Valencia County Sheriff’s deputies are working on getting warrants for the three people convicted of sex offenses who haven’t shown up to register with the department, as required by law.
The news has been full of stories about children — mostly very young girls — being abducted and even murdered. We hope and pray that nothing of that sort will ever happen in our county. But you never know.
New Mexico’s legislators reasoned that, because of the high rate of recidivism, it would be best that persons convicted of sex-related crimes be registered so that law enforcement personnel would know of their whereabouts.
On the face of it, it appears a harsh and unfeeling thing to do to people who have paid for their crimes and served their time in jail. That’s not to mention the heartache that appearance on a website of registered sex offenders may produce in their own families.
But America of late has become a place in which children aren’t even safe in their own bedrooms. Unfortunately, we have to keep track of people who may have been responsible for similar attacks.
At the same time, we urge law enforcement and neighbors to give offenders a second chance and not to assume anything about them. That’s the American way. We believe that people can change, that lives can be started over again at any time.
But, still, because of recent history, we must be vigilant and protect ourselves.
The Valencia County News-Bulletin is a locally owned and operated community newspaper, dedicated to serving Valencia County since 1910 through the highest journalistic and professional business standards. The VCNB is published weekly on Thursdays, including holidays both in print and online.
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April 11, 2024
