Changing the Question “IS” the Answer

Have you had any contact with children?

That’s the standard question to registrants from P.O.’s and polygraph technicians.

Shouldn’t the question be, “Have you had any “Inappropriate” contact with children?”

Wouldn’t that solve a lot of the registry woes?

It’s so simple. Why haven’t we though about this before? Inappropriate contact, of course, that’s what registrants need to stay away from. DUH!

The world is full of children.

If only the question asked was “Have you had any “inappropriate” contact with children?”, think of all the time,expense and aggravation everyone would save.  Most registrants know the difference between appropriate and inappropriate. (I suppose there are cases where one is not in their right mind and doesn’t know.) If you lie, sooner or later it will catch up with you, whether it’s something you do or on a polygraph (although polygraphs have false positives and for the most part are inadmissible in court, so why even do them?)

Why in a world full of children would you ask a registrant if they’ve had any contact with a child? Children are everywhere!

The restaurant server that brings you your burger could be 18, she’s taken your order, brought you your food, that’s contact, not inappropriate contact, just normal, human, contact, and yet, how would you know his/her age? Plus, you’d have to report the contact to your P.O. and how do you answer on a polygraph when they ask about any contact? You don’t get to explain on a polygraph that you ordered and were served a burger by a 18 year old, you just answer the question, any contact?. Sorry, but it seems you’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t on that one.

You hold a door open for someone, they say thank you, you say you’re welcome, appropriate contact, common courtesy. Are they under 18? You have no idea, but if they are, all of a sudden it’s considered “inappropriate conduct”.  How crazy is that.?

The grocery bagger at the store wishes you a Merry Christmas, you wish him/her a Merry Christmas too.  Appropriate contact if they are older than 18, inappropriate if they are under 18. It’s nuts. Age changes nothing in the scenario, two human beings exchanging Christmas Greetings, nothing more.

Why are those who write the registry rules so hell bent on thinking the worst of registrants?   

There’s a dozen times in the course of a day when a registrant may have contact with someone under age and wouldn’t even know it. And guess what? Nothing bad happens! Registrants and children peacefully co-exist!.  The world keeps spinning!

I hope this holiday season we can all just co-exist, appropriately.

Take a break from all the registry nonsense and woes and enjoy the holiday season with family  and friends!

Happy Holidays!

 

 

 

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