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This Just In...

Kevin Fischer is an award-winning veteran broadcaster who has been seen and heard on Milwaukee TV and radio stations for nearly three decades.
Kevin, who is a legislative aide to state Sen. Mary Lazich (R-New Berlin), can be seen offering his views on the news on the public affairs program, “InterCHANGE,” on Milwaukee Public Television Channel 10, and heard filling in on Newstalk 1130 WISN. He lives with his wife, Jennifer, and their baby daughter, Kyla Audrey, in Franklin.

The latest weapon against sex offenders... and other offender news

By Kevin Fischer
Wednesday, Oct 8 2008, 09:10 PM


It’s not GPS. It’s not a more restrictive ordinance.

It’s a laptop.

Any tool that can be used to better keep an eye on these creeps is fine with me.

I can’t believe how some offenders moan and groan and whine about how tough they’ve got it. Nobody likes them. People pick on them. They can’t live like everybody else (Oh, well). They can’t go where they want to go, live they want to live.

Four sex offenders are crying about a new Missouri law that requires offenders to stay in their homes during trick or treat hours. Seems to make great sense. However, in this litigious society we call America, sex offenders want to be able to roam the streets at night while kids are going door to door and are taking the Missouri law to court. All they need, of course, is the right, or I would say, wrong judge or judges.

And take a wild guess as to who is filing the lawsuit on behalf of these offenders? One guess? When there’s a wacky lawsuit, it could only be that one wacky group.

The answer is in this article.

And finally, here’s a story for all those sex offender apologists and sympathizers who flood my blog whenever I write about imposing tough restrictions on where offenders can live. They bleed all over my blog that the risk of re-offending is low, that parents and neighbors have little to fear.

Yeh, right.


UPDATE: John Neville has the latest on Steve Hanke.

Comments

MSLGW   

there is no increased risk at all on Halloween.  We looked last year because the media started publishing stories around this time (and we will see more this year I'm sure) and there was not one case that we could find where an RSO committed another sex crime on Halloween night. Nor could we find any data suggesting that sexual assaults occur on Halloween night more than any other.

Mr. Fischer, while I certainly appreciate the opportunity to post on your blog, your ridicule of those who advocate for sane laws leaves me perplexed.

Study after study says that these laws do not protect children but rather the very opposite. They ENDANGER children and all of society.

If you were truly about PROTECTING children, you would be a bit more objective and set aside this self aggrandizement attitude, perhaps we could make laws that actually do protect children.

There are hundreds of studies out there. I cannot find one that says otherwise. "More Harm than Good," is the bottom line.

All you need  to do is Google and you can see for yourself. Victim Rights Groups are saying the same thing, "More Harm than Good. Many states are backing off these draconian laws and taking a different approach. They are bringing in the EXPERTS which they should have done when they made them.

Unfortunately, myths, lies and hysteria have been spread. The entertainment news media and politicians low in the polls are responsible for ineffective laws and all for ratings and votes. They ignore the real danger they have caused to children by this emotionalism, this politics of fear.

Emotion always makes for bad law sir, because "emotion lacks intelligence." So you will no doubt continue to shoot the messenger and ignore the message as many have posted on your blog.

Please consider the children that are endangered due to these laws and become part of the solution and not the problem. It isn't what the sex offender so much deserves, it's what we as a society deserve. Laws that actually protect and not endanger.

www.cfcoklahoma.org

October 9, 2008 8:04 AM

Kevin Fischer   

Right on cue.

Here come the hand wringers for the perverts. The deviates come first, not your kids.

No risk on Halloween? Absurd!

Hey, MSLGW, you like to Google....Google, "Gerald Turner, killer, Wisconsin" and see what you come up with.

Have fun taking a sex predator to lunch today.



October 9, 2008 8:27 AM

MSLGW   

Thank-you for that information. Turner was not a registered sex offender but one nut case who deserves what he got.

I do not believe for a moment that the 95% of first time offenders who never re-offend are like Gerald Turner. All the stats prove that.

1 night, a Halloween night, out of years and years of Halloween night. This truly is a very very rare and hideous crime indeed.

May I point out that approximately 95% of all sex crimes are committed by family members and friends of the family.

It is about parenting when your children go out Halloweening. I'm 52 years old and when I was a child, my parents went with us and stood back while we trick or treated. They inspected every piece of treats we received.

The real key to PREVENTION is EDUCATION. The registries today are so confusing that the real dangerous predators are hiding in the registry.  

For instance. Ricky, (you can read his story here), www.rickystory.com, is on tier three for consensual teen sex. Tier three is suppose to be for the most dangerous in society. 10 year olds have been put on the registry. Some of them are now adults who are on tier three and must register for life.

I am not saying that nor have I ever claimed that all sex offenders are equal. In fact, just the opposite.

There are those who are a danger to children and society. However, they are hiding in the registries and children as well as the whole of society are endangered by the very laws that were suppose to protect them. The violent rapist, those who did not know their victim and the repeat offender are pretty much hiding on the registries across this country.

You sir, are a a legislative aide, you should have access to the experts prior to writing ineffective laws. As an aid, I believe that it would best benefit Sen. Mary Lazich and the public at large if you were to supply her with the studies and empirical evidence that make for sound law and that actually protect as opposed to endanger.

www.cfcoklahoma.org

October 9, 2008 9:22 AM

MSLGW   

P.S.Gerald Turner was notoriously known as the "Halloween Killer."    

When I Google it, I get this as my first result

blogs.law.harvard.edu/.../halloween-tricks-pols-vs-sex-offenders.

A blog discussing how ludicrous it is to impose Halloween restrictions on 650,000 RSO's because there is 1 case of a crime against children on Halloween night.

Only one who is inherently interested in fear mongering would use this case to petrify the public into thinking that Halloween is unsafe because of the presence of RSO's.  To calculate risk in epidemiology, you divide the number of cases divided by the population of interest.  In this case it would be 1/650,000.  The risk is so incredibly low that my calculator gives the division an error!!!!!! " And times that by say, 50 years. OH MY! Fear mongering is what the entertainment news media and politicians are MORE concerned about than protecting children.

Lets protect the children!!!!!

LAWS BASED ON EMOTION MAKE FOR BAD LAW BECAUSE "EMOTION LACKS INTELLIGENCE."

WWW.CFCOKLAHOMA.ORG

October 9, 2008 9:37 AM

LogicalOne   

You link a news story to make the point that Registered Sexual Offenders pose a high risk for recidivism. PLEASE ... are you kidding me? New stories are not empirical evidence.  I would expect an aid to a state senator to know this.  Are you denying the data that comes from your government? It is your government, Mr. Fisher, who reports the recidivism is low, the lowest for all classes of felons. Are you denying their ability to accurately and correctly present the facts? Are you saying the media is better able to do that? Of course the media doesn't report when more than 600,000 sex offenders have gone a day without offending.  I wouldn't expect to see headlines like ..."No Reason to Fear:  This Year 95% of RSO's Remained Offense Free". That just doesn't make for a good news story, now does it?  It also would be antithesis to politicians effort to promote and pass these ludicrous laws that are doing more harm than good.

October 9, 2008 10:13 AM

MSLGW   

Here is an interesting Blog dealing with Halloween.

blogs.law.harvard.edu/.../more-scary-halloween-laws-against-sex-offenders

October 9, 2008 12:04 PM

MSLGW   

It amazes me that it can be proved with government statics that there has NEVER been a case where a REGISTERED sex offender EVER molested a trick or treater at their door. Or harmed them in any way.

Yet, as a legislative aid, I'm sure you can find something more reliable and stop this spending of MILLIONS for laws that do more harm than Good. Police, victim rights groups across this nation are calling for a stop to laws that endanger our children. States are seeing the Adam Walsh Act as nothing more than a failure and a huge tax burden to it's citizens.

   Please read the article "Federal Domestic Spending Bill Cuts Crime Funding Program by 67 Percent," at the web site below.

   www.cfcoklahoma.org

Wisconsin  Cost of Implementing SORNA ……..$ 5,867,138

Wisconsin Byrne Money 2006……………………………….$2,790,472

Wisconsin 10 percent of Byrne money……………………..$279,000

Wisconsin 67% Byrne cut leaves 33% or............$92,085

These figures do NOT take into account these ever increasing costs.

   • New personnel

   • Software, including installation and maintenance

   • Additional jail and prison space

   • Court and administrative costs

   • Law enforcement costs

   • Legislative costs related to adopting, and crafting state law

Virginia determined that the first year of compliance with the registry aspect of SORNA would cost more than $12

million.3

• The first year of implementing SORNA would cost the Commonwealth of Virginia $12,497,000.

• The yearly annual cost of SORNA would be $8,887,000. Adjusted with a 3.5 percent yearly inflation rate,4 Virginia

would be paying more than $10 million by 2014.

• If Virginia chose to comply with SORNA, the state would spend $12,097,000 more than it would if it chose not to

implement SORNA and forfeit 10 percent of its yearly Byrne grant, a loss totaling approximately $400,000

Office of Justice Programs, "JAG State Allocations," April 23, 2008. www.ojp.usdoj.gov/.../07JAGstateallocations.pdf

Randy Lopp, treatment subcommittee chairman of the Oklahoma Sex Offender Management Team says it best, "Most people who know anything about this are frustrated. It is just not helpful -- the laws as they are now,"

''I think if the general public UNDERSTOOD THE RESEARCH, they would be willing to back the legislators to change the laws to make more sense and to protect children, because the laws as they are written are not protecting children," he said. "They are doing more harm than good.''

October 9, 2008 2:03 PM

michelek   

If the laws make it even the slightest bit uncomfortable for these scum bags I am all for it.  Until we have a mandatory death sentence for anyone who sexually assaults a child we have to do what we can. It isn't the parents that I am worried about falling into a false sense of security it is these evil criminals.  They need to know every day of their life that they are not wanted in the community and that they are being watched.   If we start to ease up on some of these laws that people think don't matter or help then the criminals start to feel they have rights and are entitled to walk freely among us as though they haven't committed one of the most heinous crimes you can commit.

October 9, 2008 7:22 PM

fallenone   

I remember as a child how we had to check our bags of candy because, as the old legend goes, someone put razor blades in an apple or maybe rat poison in a tootsie roll or something. Speaking of poison, looks like Kevin Fischer is spreading more of it by his outlandish and hate filled comments without so much as an ounce of truth to his comments. Gee, Kev, I bet we could dig deep enough and find a journalist that killed people, too. So should we assume you're also a menace to society and be sure YOU don't pass out candy at Halloween?

October 9, 2008 7:27 PM

Book38   

When I grew up, I heard some of my elders tell me not to drink in that fountain because a black man or woman would drink from it.  I always asked why could I not drink there?  Would I get germs???  Would it make me sick??  

In today's society, the politician's have lied to the public about the recidivism rates of sex offenders.  Politician's have lied to the public about "stranger danger" as most offenses occur between a family member or someone the victim knows.  These are facts not just spouting's.

Parents do need to keep an eye on their children as they always have, but there is no reason to believe that someone is lurking around the corner or behind every bush that is going to take an hurt your child.

Mr Fischer, I appreciate your helping to keep parents vigilante, so our children can remain unharmed, but at least tell the parents and America the truth when you post.

The truth is you are uninformed and uneducated about sex offenders and their issues..  This comment is not to slam you, rather to ask that you inform your readers with the TRUTH rather than boogy man stories that will not happen on Halloween night.

Your next comment is that you probably don't care about sex offenders or what happens to them.  That would be very bigoted of you if you did.

October 9, 2008 7:33 PM

MSLGW   

What I do NOT understand is, Mr. Fischer is an award winning journalist, and a legislative aide to state Sen. Mary Lazich (R-New Berlin).

Objectivity is what makes for a great journalist and a legislative aid. Mr. Fischer appears to lack both of these essential qualities and in doing so, HE IS IN REALITY PUTTING OUR CHILDREN AND ALL OF SOCIETY IN DANGER. How can you justify that with a clear conscience? I don't know.

At one point in my life I took the same position until I looked at what was really happening.

The politics of fear based on lies, myths and hysteria. For what? VOTES!!! the entertainment news media for what? RATINGS! How insane is that.

Once I realized that I, like millions of across this country have been duped by these people, I began to look deeper into the issues. The FACTS, the STUDIES by EXPERTS and soon was able to change my entire view point.

We have a long ways to go Mr Fischer. Please consider what others have said here and on your last blog. Don't allow your emotions to prevent you from your objectivity. You are in a great position to make positive changes for society. Up to this point you are receiving a failing grade but you and only you can make the difference with those you profess to speak for. Think of the HARM you are bringing to the children.

I will pray for you.

www.cfcoklahoma.org

October 10, 2008 10:23 AM

Kevin Fischer   

Pray for yourself, MSLGW, and the child victims of the creeps you apologize for.

OK, the nonsense is stopping right now.

I've been more than fair in allowing these absolutely outrageous comments to be posted here from the other side, including insults and personal attacks. No more.

If you want to comment:

1) Stay on topic. The original blog was about laptops, a lawsuit by the ACLU on behalf of sex offenders, and a man who wound up killing a sex offender who tried to assault his daughter.

2)Leave the personal shots about me and/or anyone else at the door. Otherwise, it's not being posted.

Capiche?

October 10, 2008 12:12 PM

MSLGW   

I agree what you say was the original intent or topic was. However,  Mr. Fischer, With all due respect, you added to that topic by submitting your own personal thoughts into it. First you attacked the messenger but ignored what people are saying.

You made a claim saying, "No risk on Halloween? Absurd!" It was proved to you that there has NEVER been one REGISTERED sex offender in the history of the United States that has ever molested or raped a halloweener. You used the famous ""Gerald Turner, killer, Wisconsin" as your example. It was proved and is a matter of record that he was not a sex offender at all. He had no history of sex offense, which proves my point and others have pointed out the same. NO NEED TO FEAR REGISTERED SEX OFFENDERS ON HALLOWEEN. The odds are so astronomical against it that the one person said that their calculator records "ERROR." So, in my opinion, to insist otherwise, is total folly.

That is not an attack on you or anyone else.

We stayed on topic because this led to the myths, lies and hysteria spread by people who are subjective and not really looking at the issues with an unclouded mind.

As I have stated, there was a time when I would have shared your same emotions but I had to be true to myself because my attitude was endangering children and after all Mr. Fischer, isn't that what all these laws are SUPPOSE to be doing?? But the fact of the matter is that they do more harm than good."

I will certainly agree that if someone came into my house and attempt to cause harm to my family is DEAD! The guy, in my opinion got what he deserved. But I certainly wouldn't take it out on someone who wasn't in my house. Only one person tried to rape that person and he got what he deserved. I cannot see sweeping all these teen agers up into life time registration for teenage consensual sex. Parents need to deal with that and the government is over reaching their authority in my opinion. Or the 95% who NEVER repeat another sex crime.

I'm sorry you felt "personally attacked," that was not and is not my intention. And I certainly do apologize if you believe that it was a personal attack on you. I just cannot understand how you with all your credentials can ignore what was said here on your blog. It's vital to understanding in order to become better at really protecting children.

It may not be what sex offenders deserve, BUT, it is what we as a society deserve if we are going to really protect children

Sincerely,

Linda

October 10, 2008 1:06 PM

J. Strupp   

Since you've been more than fair to allow these comments to be posted, it would be interesting to hear your rebuttal to all these "outragous comments" Kevin.  I would be very interested in hearing Senator Lazich's position, related specifically, to the evidence mentioned in the previous commentary and why you and Senator Lazich disagree.

October 10, 2008 2:39 PM

Kevin Fischer   

Linda, my reference to Gerald Turner was in response to the statement that there is no risk on Halloween.

I don't believe we had the sex offender registry back when Turner committed his crime.

Josh, I've written many blogs on sex offenders. They're available for you to read if you're confused about my positions.

Don't tell me you agree with these sob stories about sex offenders?  You get more liberal every day, Josh, but I'm not surprised.

Yeh, I'd say outrageous is the right word.....making the argument that mom and dad told them not to drink out of a water fountain because a black person may have. What the hell is that, if not outrageous.

Josh, if you intend to comment again, address:

1) Laptops

2) Halloween and sex offenders

3) The sex offender strangled to death.

Let me guess. You have no related comments. You just came over here to try to cause trouble.

October 10, 2008 3:42 PM

Kevin Fischer   

MSLGW or Linda or whatever the heck your name is...

Last comment...off topic. You've been warned.

And there've been plenty of Democrats who've been naughty.

October 10, 2008 4:28 PM

fallenone   

You say "Its not GPS. Its not a more restrictive ordinance. Its a laptop." You don't explain what the laptop does. All it does is give POs the ability to track a GPS device when not in their office. So it actually IS about GPS. Again, does the laptop prevent the 95% or more of sex crimes NOT committed by registered sex offenders? Actually, does it do ANYTHING but track GPS devices? No. And they're only for those on supervision. And GPS devices (not to mention laptops) have plenty of technological limitations. Which essentially makes the new technology you tout basically worthless. The state spends roughly ten dollars per day ($300 per month) to track Former Offenders. If they were really THAT concerned with tracking Former Offenders, they'd be better off spending money on housing options rather than forcing them to live under bridges and in tents in the woods.

October 11, 2008 12:44 PM

MSLGW   

Congratulations! You have been nominated for the "Worst News-mutt 2008" Shittake Awards. at:www.shiitakeawards.blogspot.com.

Don't forget to vote.

November 6, 2008 9:11 AM

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