Gulfport Reacts to Sandusky Verdict, Child Predators

Eariler this week, we asked you to weigh in on and the epidemic of child predators in Florida and around the country. We got some good comments from our 19 Patch sites around Tampa Bay.

The national headlines about Sandusky's crimes against children are horrifying, but a search for sex offenders in your neighborhood can be just as alarming, especially for parents. A recent look at the Florida Department of Law Enforcement's online database of registered sexual offenders and predators by county turned up 1,669 results in Hillsborough, 1,457 in Pinellas, 753 in Pasco, 387 in Sarasota and 369 in Manatee.

We asked Patch readers how concerned they are about child sex offenders in their communities and if they've looked up registered offenders in their neighborhood. We also asked if the Sandusky case opened anyone's eyes to the issue of sexual abuse against kids, and why there seem to be so many child sex crimes in Florida.

As for what Gulfport is saying about the issue, Gulfport Patch user Paul Ray said the following:

My following comments in no way condone or attempts to justify sexual predatory behavior or any kind, child or adult. I personally find it beyond disgusting that an adult would want to have sex with a child.
But…. (you knew this was coming) had I wonder how many of these arrests in these stings would have occurred at all. Would the person arrested have acted on the opportunity if it were not offered by an adult law enforcement officer? I remember the case of John DeLorean where it was proved that had the FBI not offered to smuggle drugs in his imported Autos, then he would have acted on it, therefore entrapment. So I have to scratch my head and wonder aloud.
That said and aside, I really have issues with believing that this is not a curable illness. Was there something in there pasts that caused an attraction? Arrested sexual/mental development?
And, should society be allowed to strip these individuals (regardless of their heinous crimes) of their constitutionally guaranteed rights? Should we as a society embark the path of yet another example what appears to be a Salem Witch hunt?