USA FAIR: Daycare Audit Still Misses the Bigger Picture

The MA daycare audit clarifies “After a thorough review of all 119 individuals of concern, we haven’t received any evidence of any wrongdoing,” yet lawmakers continue to push proposals based on the opposite scenario.

The myth of high sex offender recidivism has been proven incorrect by extensive research. In 2012, noted sex offender policy researcher Dr. Jill Levenson found no correlation between the proximity a perpetrator lives to a school or daycare and child sex abuse rates – which was corroborated by several earlier studies. Of sex offenders with child victims, many were teenagers or even children themselves at the time of the offense – and in 95% of cases, the abuser was a family member, friend, or acquaintance – not a stranger.

Undeniably, some registrants are dangerous people. But treating them all this way monopolizes resources that could be used to monitor those that need it, and prevent abuse perpetrated by non-registered individuals (which accounts for 96% of all sex crimes.) Those truly concerned with child safety will welcome facts that enhance our abilities to keep kids safe - even if they make us uncomfortable.

If MA lawmakers prevent daycares from operating nearby people on the registry, residents may feel safer. But the rate at which children are victimized will not change, because scores of current and future victims will continue suffering at the hands of someone no audit can detect. 

Shana Rowan is the Executive Director of USA FAIR, Inc. (USA Families Advocating an Intelligent Registry), a national nonprofit organization founded by the family members of people required to register. All statistics may be verified at www.usafair.org/studies. “The NAMBLA Smear”: http://www.usafair.org/the_nambla_smear.