Yes! Folk should know that a monster is living in the vicinity!
As for vigilante behaviour..No! I don't agree with it but then these monsters shouldn't be amongst good folk so the authorities should be more careful where they put em! imo

Yes, parents and the community should know if a sex offender moves in next door.  Yes, it probably will lead to vigilante attacks, but do these predators think about the harm they do to children?  Nope.

for me it depends why they are on the sex offenders list tbh. not everyone on there is a rapist and/or child abuser....

Most sex abuse,child deaths etc takes place in the family home ,by family members.

No, No, No and Yes.
Much of the evidence from the States suggests that these people are more likely to go 'underground' and therefore can be more dangerous and difficult to keep tabs on. I think that our current monitoring arrangements for convicted child sex offenders are much, much better, ('though not perfect,) and have greatly improved since the Sarah Payne case. And then, of course, there are the many who have never been caught/ convicted: we need to keep our kids safe from all potential offenders, not just the ones that we know about.

Unfortunately that is the truth!

 But they are all sex-offenders, the only exception that I can think that you might mean are those who have downloaded 'child pornography' and, (to our knowledge,) haven't committed contact offences, but, they have viewed images of children being abused, why would anyone want to do that unless they have an interest in sexual acts with children?

Along with 'partners,' 'friends of the family,' clergy  and those who work in a voluntary or paid capacity with children  i.e. those who have successfully gained the trust of the child and their parents.......v v rarely a 'stranger' as in the Sarah Payne case

for a few years I class room assisted at out Village School and was also a member of the Schools PTA - we had two rehomed into our small Village - one either end from a neighbouring Town.

I knew the whereabouts and names but confidentiality denied me passing the info on - one afternoon it was brought up in a PTA meeting as the rumours were circulating round the Village - the Head Teacher said yes there are 2 - one each end of the Village - that is all I can tell you 

I felt very uncomfortable knowing - also very uncomfortable when I saw either outside the gates or in School alongside other children .

I think we should know TBH - but we dont seem as protected as them with our present Laws

Mrs. H, under our current arrangements, in certain circumstances the HT will be told in order that the school can play a part in the monitoring/safeguarding arrangements

What are the circumstances though SuperC ?

i would consider downloading child porn as child abuse imo...not all people on the sex offenders register even do that.
remember that guy who was 'mkaing love' to his bicycle? he was put on the register..yes he is weird..but a danger to kids?
also child porn now includes images of 16 and 17 year old...despite the age of consent still being 16.
plus if both of a couple are underage and have sex...on the sex register they go.

quite happy to know if there is someone involved in child abuse or rape living near me...but thats the mother in me saying that. i think only offenses commited AFTER 1997 are recorded on it too.

I think we should have judges who can work out that someone like Roy Whiting, who kidnapped and sexually assualted a nine year old girl and only got four years for it, are a danger to the public and shouldn't be released.

I also think that we should all be aware that paedophiles are all around us and teach our kids to report anything unusual that happens to them, even if they have been threatened or groomed. Most of them are not on any list.

My point is that the children are being abused to create the images, so people are viewing images of children being abused. Some may not think of it in that way, but I certainly do.
Re some of your other points, I think your e.g.s are extremely rare (e.g. consenting young people under 13-16 would not normally be placed on the register,) and being placed on the register should normally be reserved for those who may present a current risk to children.....Anyways, as I said earlier, many people who present a risk have never been caught/convicted and therefore won't be on the register!

that was my point too..........

that is why i would consider downloading child porn as child abuse cos although they are not abusing them themselves, they are taking part in it.

Moonie, it's on a case by case basis under the MAPPA arrangements and will include things like degree of perceived risk, proximity to school/parks etc. etc.

Oops Darthoob, my misunderstanding, sorry....cleans spectacles

I believe we should be told of predators living within our area

Here are some statistics (hope it works) that are sickening. But please take a look

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/ho...-escape-justice.html

I'm with Blizzie.

As for vigilantes, I just look at Northern Ireland to see whether I'd be happy letting self-appointed and unregulated people administer justice on society's behalf.  Even now, there are groups whose members burst into homes and shoot people in the kneecaps for alleged drug pushers and other anti-social behaviour.