At the beginning of this year's legislative season, New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch and Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas called on lawmakers to pass laws that reacted to the complex problem of sex crimes with simplistic — and shamelessly political — solutions. Read more

The impulse to post the names, pictures and locations of sex offenders on public registries is understandable. That doesn't make it smart, or right. Rather than continuing efforts to showcase or expand online registries, political leaders should take a genuinely courageous step and shut them down. Read more

Politicians who value sound bites over sound policy are now urging lawmakers in New Hampshire and Vermont to address sexual abuse with get-tough postures instead of thoughtful solutions. If legislators yield to the pressure, they will squander an opportunity to make the Twin States leaders — instead of lockstep followers — in a debate that is sweeping the nation. Read more

It is impossible to predict what will happen to the sex-crime bills now before the New Hampshire and Vermont senates, but let us applaud House members in both states for resisting the political temptation to respond to this difficult issue with simplistic demands for getting tough on offenders. It's not that perpetrators shouldn't be punished for their horrible crimes, But meting out harsh punishment alone is no victory if it doesn't serve the interests of victims or increase public safety. Read more

"Nothing, nothing is more important than keeping our children safe," New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch said during his State of the State speech this year. "It's time to send a clear message: If you prey on our children in New Hampshire, we're going to send you to prison — and we're going to keep you there for a long time."

That sort of pronouncement can be counted on to produce enthusiastic applause — lawmakers gave Lynch a standing ovation — but legislators who are committed to writing good law would be better off sitting on their hands and asking a question: What sort of sexual offender are we demanding be locked up for a long time? An older child who has been a victim of abuse himself? An adult whom therapists believe could be successfully treated during incarceration and monitored after release? An adult who preyed on a family member and whose victim has good reason for opposing a long sentence? Read more

The recent series of articles in the Valley News about sex crimes leads to two conclusions, apparently contradictory but in fact perfectly compatible: One is that a wealth of information exists about the nature and extent of sex offenses upon which to base broad generalizations; and second, that such generalizations do not necessarily shed light on any particular crime, offender or victim. Read more