LICENSE PLATES Ohio legislation seeks to ID sex offenders

The ACLU says the legislation would give parents a false sense of security.
DALLAS MORNING NEWS
An Ohio lawmaker doesn't think sexual offenders should bear a scarlet letter -- just a bright pink license plate.
State Rep. Michael DeBose has proposed legislation that would clearly label convicted sexual offenders' cars, allowing parents and children to be on the alert for predators lurking near schools or playgrounds.
Ohio already identifies some people convicted of drunken driving with yellow license plates, and the Cleveland Democrat said his proposal is an extension of existing law.
"If ever there were a crime that deserved special attention, sexual offenses do," said DeBose, a Baptist minister. "If we are really serious about protecting our families, we need a mechanism for children to identify these people."
The bill would require those convicted of serious sex crimes to display a pink license plate with red letters, DeBose said. After five years of good behavior, a sexual offender could seek a hearing and apply for a generic license tag.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio opposes the bill, saying it would put a target on offenders' backs, preventing them from becoming productive after serving their sentences.
"The people who aren't in prison, we want them to be useful members of society," said Jeff Gamso, legal director for the ACLU of Ohio. "If we make them social pariahs ... it ups the odds that they're going to be drains on society."
He said sexual offenders -- and their cars -- could be targeted or attacked.
"And what happens when someone else is driving their car?" Gamso said. "It hurts the wrong people."
DeBose said that he is simply concerned with keeping children safe and that his legislation would be a useful tool for families and law enforcement.
"If it comes to protecting a sexual offender or protecting a child, I'm on the side of the children," he said.
Other states' proposals
Other states and cities are considering assorted measures, ranging from tracking sexual offenders with global positioning technology to severely limiting where they can live. DeBose said he expects bipartisan support for his proposal, which he said could be a model for other states.
"These guys are roaming around, wolves in sheep's clothing, and the children have no idea," he said. "This bill is the right thing to do."
But Gamso said the legislation could give parents and children a false sense of security.
"The idea is we're going to identify the cars of sex offenders, but not all people who would molest kids are going to have pink license plates," he said. "It's truly dangerous."