my neighbor the rapist

A female friend sent me the National Sex Offender Registry today.

I typed in my address and found out that a guy in the building next door was convicted of a sex act with someone under 14 years old. I saw his name, his address, and his photograph. Then I saw that another neighbor (my address, one block over) was convicted of drugging and raping someone.

I'm torn. The civil libertarian in me thinks this goes way beyond the pale. And I know that people can end up in this directory for lots of reasons, like consensual sex in a public place, or consensual gay sex, and a variety of other "crimes."

In the end, it makes me more cautious, and hopefully less likely to be a victim. (Not of my rapist neighbor, but in general.)