Do you know where the pedophiles are living in your neighborhood? What about your kids? Do you want them to know? What if you had no choice, because every sex offender in the neighborhood had a giant red sign planted in their front yard?
That's the new law in Bradford County, Florida, and I have to admit it sounds kind of … awesome.
Controversial, yeah, but still … awesome for busy moms like me.
The truth is, as much as I try to keep up on the sex offender registry, I can't remember the last time I checked it. It was probably months ago, the last time someone said something on Facebook about this creep or that creep moving into the neighborhood.
Pedophiles are scary, but there are plenty of things that pose a much more immediate threat to our kids, things we need to stay on top of. The registry is a great tool for parents, but let's face it: we get busy. We don't have TIME to check it every darn day.
And yet, I want to know if they're out there. Don't you? They may not be the biggest threat to our kids, but it's well known that sex offenders do tend to re-offend.
I want to know if there are houses in the neighborhood I should keep my kid away from, just in case. If there are people I should keep an extra eye on at community events.
Big red signs in the front yard of dangerous offenders would be a huge help for busy moms who don't have time to hit the registry. They'd be a huge help for parents who don't have access to a registry (yes, in this day and age, there are still plenty of folks who have neither computer nor Internet access). They'd be a bright red warning sign to kids to remind them that Mommy said that's a yard that can swallow Frisbees and baseballs; she'll be happy to buy you a new one.
Now if only we could get signs for potential offenders, we'd really feel better about letting our kids wander the neighborhood.
Do you think these signs are good for families? Would they scare your kids?
Image via D.C. Atty/Flickr
