to keep themselves, and their students, safe. Period.
Gang Policies in Schools, Senate Bill 6511, and Increasing School Safety Senate Bill 6512
- were passed out of the Senate K-12 and Early Learning Committee, and have passed to the Senate Rules Committee for second reading.
- Gang Policies in Schools seeks to standardize definitions and policies so that youth across Washington State receive equal and appropriate experiences in school. It can be extremely challenging for many to determine what is gang culture and bad, and what is youth culture, and is simply self-expression. Further, there is currently some inconsistency between actual gang policy definitions in schools and state law. SB 6511 would correct these issues.
- Increasing School Safety is an effort to provide local communities with an effective tool to keep gang members and other predatory criminals away from the area around schools, where these criminals often gather. According to the
We have been told that this Bill does not have support because these issues are largely taking place in Eastern Washington. We find this very confusing, and want to be sure that the folks in Eastern Washington are aware of this Bills existence, and invite them to speak up.
As a member of the Gangs In Schools Task Force representing the PTA, and as a person who has heard time and again from parents how worried they are for their children and communities, and who has heard from teachers and school staff that they’re sometimes afraid coming and going from school… I have to say that this Bill would serve a valuable purpose.
State-level laws are incredibly difficult to draft, because they need to work for every person in the state. SB 6512 offers a tool to schools across the state, with standards in place, that can be used at the community level. With oversight, to protect freedom of expression and to protect the rights of WA children to receive an education.
Friday, January 29, 2010
SB 6432 - WA Enhanced Intelligence Act
Members of the Senate Judicial committee,
I’ve reviewed SB 6432, as well as information from DOJ, DHS, EPIC, the ACLU, and various pieces of legislation from other states designed to allow for the effective and appropriate collection of information by law enforcement.
SB 6432 is an intelligent and functional piece of legislation that allows law enforcement to gather information in an appropriate and standardized manner that does not interfere with civil rights. It’s really unfortunate that we need this Bill, but the fact is that we really need this Bill, to protect the civil rights of Washington’s citizens, and to protect the value of information that is collected through diligent and intelligent investigation where investigation is warranted.
We started looking at fusion centers last summer, and now consider associated methods of data collection to be consistently so injurious to crime prevention, and to the legitimacy of real and necessary police work, that we plan to prioritize the issue to our national membership in the coming year.
This Bill can go through the legislature this year, and Washington can be known as one of the states that acknowledged an civil rights problem and dealt with it in an expeditious and progressive manner, or you can wait until there are more lawsuits and awareness has risen to the point that people are wondering “What is going on with our legislators?”
I hope to see that this is through executive committee and on to the next within the next few days. If not, please let me know why so I may relay that information to our Washington membership.
Thank you. I appreciate your time, consideration, and your efforts on behalf of Washington citizens.
I’ve reviewed SB 6432, as well as information from DOJ, DHS, EPIC, the ACLU, and various pieces of legislation from other states designed to allow for the effective and appropriate collection of information by law enforcement.
SB 6432 is an intelligent and functional piece of legislation that allows law enforcement to gather information in an appropriate and standardized manner that does not interfere with civil rights. It’s really unfortunate that we need this Bill, but the fact is that we really need this Bill, to protect the civil rights of Washington’s citizens, and to protect the value of information that is collected through diligent and intelligent investigation where investigation is warranted.
We started looking at fusion centers last summer, and now consider associated methods of data collection to be consistently so injurious to crime prevention, and to the legitimacy of real and necessary police work, that we plan to prioritize the issue to our national membership in the coming year.
This Bill can go through the legislature this year, and Washington can be known as one of the states that acknowledged an civil rights problem and dealt with it in an expeditious and progressive manner, or you can wait until there are more lawsuits and awareness has risen to the point that people are wondering “What is going on with our legislators?”
I hope to see that this is through executive committee and on to the next within the next few days. If not, please let me know why so I may relay that information to our Washington membership.
Thank you. I appreciate your time, consideration, and your efforts on behalf of Washington citizens.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Children of Haiti - Restaveks
Hello – I work for a small non-profit based in Redmond, WA, with members nationwide. I am a citizen of Washington state, and so am sending this email to you, as is appropriate. This is a message, however, that needs to be heard everywhere. It does not originate with me, I’m not the first person to share this message: the message is about slavery.
Right now citizens of the United States and other nations are working around the clock to save Haitians. When we have found, fed, or memorialized every Haitian, there will still be a monumental task ahead of us – turning Haiti into a country that can support itself and thrive. Roads, homes, hospitals, schools, community centers and more are all needed before there can be any expectation that Haitians are on the road to recovery from this profoundly traumatic event, and from years of grinding poverty and violence.
That cannot truly happen while there is an acceptance in Haiti (or with those who have a diplomatic relationship with Haiti) of what is, effectively, slavery. Whatever word applied, children bound to servitude is slavery, and I cannot articulate how distressing their situation is to me, as a person who is free and who is a parent.
At this time,
· There approximately 300,000 restaveks in Haiti
· Only 11% of restaveks receive an education
· Most restaveks are females between 5-15 years of age
There is no mention of rights, oversight, or community expectations dictating treatment of these indentured children. They are typically malnourished, overworked, and neglected emotionally.
This is unnecessary and unacceptable. This pivotal time must function as a catalyst for change, and one essential change is an end to the practice of indenturing children. They are human children. They should know love, affection, and security, whether in an environment of poverty or not. It is not about relative wealth, it is about allowing them to be children.
In this country, and likely elsewhere in the world, there are many adults who want nothing more than to invite children into their homes, and to care for them in constructive and healthy environments. I have heard again and again how difficult it is to adopt children from Haiti, despite the desperate need felt by these children.
As Senators, you have considerably influence. As US citizens, we have considerable privilege. As people who are free, we have considerable obligation to value the freedom of others.
Honestly, I’m very upset. I’m writing this as a mom, as a person who sees an excess of suffering where none is needed, and who values freedom and family above all else.
What do I want to happen? I want the practice of indenturing children to be illegal in Haiti. I want those who currently ‘own’ restaveks to be rewarded financially for turning them over, and to be sentenced to community service if they attempt to refuse. I want those children to be made available for adoption within a system modeled on the Mockingbird Family Model, so that there would be support for the transplanted children and the adoptive parents. I want the whole thing to be organized and implemented by a multi-national committee under whatever international agency you’d like.
There is a lot of misery in the world, but there is typically a lot of parental love as well. There is no parental love for these children. There are many who advocate for them, but Haiti is an island far away, and their voices haven’t been sufficiently heard. We can hear them now, and we must listen and take action.
What action do you intend to take? I hope to hear your answer very soon.
Resources:
The Restavek Foundation: http://www.restavekfreedom.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=cms.home
I too am Haiti: http://www.itooamhaiti.org/
Pan America’s report on children in Haiti: http://www.itooamhaiti.org/ht/a/GetDocumentAction/i/13583
Mockingbird Society, Mockingbird Family Model: http://www.mockingbirdsociety.org/the-mockingbird-family-model/
Thank you for the work you do in representing the people of Washington.
Bethan Tuttle
Executive Director
Community Watch
http://www.communitywatch.us/
Right now citizens of the United States and other nations are working around the clock to save Haitians. When we have found, fed, or memorialized every Haitian, there will still be a monumental task ahead of us – turning Haiti into a country that can support itself and thrive. Roads, homes, hospitals, schools, community centers and more are all needed before there can be any expectation that Haitians are on the road to recovery from this profoundly traumatic event, and from years of grinding poverty and violence.
That cannot truly happen while there is an acceptance in Haiti (or with those who have a diplomatic relationship with Haiti) of what is, effectively, slavery. Whatever word applied, children bound to servitude is slavery, and I cannot articulate how distressing their situation is to me, as a person who is free and who is a parent.
At this time,
· There approximately 300,000 restaveks in Haiti
· Only 11% of restaveks receive an education
· Most restaveks are females between 5-15 years of age
There is no mention of rights, oversight, or community expectations dictating treatment of these indentured children. They are typically malnourished, overworked, and neglected emotionally.
This is unnecessary and unacceptable. This pivotal time must function as a catalyst for change, and one essential change is an end to the practice of indenturing children. They are human children. They should know love, affection, and security, whether in an environment of poverty or not. It is not about relative wealth, it is about allowing them to be children.
In this country, and likely elsewhere in the world, there are many adults who want nothing more than to invite children into their homes, and to care for them in constructive and healthy environments. I have heard again and again how difficult it is to adopt children from Haiti, despite the desperate need felt by these children.
As Senators, you have considerably influence. As US citizens, we have considerable privilege. As people who are free, we have considerable obligation to value the freedom of others.
Honestly, I’m very upset. I’m writing this as a mom, as a person who sees an excess of suffering where none is needed, and who values freedom and family above all else.
What do I want to happen? I want the practice of indenturing children to be illegal in Haiti. I want those who currently ‘own’ restaveks to be rewarded financially for turning them over, and to be sentenced to community service if they attempt to refuse. I want those children to be made available for adoption within a system modeled on the Mockingbird Family Model, so that there would be support for the transplanted children and the adoptive parents. I want the whole thing to be organized and implemented by a multi-national committee under whatever international agency you’d like.
There is a lot of misery in the world, but there is typically a lot of parental love as well. There is no parental love for these children. There are many who advocate for them, but Haiti is an island far away, and their voices haven’t been sufficiently heard. We can hear them now, and we must listen and take action.
What action do you intend to take? I hope to hear your answer very soon.
Resources:
The Restavek Foundation: http://www.restavekfreedom.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=cms.home
I too am Haiti: http://www.itooamhaiti.org/
Pan America’s report on children in Haiti: http://www.itooamhaiti.org/ht/a/GetDocumentAction/i/13583
Mockingbird Society, Mockingbird Family Model: http://www.mockingbirdsociety.org/the-mockingbird-family-model/
Thank you for the work you do in representing the people of Washington.
Bethan Tuttle
Executive Director
Community Watch
http://www.communitywatch.us/
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Modeling Good Online Behavior for Our Kids
Last Summer, my daughter and I were leaving a mall in Bellevue late in the evening. We had a bag of books, a bag of groceries, and a bag of take-out Thai food, and car keys in hand. On the sidewalk surrounding the mall, we passed a person who asked for money, and I said, "No, best of luck to you", waited for traffic to pass, and then crossed to where our car was parked -close by & clearly visible.
My daughter said, "It's good you parked here, because this place is super spooky." We had a brief discussion about why I parked where I did, the bagger at the grocery asking if we'd like an escort to our car, etc. I modeled three safety behaviors and (what I consider) courtesy, without lecturing or freaking out my kid with statistics on women getting mugged near malls.
How do you do that with online behavior?
Incorporating modeling and transparency around a family's online behavior is, in my opinion, very important. We really want to know what they're doing online, and with whom, and yet - do they have any idea what we're doing? Do they see what 'friend requests' we 'ignored,' the fit of anger we let pass prior to answering an upsetting email, or websites we avoid because they seemed sketchy?
Right now I'm sitting at my computer, a fantastic HP Pavilion that I love very much even though it's old. My computer is on the dining table, across from my kids' computers. This is the only place my computer lives when I'm at home, and while I'm working, typing, and reading, I talk:
As a parent modeling computer behavior, I am not ideal. I'm online too much, I work too much, and I spend more time on my social network than I do with my friends or extended family. To make up for this deficiency, I admit to it and talk about how work, non-profit work, and my own interests contribute to my over-use of computers. I make sure the kids keep their time online to a reasonable amount, and I make sure they prioritize friends, family, beach trips, and soccer over the fascinations of Fantage, pixeling, and CSS.
My daughter said, "It's good you parked here, because this place is super spooky." We had a brief discussion about why I parked where I did, the bagger at the grocery asking if we'd like an escort to our car, etc. I modeled three safety behaviors and (what I consider) courtesy, without lecturing or freaking out my kid with statistics on women getting mugged near malls.
How do you do that with online behavior?
Incorporating modeling and transparency around a family's online behavior is, in my opinion, very important. We really want to know what they're doing online, and with whom, and yet - do they have any idea what we're doing? Do they see what 'friend requests' we 'ignored,' the fit of anger we let pass prior to answering an upsetting email, or websites we avoid because they seemed sketchy?
Right now I'm sitting at my computer, a fantastic HP Pavilion that I love very much even though it's old. My computer is on the dining table, across from my kids' computers. This is the only place my computer lives when I'm at home, and while I'm working, typing, and reading, I talk:
- Check-out this cool website, guys, let's see who made it.
- Holy Cow, this person is so rude on Facebook! I'm not going to reply to her comment, because I don't want to encourage her. I hope she's ok, because she's not usually rude.
- Hey, please save your stuff and shut down, I need to run updates; I think we have some kind of network issue. Here, you can help me run updates.
- Whoa, I have no idea who this text message is from, and it has an attachment; I'm going to delete it without opening it up. Did you know that your phone can get infected the same way the computer can? Crazy.
- Ugh! This page is full of advertisements - I thought it was going to be a news article, but clearly that's not their priority. Hey - look what happens when I hover over a link: I can see the preview of the URL it's going to, and it is NOT what it said it would be: this link for "Afghan war" goes to a page with a URL that ends in 'teeth whitening.' That can't be good.
- Hey, this website wants to know how much money I make! Why would they need that just so I can check if they have a ___ in stock? I'm looking for the link for their privacy policy, I want to know what they do with my information...
As a parent modeling computer behavior, I am not ideal. I'm online too much, I work too much, and I spend more time on my social network than I do with my friends or extended family. To make up for this deficiency, I admit to it and talk about how work, non-profit work, and my own interests contribute to my over-use of computers. I make sure the kids keep their time online to a reasonable amount, and I make sure they prioritize friends, family, beach trips, and soccer over the fascinations of Fantage, pixeling, and CSS.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Shop Safely this Season
I love shopping online. Go to my favorite stores, search out what I need, and have it mailed to my home. Even better when you're shopping for someone else - they'll gift wrap and mail it for you! No post office trip needed!
What's not so great are the inevitable scams and phishing attempts that happen online. These are something you can count on, like rain in Seattle, and they're something you can handle easily by remembering a few easy pointers.
Key points for online shopping:
Reminders for offline shopping
What's not so great are the inevitable scams and phishing attempts that happen online. These are something you can count on, like rain in Seattle, and they're something you can handle easily by remembering a few easy pointers.
Key points for online shopping:
- Read the URL - if it doesn't start with "https://", you shouldn't enter any financial or personal information.
- Your financial organizations will never ask you to 'click a link' and log in to deal with any issue. If you receive such an email, open a new browser window, go to your financial institutions website, and check for issues. Contact your bank if you have any concerns at all.
- Read the privacy policy for the websites you use. By using the website, you may be signing up for more than you expect: marketing emails, usage tracking, and storage of your financial information for later use.
- Your Attorney General is your resource for scams and fraud. Visit your Attorney General's website or call them, if you have any questions or concerns.
- Kick off your online shopping season by making sure your computers are protected. Follow the guidelines recommended by your operating system manufacturor (for most of you, that's Windows), and by your anti-virus/computer security.
Reminders for offline shopping
- Look into fraud protection for your credit/bank cards.
- Keep your shopping bags in the trunk where criminals won't see and be tempted.
- Review your purchase history online and verify that charges are appropriate. Follow-up immediately with your financial institution if anything looks amiss.
- Park close to the mall, in well-lit area, and don't be shy about asking for an escort to your car after dark.
- Roads may be bad - take appropriate precautions, and make sure you dress for the weather: Layers! You can leave them in the car, but you'll want them if you get stuck some where.
Cyberbullying-excerpt from December Update
Cyberbullying - The #1 Online threat to your Kids
What is cyberbullying? It's the same as regular bullying, except it happens via text message, social networks, and email. And it follows your child away from the playground, into the house, into their bedroom - and can follow them all the way to adulthood.
For more information on cyberbullying, you can visit NetSmartz and GetGameSmart.
What is cyberbullying? It's the same as regular bullying, except it happens via text message, social networks, and email. And it follows your child away from the playground, into the house, into their bedroom - and can follow them all the way to adulthood.
Likely because so many children feel a disconnect between what happens on and off-line, cyberbullying can be more vicious and it can spread much faster. In the news, we've seen some very extreme examples of what cyberbullying can lead to. At CommunityWatch we've talked to a lot of worried parents who want to know what to do about it.
Prevent and deal with cyberbullying:
- Most important! - Don't let your kids use digital communication in their bedrooms. Cell phones, lap tops, netbooks - anything that can text, instant message, or email needs to stay in a public part of the house like the kitchen or dining room, where your kid has some oversight. Do not let your kids keep their cell phone in their bedroom at night.
- Talk to them about their computer/phone use, and ask questions about who they're communicating with, what social networks they use, and -even if they're teenagers- know their user-names and passwords.
- Talk about reputation - kids who bully will have a damaged reputation when word gets out, and kids who post personal information online run the risk of having that information come back and embarass them. If they wouldn't say it in front of the entire school, then they shouldn't say it online, even in a 'private' email or text message.
- Sexting - ugh. You have a 9 year old? You may still need to deal with this. Kids of all ages are getting pressured into taking inappropriate pictures of themselves and sending them to 'friends.' Talk to your kids about reputation, stress appropriate boundaries, and ask your kids if a friend would really ask them to do something so damaging. Remember, too, that teenagers are going to jail and getting registered as sex-offenders for having these images on their phone/computer.
- If you suspect any cyberbullying is going on, follow-up immediately, and don't let it go until you have resolution. Be tenacious, calm, and let your kid know you are on their side, period (even if they are the ones bullying - you'll help them find the right path).
For more information on cyberbullying, you can visit NetSmartz and GetGameSmart.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
12 Computer-use Rules for Kids
- Use parental controls. It's difficult enough with software, and nearly impossible without. MS makes a free, easy to use product: http://download.live.com/familysafety
- Computers should be kept/used in a central location like the dining room or kitchen table, where there is family activity.
- Kids should not keep cell phones in their rooms overnight. 24 hour access to text/email/Internet is too much.
- Monitor their traffic - how many texts and to whom? What websites visited? Let them know you track it.
- Kids should not expect to keep online activity private from parents. All digital communication is fair-game.
- Discuss reputation - photographs taken and statements made NEVER go away. Poor judgement as a child online can follow them through life.
- Talk to your kids about websites they like to visit, and which of their friends also use those websites.
- If your kids use social networking sites, set the privacy settings so only friends can view their updates/information, and make sure you're always on their 'friend' list.
- Know their passwords - all of them.
- Let your kids know what qualifies as personal information*, and that personal information NEVER goes online, in texts, or in emails.
- Be calm no matter what your kids tell you they saw or read online. You freaking out means they are much less likely to come to you with these issues in the future. Don't threaten their access to the internet/communication, or they may not tell you when they need help.
- Make sure your kids understand why they should never arrange to meet people from the internet without including you in their arrangements, and without taking along a friend, meeting in a well-lit, public place, etc.
*Personal information is anything that can be used to identify or locate a person - financial information, address, ID numbers, etc.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Private property - respect for privacy
http://www.wtop.com/?nid=25&sid=1790464 - Naked guy in his own home, viewed by parent and child who were walking on his property - he faces charges.
In order for sex crime legislation to have any credibility, it needs to be interpreted with some credibility.
Clearly, those laws were not written with the purpose of stopping people from being naked in private - and when you're inside a home on your own property, you're in private.
Further, we need to differentiate between nudity (which is not a bad thing) and obscenity or predatory exposure, because they're very different and they need to be treated very differently.
In order for sex crime legislation to have any credibility, it needs to be interpreted with some credibility.
Clearly, those laws were not written with the purpose of stopping people from being naked in private - and when you're inside a home on your own property, you're in private.
Further, we need to differentiate between nudity (which is not a bad thing) and obscenity or predatory exposure, because they're very different and they need to be treated very differently.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Justice and the Bar
One of the projects CommunityWatch has had for a few years is working with the Washington State Bar Association to correct their process for dealing with criminal charges against members of the Bar. They're a large organization with complicated bylaws, and change takes time.
It's worth it, though, to ensure that we can have some measure of faith in the value and integrity of the Bar, and in the justice that is delivered to us through members of the Bar.
Members of the Bar are human, and cannot be expected to be other than human, with human weaknesses. There is one thing that separates members of the Bar from the rest of us: our justice is delivered through them. Will we go to prison or will the charges be dropped? Are the charges even legitimate? How can you tell? What are your rights - do you know? What does justice look like? Will you recognize it when it's presented to you as an option requiring an immediate decision?
Justice is the voice of the Constitution articulated from a distance of hundreds of years, and colored by thousands of trials and recorded decisions. Just is not the same as fair, it's not always pleasant, and the path to justice is not necessarily straight and simple.
Citizens of the US and of WA cannot hope to naviage the complexities of the justice system without assistance, and for that assistance we must rely on and trust in the intellect, courage, and integrity of members of the Bar, and of the Bar itself.
It's worth it, though, to ensure that we can have some measure of faith in the value and integrity of the Bar, and in the justice that is delivered to us through members of the Bar.
Members of the Bar are human, and cannot be expected to be other than human, with human weaknesses. There is one thing that separates members of the Bar from the rest of us: our justice is delivered through them. Will we go to prison or will the charges be dropped? Are the charges even legitimate? How can you tell? What are your rights - do you know? What does justice look like? Will you recognize it when it's presented to you as an option requiring an immediate decision?
Justice is the voice of the Constitution articulated from a distance of hundreds of years, and colored by thousands of trials and recorded decisions. Just is not the same as fair, it's not always pleasant, and the path to justice is not necessarily straight and simple.
Citizens of the US and of WA cannot hope to naviage the complexities of the justice system without assistance, and for that assistance we must rely on and trust in the intellect, courage, and integrity of members of the Bar, and of the Bar itself.
Think your child is being abused?
It's not enough to know that your child is being abused - you need to take steps to make sure the 'evidence' is credible and gets to the right group of people.
- Keep a notebook of dates, times, and instances that warranted concern. Start at the first occurance of something that seemed wrong or inappropriate, and note down everything from that point forward. If there seems to be a correlation between phone calls, unaccompanied visits, or play dates, make a note of those too.
- Be as factual and non-accusatory as possible. Your job is to advocate for your child, and it is important to convey facts, not emotion and angst.
- If you believe that a crime has been committed against your child, it is your right and your obligation to seek assistance from the police. Do them a favor and provide as much information as possible, which is why your notebook and your factual communication are so important. If you have reports from your child's counselor or pediatrician, take that along as well.
- Make sure your child knows -
- That you love them no matter what, always & forever
- That they won't get in trouble for something an adult or older kid does
- That they have the right to feel safe, to have their private areas left alone, and to ask for help
- Share stories with your child about events that happened to you that made you feel ashamed, scared, vulnerable, and alone, and talk about how you received help.
- If there is a related divorce taking place, acquire the services of a Guardian ad litem, or similar, to be the voice of your child in court.
You can learn more at CommunityWatch.us. Good luck to you and your child/ren.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Free Range Kidlets
When we started the non-profit in 2006, we were told that children were at extreme risk from strangers, and that thousands and thousands of kids go missing every single day in the US. We had law enforcement, safety experts, and children's books expound on these two ideas, and we were pretty sure it was our job to let parents know that, too.
We were wrong, and we figured it out pretty quick, thankfully.
We want our kids to be safe, to grow up safe, and to learn how to keep themself safe so they're prepared for any situation. The skills they need to do that are like a toolbox, and one of the most important tools in that box is CONFIDENCE.
How do you give your kid confidence? It's pretty simple. You 1) teach your kid what they need to know, 2) let them loose in the appropriate environments, and you 3) absolutely support them.
Teaching your kid what they need to know means that you need to know it. Not be oblivious, not be overly scared yourself. It might be different in one neighborhood than in another, different for one kid than another. Some things don't change: Kids need to travel in pairs of 2 or more. Kids need to know what appropriate behavior is and is not. Kids need to know how to ask for help - from a stranger or from a family member.
The appropirate environment is not so easy to determine, but there are some ways to do it. One of our favorites is Gavin de Becker's Test of Twelve. When your kid is very tiny, start teaching toward this test, and maybe your kid will be ready to go around the neighborhood when they're 11. Or 8. It depends on you and your kid and your neighborhood.
This is difficult for another reason - a lot of parents were assaulted as kids. Might be difficult to make a non-emotional decision about it if you know that when you were 9 you were assaulted at the park, and never told your parents because you didn't want to lose your freedom. I hear stories like that every week or so. The only answer I have for that is - Go with your kid around the neighborhood - be free range with your kid. Develop a sense of what's normal for the park at 2:30 pm, or for 8:30 am. Know your neighbors, and know your kid has confidence in his or her neighborhood and ability to travel around the neighborhood.
And that last one - support them. If something happens -anything- then you need to be calm, supportive, and listen to your kid.
Your kid is most at-risk from cars, poorly adjusted car-seats, and no bike-helmet, not from perverted strangers. Make sure the topic is on the table, make sure your kids know you'll be calm and trust them as needed, and make sure they have the appropriate safety gear and security training. Let them loose.
Here's a link to a blog that's all free range, all the time - some perspective: Free-Range Kids.
We were wrong, and we figured it out pretty quick, thankfully.
We want our kids to be safe, to grow up safe, and to learn how to keep themself safe so they're prepared for any situation. The skills they need to do that are like a toolbox, and one of the most important tools in that box is CONFIDENCE.
How do you give your kid confidence? It's pretty simple. You 1) teach your kid what they need to know, 2) let them loose in the appropriate environments, and you 3) absolutely support them.
Teaching your kid what they need to know means that you need to know it. Not be oblivious, not be overly scared yourself. It might be different in one neighborhood than in another, different for one kid than another. Some things don't change: Kids need to travel in pairs of 2 or more. Kids need to know what appropriate behavior is and is not. Kids need to know how to ask for help - from a stranger or from a family member.
The appropirate environment is not so easy to determine, but there are some ways to do it. One of our favorites is Gavin de Becker's Test of Twelve. When your kid is very tiny, start teaching toward this test, and maybe your kid will be ready to go around the neighborhood when they're 11. Or 8. It depends on you and your kid and your neighborhood.
This is difficult for another reason - a lot of parents were assaulted as kids. Might be difficult to make a non-emotional decision about it if you know that when you were 9 you were assaulted at the park, and never told your parents because you didn't want to lose your freedom. I hear stories like that every week or so. The only answer I have for that is - Go with your kid around the neighborhood - be free range with your kid. Develop a sense of what's normal for the park at 2:30 pm, or for 8:30 am. Know your neighbors, and know your kid has confidence in his or her neighborhood and ability to travel around the neighborhood.
And that last one - support them. If something happens -anything- then you need to be calm, supportive, and listen to your kid.
Your kid is most at-risk from cars, poorly adjusted car-seats, and no bike-helmet, not from perverted strangers. Make sure the topic is on the table, make sure your kids know you'll be calm and trust them as needed, and make sure they have the appropriate safety gear and security training. Let them loose.
Here's a link to a blog that's all free range, all the time - some perspective: Free-Range Kids.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Barring RSOs from attending Church
Banning RSOs from attending Church in North Carolina
What is the expected, constructive result of legislation banning RSOs from attending church? Even from banning RSOs from being within 300 feet of any location that has the primary purpose of dealing with minors - What is the expected goal?
The fact is that the US is tagging a lot of people as RSOs, and they do have to live somewhere. You cannot reasonably expect them to live outside a 300-1000 foot range of every church, preschool, day care, public school, bus stop, or private school in any given city, town, or unincorporated area. What that would bring you would be a lot of unstable, homeless, RSOs living under bridges or in their car, parked in the lot near the local playground.
Many areas have Community Protection Zones that intelligently prohibit level 3 offenders (the most predatory, with a very high risk of re-offense) from living within a certain distance of, for instance, public schools.
This idea of "Not in my back yard" is not a good idea. You're not doing your community a favor by trying to force RSOs to live 'elsewhere.' There is no 'elsewhere' - someone is going to have to deal with the issue, and by passing these laws, people are essentially foisting the issue onto someone else, likely someone who doesn't have the means to monitor the safety of their kids/community as effectively.
Please remember- the vast majority of sexual assaults are not committed by RSOs - they're committed by uncaught, unidentified offenders who have established positions in your community. Teach your kids to be safe and they'll be safe just about anywhere, whether RSOs are allowed in the same church or not.
What is the expected, constructive result of legislation banning RSOs from attending church? Even from banning RSOs from being within 300 feet of any location that has the primary purpose of dealing with minors - What is the expected goal?
The fact is that the US is tagging a lot of people as RSOs, and they do have to live somewhere. You cannot reasonably expect them to live outside a 300-1000 foot range of every church, preschool, day care, public school, bus stop, or private school in any given city, town, or unincorporated area. What that would bring you would be a lot of unstable, homeless, RSOs living under bridges or in their car, parked in the lot near the local playground.
Many areas have Community Protection Zones that intelligently prohibit level 3 offenders (the most predatory, with a very high risk of re-offense) from living within a certain distance of, for instance, public schools.
This idea of "Not in my back yard" is not a good idea. You're not doing your community a favor by trying to force RSOs to live 'elsewhere.' There is no 'elsewhere' - someone is going to have to deal with the issue, and by passing these laws, people are essentially foisting the issue onto someone else, likely someone who doesn't have the means to monitor the safety of their kids/community as effectively.
Please remember- the vast majority of sexual assaults are not committed by RSOs - they're committed by uncaught, unidentified offenders who have established positions in your community. Teach your kids to be safe and they'll be safe just about anywhere, whether RSOs are allowed in the same church or not.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
TN - accusation of selling a kid was bogus - so what happened?
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp=33196533�
Infant was snatched from the home (extraordinarily rare, btw). Un-named informant accuses parents of trying to sell the infant, and essentially staging an abduction. On the basis of that accusation, all of the children are removed from their home for a week. A week.
Were these children kept together? Did they have access to a qualified counselor? Did they get to visit with their parents? Was there a directive that determining the truth of that accusation be prioritized so those children could be returned to their family? Should they even have been taken? If you don't have enough to arrest the parent, do you have enough to remove the child?
I don't know the answers to these questions. I do know that someone in TN is obligated to have the answers to these questions, and should provide those answers without being asked.
When the government imposes itself into the relationship between a parent and child, it obligates itself to the fulleset possible extent. It obligates itself to the welfare of the child, to the demands of justice, and to absolute transparency.
Infant was snatched from the home (extraordinarily rare, btw). Un-named informant accuses parents of trying to sell the infant, and essentially staging an abduction. On the basis of that accusation, all of the children are removed from their home for a week. A week.
Were these children kept together? Did they have access to a qualified counselor? Did they get to visit with their parents? Was there a directive that determining the truth of that accusation be prioritized so those children could be returned to their family? Should they even have been taken? If you don't have enough to arrest the parent, do you have enough to remove the child?
I don't know the answers to these questions. I do know that someone in TN is obligated to have the answers to these questions, and should provide those answers without being asked.
When the government imposes itself into the relationship between a parent and child, it obligates itself to the fulleset possible extent. It obligates itself to the welfare of the child, to the demands of justice, and to absolute transparency.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
What are these people thinking? Really?
Roman Polanski did something terrible to a child in the 70s and then he ran away from his agreed-upon consequence. I'm not French, I'm not Swiss, so I can't speak to what they were thinking to not extradite him until now.
I don't know what people are thinking when they shake Roman Polanski's hand or say that his achievements and contributions to 'art' should weigh against his crime. When they applauded his Oscar win at the Academy Awards. Of course, he couldn't accept it in person because he can't come to the US without going to prison for sexually assaulting a child.
He makes good movies. Whoopi Goldberg is not pleased that he may go to jail, apparently. I'm not an actor, and I'm sure as hell not Whoopi Goldberg, so I have no idea what she's thinking.
I don't know what sexual assault survivors are thinking when they see that happen, either. They likely also don't understand what is essentially inexplicable - applaud a guy who plied a 13 year old with drugs and alcohol and then had sex with her. This guy (Polanski) did it, and all those important/famous people know it, and are applauding him anyway. How does that work?
I don't care how old he is, I don't care how good his movies are. What do I know? He sexually assaulted a kid - I wouldn't shake his hand, I won't watch his movies, I don't think his contributions to art or anything could outweigh his crime. Justice doesn't work that way. I want him in jail.
/bethan rant
I don't know what people are thinking when they shake Roman Polanski's hand or say that his achievements and contributions to 'art' should weigh against his crime. When they applauded his Oscar win at the Academy Awards. Of course, he couldn't accept it in person because he can't come to the US without going to prison for sexually assaulting a child.
He makes good movies. Whoopi Goldberg is not pleased that he may go to jail, apparently. I'm not an actor, and I'm sure as hell not Whoopi Goldberg, so I have no idea what she's thinking.
I don't know what sexual assault survivors are thinking when they see that happen, either. They likely also don't understand what is essentially inexplicable - applaud a guy who plied a 13 year old with drugs and alcohol and then had sex with her. This guy (Polanski) did it, and all those important/famous people know it, and are applauding him anyway. How does that work?
I don't care how old he is, I don't care how good his movies are. What do I know? He sexually assaulted a kid - I wouldn't shake his hand, I won't watch his movies, I don't think his contributions to art or anything could outweigh his crime. Justice doesn't work that way. I want him in jail.
/bethan rant
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Sex Offender Registry laws
I believe we need a national sex offender management system. Some of the people walking free in the US are sexually violent and are not interested in or capable of reform, and the odds that they will re-commit are extremely high.
I believe the registry needs to look very different than what we have now. I'm not going to go into the flaws of the current registries, because every state has a different program, and those programs are of different sizes and very varied.
They have some commonalities: they're mandated by federal law, they have tremendous popular support, and they don't appear effective.
Good to know -
I believe the registry needs to look very different than what we have now. I'm not going to go into the flaws of the current registries, because every state has a different program, and those programs are of different sizes and very varied.
They have some commonalities: they're mandated by federal law, they have tremendous popular support, and they don't appear effective.
Good to know -
- Most sex crimes don't result in a conviction, so no sex offender to register
- Most sex crimes are not committed by a registered sex offender (RSO)
- A distressing number of the people on the RSO lists committed a statutory crime. Some of them were convicted of things like public urination.
- Most RSOs are not monitored at all. They just have to report on their movements and check in on some schedule, and they are restricted from living in certain areas.
- The RSO lists treat all the same - an 18 year old with a 16 year old girl friend is very likely to get the same requirement and duration on the list as a pedophile.
What needs to happen? We need to standardize and correct.
- Registration duration and level needs to be based on such factors as severity of crime, the predatory aspect of the crime, the criminal history, and the treatment history.
- Statutory crimes where the law is grey need to be disqualified from inclusion on the lists (ex: 19 year old with a 17 year old, both with normal intelligence, etc.,)
- Crimes of escalation should receive different registration requirements and durations, as there may be potential to rehabilitate before the person becomes a full-fledged pedophile/outcast
- Level 3 offenders -repeating, highly predatory, resistant to therapy- should get a gps cuff
- Those currently on the RSO list in every state need to be provided with a method of getting off the list based on panel review, with a secondary review of their decisions
- The registry needs to be updated at the local level and maintained at the national level, and access needs to be restricted on a need to know basis.
Things to remember:
- Sex offenders have cars and bus passes, and -if they're intending to commit another predatory crime- they are fully willing to drive out of their neighborhood to do so. Placing physical restrictions on where they can live does not seem to work, and it does seem to provide a false sense of security to many.
- Sex offenders have civil rights, and when you start to see that they don't, that they've been entirely marginalized in their community and by society, then something is going wrong. Every restrictive law is an articulation between the rights of one entity and the rights of another, in light of the given scenario.
- Not all sex offenders are the same, and some can be rehabilitated.
I have no sympathy for predators, no matter the source of their illness. Not all RSOs are predators.
The registry was clearly intended to track those who are and may continue to be a danger to society, and too many RSOs are not a danger to society and never were. In order to function effectively and justly, we need a fix.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Another post on kids & social networks
Girl commits suicide after extended periods of bullying online, and apparently at her school as well.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2009/sep/20/facebook-bullying-holly-grogan-suicide
I am very sorry for the family and friends of this girl. I can only imagine the tremendous devastation they must feel.
This is the second suicide, that I'm aware of, that stems in some part from on-line bullying.
Children can be vicious and tenacious, and online they don't have the sense of potential consequences that they do IRL. Mostly because they don't see a lot of parental authority online.
Young kids and tweens need to be monitored online. Most parents I talk to don't have parental controls installed, and if they do- they're switched off.
If you don't have parental controls installed, or you don't think you're going to use what you have now, try this one - I've been using it for a few years, and it works really well.
Download it here: http://download.live.com/familysafety
Directions for using the software, such as managing the contacts, the web filtering, and the reports http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/Help/en-US/Help/5ddc1ec9-5d4f-4288-a62d-4128c3dd0c561033.mspx#EEC
Good kid resources for bullying - list of links here that talk about different kinds of online safety, from bullies and social pressure to predators: http://www.communitywatch.us/ncmec.htm
Before you let your kids go online again, please talk to them about appropriate behavior online, let them know that you have their back (however you phrase it).
They need to understand that you having their back may mean a) you showing up at their school to get a sense of what the dynamic is b) you reading their email and trolling their favorite websites, c) you binging/googling their usernames so you can see what may not be showing up in the report, d) you not backing down from an emotional confrontation about such painful topics as popularity, bullying, etc.
We have those discussions and confrontations in this house, because it's part of parenting a child who was raised with online social networking. Do you call your kid on their behavior at a holiday function? A party? This is the same - you have to be a part of their online social network because you're a parent/guardian, and your kid is a ... kid, whether they're 7 or 17.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2009/sep/20/facebook-bullying-holly-grogan-suicide
I am very sorry for the family and friends of this girl. I can only imagine the tremendous devastation they must feel.
This is the second suicide, that I'm aware of, that stems in some part from on-line bullying.
Children can be vicious and tenacious, and online they don't have the sense of potential consequences that they do IRL. Mostly because they don't see a lot of parental authority online.
Young kids and tweens need to be monitored online. Most parents I talk to don't have parental controls installed, and if they do- they're switched off.
If you don't have parental controls installed, or you don't think you're going to use what you have now, try this one - I've been using it for a few years, and it works really well.
Download it here: http://download.live.com/familysafety
Directions for using the software, such as managing the contacts, the web filtering, and the reports http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/Help/en-US/Help/5ddc1ec9-5d4f-4288-a62d-4128c3dd0c561033.mspx#EEC
Good kid resources for bullying - list of links here that talk about different kinds of online safety, from bullies and social pressure to predators: http://www.communitywatch.us/ncmec.htm
Before you let your kids go online again, please talk to them about appropriate behavior online, let them know that you have their back (however you phrase it).
They need to understand that you having their back may mean a) you showing up at their school to get a sense of what the dynamic is b) you reading their email and trolling their favorite websites, c) you binging/googling their usernames so you can see what may not be showing up in the report, d) you not backing down from an emotional confrontation about such painful topics as popularity, bullying, etc.
We have those discussions and confrontations in this house, because it's part of parenting a child who was raised with online social networking. Do you call your kid on their behavior at a holiday function? A party? This is the same - you have to be a part of their online social network because you're a parent/guardian, and your kid is a ... kid, whether they're 7 or 17.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Courtesy of Linda at ilookbothways
http://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/28257.wss
excerpt:
http://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/28257.wss
excerpt:
- According to the report, there has been a 508 percent increase in the number of new malicious Web links discovered in the first half of 2009. This problem is no longer limited to malicious domains or untrusted Web sites. The X-Force report notes an increase in the presence of malicious content on trusted sites, including popular search engines, blogs, bulletin boards, personal Web sites, online magazines and mainstream news sites. The ability to gain access and manipulate data remains the primary consequence of vulnerability exploitations.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Official results
These are the poll results -
We had low voter turnout for general members. As a result of this, we are going to find a general member to represent the other general members, and that person will hold a board position. This will be discussed more at a later date, and will be decided on before the next platform vote.
Legislation:
None of the legislative proposals were voted off.
Legislative priorities in order of effort they will receive:
Education/Outreach:
Education/Outreach effort in order of prioritization:
Communication
Communication preferences as prioritized:
We had low voter turnout for general members. As a result of this, we are going to find a general member to represent the other general members, and that person will hold a board position. This will be discussed more at a later date, and will be decided on before the next platform vote.
Legislation:
None of the legislative proposals were voted off.
Legislative priorities in order of effort they will receive:
- Offenders Coaching Kids
- Increased Penalty Zones
- Felony exposure
- Ownership of Children's images
Offenders Coaching Kids and Increased Penalty Zones will get the majority of our time; the other two efforts are likely to be multi-year projects.
Requests were also made for legislative support around foster care issues (always a priority for Bethan).
Education/Outreach:
Education/Outreach effort in order of prioritization:
- Votes were split evenly, 4-4, between Online Education and In-Class materials
- A small number of general members and Board members bypassed this vote in favor of requesting that we spend more time on legislation.
Communication
Communication preferences as prioritized:
- Majority went to monthy emails
- RSS off blog and weekly-email summary tied for second, 2-2
- Members requested message board, so we built one, linked to website.
- Majority of Board was interested in quarterly general meetings
- Local membership was interested in regular meetings; many members are distant
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Poll results for 2009/2010 work
Results are in for the 2009/2010 Work member-vote, for priorities in the coming year:
Legislation
By far the most support went to the "Offenders Coaching Kids" proposal. this proposal would have the result of registered offenders no longer being allowed to act as coaches to minors or vulnerable classes of people.
Non-Legislation Work - Education and Outreach
Many left a comment instead of voting, along the lines of "Spend more time on legislation" or "Provide more education at large events." We'll take those suggestions into consideration.
Communication
We have many members and supporters, and we need good ways to get the message out to you! We asked, and some of you answered:
- Legislative proposals
- Education/Outreach
- Communication with members
Legislation
By far the most support went to the "Offenders Coaching Kids" proposal. this proposal would have the result of registered offenders no longer being allowed to act as coaches to minors or vulnerable classes of people.
Non-Legislation Work - Education and Outreach
Many left a comment instead of voting, along the lines of "Spend more time on legislation" or "Provide more education at large events." We'll take those suggestions into consideration.
Communication
We have many members and supporters, and we need good ways to get the message out to you! We asked, and some of you answered:
You can discuss these results at the message board over at CommunityWatch - the link is on the home page. Members received an email a few days ago with the phrase needed for access and registration.
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