We Think We Owe You an Explanation

Having detailed stories on Naperville Patch is crucial, but sometimes details threaten a person's safety.

We recently published the article, Joliet Man Arrested for Sex Crime Against Local Boy. The suspect in the incident befriended a boy at a Naperville church and knew him for about two years prior to an event that led to the suspect's arrest.

Police said the 30-year-old man who was charged with the crime, Jeromey S. Ratliff, was not a member of the church.

"He was just kind of hanging out there," police told us.

A reader commented on the story asking that we "please disclose the church's name in the interest of public safety." We did not do so, and we will not do so.

It's not because we didn't notice the comment, nor did we choose to ignore it. Our policy is to respond in some way to all questions from our readers. We want to answer your questions while creating a conversation about those decisions—hence this column.

A good journalist will tell you that any story involving a victim of a sex crime is one that must be approached carefully. We never want to endanger someone, or as we say in journalism "victimize a victim." Any child in a situation like this has clearly been through more hardship than most can comprehend and will likely face challenges in the future because of his experience.

While we realize disclosing the name of the church does not divulge the boy's name, it still serves as a means of narrowing the scope of identifying the child. And that is one reason why we don't press the matter. He is just a child.

Based on information from the police, as far as we know today, this was an isolated incident. While naming the church might bring some in the community comfort, it would not comfort the family and it might raise speculation about which family and what child. Families normally seek solace in their religious communities, so naming the church—if that were an option—might only serve to inflict more pain during what is already a terrible time.

But it's our job to ask questions of the police on behalf of the community, and we will continue to do so as they investigate this man's activities. If other charges emerge, we will report on them. If a pattern emerges, we will insist on pertinent details. 

People often like to talk about the "what ifs," as in "What if I belong to that church?" "What if I know the family?" "What if my child goes to school with the boy?" All speculation aside, this is a situation that requires sensitivity. 

What we know is that there is a family and a young child dealing with a devastating situation. And, readers, what is true — and maybe the most sobering fact of all — is that Ratliff could have met his victim anywhere. That is the takeaway from this story.