Well, Yes, We Wouldn’t Want to Hurt Their Feelings

Sex Offenders in Colorado Will No Longer Be Called 'Sex Offenders' – PJ Media

Instead, rapists, flashers, peeping toms, and other perverts will be called an “Adult who commits sexual offenses.” According to Denver Post writer Alex Burness, “Those who supported this change feel the ‘sex offender’ label is not nuanced enough and can impede rehabilitation.”

Well, I don’t feel it should be “nuanced” at all. However, if it truly is a factor in impeding rehabilitation (which I doubt), then it may be worth exploring. Sex offenders have the highest recidivism rate of all violent criminals (most likely to be repeat offenders). We need to find some way to keep these people from committing more crimes.

Personally, I’d be in favor of locking them up until they’re no longer able to commit these offenses, but if rehab is really possible, we should be doing everything we can to enable it.

At PJ Media, they’re less forgiving of this change than I (and I’m not all that forgiving):

Stupidity appears to be at epidemic levels in the Colorado justice system.

Last year, lawmakers considered a bill that would have, among other things, eliminated the term “sexually violent predator” from statutes but they ended up pulling it. Meanwhile, a task force charged with sentencing reform is considering asking the legislature to change terms like “defendant,” “convict,” and “felon” to “justice-involved people.”

And the irony of ironies: the Colorado Sex Offender Management Board won’t be able to drop “sex offender” from its name. Only the state legislature can vote to alter the board’s name.

Still seems simpler to lock ‘em up and throw away the key.