Authorities in Lima, in northwestern Ohio, will gather sex offenders this weekend to eradicate the risks of child endangerment during the two hours that local kids will be trick-or-treating through the neighborhoods.
Officials say only those convicted of serious crimes ' who usually have a higher risk of committing the crimes again ' will be held during the annual event and they will undergo drug tests as part of their probation.
It sounds like a squeaky clean solution to a clear danger to unsuspecting children decked out in festive gear ' but it's actually a blow to civil rights, which even convicted sex offenders deserve.
The government cannot simply round up people anytime there is a possibility of malfeasance or the possibility of a tempting situation. This is different than prohibiting sex offenders from living within a certain distance of schools or requiring them to notify neighbors of their checkered past. This is physically removing them from their homes because people feel uncomfortable around them.
And if some of these people are this dangerous and still intent on committing more disgusting crimes, they should still be sitting in a jail cell somewhere, instead of returning to civilization and living with the general populace.
By this logic, anyone ever convicted of drunken driving should be locked up in a cell during New Year's Eve or St. Patrick's Day. Cops should forcibly corral anyone charged with petty theft during community garage sale days in the fall.
Halloween is a safer holiday than most people perceive and preemptive action against convicts is unjust. Compelling sexual predators to put signs in their yard or prohibit them from participating in the event is fair and necessary, but this is a slippery slope toward giving more and more power to law enforcement without any balances.
Besides, the sexual predators residing in Allen County wear ankle bracelets so that police can track them at any given time.
Fear is a powerful tool, and parents' fear of losing a child to some sick sexual predator probably can persuade them to sign off on any number of intrusions into basic rights. But fear is not justification and the Allen County officials have yet to give a reason.
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