Walt Disney World bans sex offenders from theme parks

[eadavis]

The thing with the cruise ships is, most don't fly the US Flag. Those that don't are not beholden to US regulation. The only "regulation" is Maritime Law, International Law, and the Company's policy for guests and crew.

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

The cruise line problem is not with the crews. There have been very few problems. Just because a CM comes from a foreign country, doesn't means they are not vetted and checked. It is 100% perfect.......no!

The real problem would be the passengers, and there have been a problems here.

The big advantage is every passenger has to be ID'ed and vetted. So their history is easy to discover.

Now do lines check?? , are some predators refused boarding??, this I do not know, but I would hope they are.

AKK

I would hope so too. I think it's good that although not a perfect system at least a message is being sent that Disney are aware that such people exist and that it's top priorly is the safety of its guests.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

The thing with the cruise ships is, most don't fly the US Flag. Those that don't are not beholden to US regulation. The only "regulation" is Maritime Law, International Law, and the Company's policy for guests and crew.

Actually that is not totally correct, you have to remember these vessel sail to and from US ports, with mostly US passengers, which gives the US and the USCG/regulations a good deal of control and enforcement.

The bottom line is simply, do as we tell you or you cannot pick up passengers in the US. If it ever got that far, it would be years of court fighting and no passengers for the vessel involved.

AKK

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

I would hope so too. I think it's good that although not a perfect system at least a message is being sent that Disney are aware that such people exist and that it's top priorly is the safety of its guests.

I totally agree!.. I don't believe this is a PR trick, or Disney would have been blasting this all over the news etc. The conspiracy theorists love to cream up stuff to divert attention from common sense and fact.

AKK

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

I totally agree!.. I don't believe this is a PR trick, or Disney would have been blasting this all over the news etc. The conspiracy theorists love to cream up stuff to divert attention from common sense and fact.

AKK

Lol exactly! I don't believe this to be a PR trick either. When one of your large target audiences is children it's important to do everything you can to ensure safety where possible but accept that sadly this has limits which is why we must also look out for each other never forgetting that there are others that do not think like us. We can never let our guards down. It's sad but true.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

Lol exactly! I don't believe this to be a PR trick either. When one of your large target audiences is children it's important to do everything you can to ensure safety where possible but accept that sadly this has limits which is why we must also look out for each other never forgetting that there are others that do not think like us. We can never let our guards down. It's sad but true.

All very true. I worry more about my grandkids then I did when my kids were young. So much as changed.

However if anyone touched my grandkids or kids, the police and the predators registry would be the last thing they would have to worry about!

AKK

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

Good for you AKK re your children & grandchildren. Basically I agree with what Disney is doing. Because there is always a reason something is not 100% full proof but for me I would rather they try even if it just stops a small percentage. My home security system is not 100% intruder proof but it does eliminate say opportunists but ultimately I know if a person really is determined of course they can get in. But I am still willing to guard against the others to lessen my odds!

 

[arthropodtodd]

I do have a question about the end of your post:

it sounds like an offender with a minor victim should be precluded from going to a place with many children (like a theme park) by his/her terms of probation. I would assume that if they violate terms of probation (and go to WDW) they will go to jail. Is that true? If so, I am all for that! However, I am confused about applying the same standard to violators without minor victims. Are you saying that its' not OK for them to go to a theme park, or do you think there should be a more general restriction that covers all places with many people gather (theme parks, concerts, festivals, etc)? I guess I'm trying to figure out the difference between WDW and say ... Summerfest in Milwaukee.

I can only speak on my state. Here all offenders who complete (successfully or not successfully) treatment in prison receive a discharge summary in which the therapist then makes recommendations to parole about what a guy can and cannot do. Then upon release they meet with their PO and sign their sex offender handbook agreeing to other stipulations that non SOs do not have. Three in one our book relate to contact with minors and places minors frequent. But it is really left to the parole officer to decide what is okay and what is not. In this case a PO might say "I am fine with you going to WDW because of your case specially, but not my other parolees." They might even look at someone with a non-minor offense and say, "hey this concert is a no go." It all depends on the person, where they are at in the treatment process and what kind of social supports (one the main things we evaluate) they have in place.

Depending on client, I typically prefer to move guys with minor victims through various situations around minors so we can see them use their interventions before coming off parole when no one is watching them anymore. Most of these guys get off parole after a few years, and then no one is following up on them besides the whether they register or not. At that point they can go whenever they want.

Guys without minor victims are an interesting case. Again it depends on what led into their offense; risky behaviors, risky thoughts, risky feelings, etc. For some going to a concert is a bad idea, for others who "get it" I wouldn't think twice.

The interesting thing is now if a guy fails to register it becomes a federal offense. The feds have ways of punishing people a lot hard than the states. They have longer sentences and if they revoke parole they start parole all over again from the beginning.

 

[arthropodtodd]

Interesting thing is, this only came to light as a result of a local news report. Disney issued 75 warnings in 2012...and didn't bring any attention to the fact. And when asked about it, they declined to comment.

So they don't seem to be bending over backward to exploit this as a PR move.

At the end of the day, I really don't care what their motivation might be.

It is a PR move in the sense that if anything should happen on Disney property, which is has in the past, then they can stay a head of things in the press showing off what they have been doing. It is a preemptive PR move.

 

[arthropodtodd]

All very true. I worry more about my grandkids then I did when my kids were young. So much as changed.

However if anyone touched my grandkids or kids, the police and the predators registry would be the last thing they would have to worry about!

AKK

There is a lot of worry about. Just remember that stranger offenders are rare. Most offenders are people that are familiar with the family. The good news is that these are also the ones that rarely re-offend.

 

[robinb]

Thanks for answering my question in your previous post. So, where they can go really depends on each individual and where he/she is in their treatment and how much support they have. That makes perfect sense!

There is a lot of worry about. Just remember that stranger offenders are rare. Most offenders are people that are familiar with the family. The good news is that these are also the ones that rarely re-offend.

Whoops. I forgot all about that. Since Disney is now addressing sex offender stranger danger, I wonder if we will see fewer older boys in the ladies rooms with their mommies .

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

There is a lot of worry about. Just remember that stranger offenders are rare. Most offenders are people that are familiar with the family. The good news is that these are also the ones that rarely re-offend.

I do very well know.............we had a big issue with a local group nearby. I would think it is more likely to be someone a child would know and therefore trust more. This situation luckily was caught fast and only a few were effected............and yes a few is a few to many.


You comments make a lot of sense, but due to the terror these kind of offences cause to the kid/person and families...........I don't believe the offenders have the right to be in any situation around kids and people they could hurt. Bottom line.They lost that right and the idea a PO *thinks* its ok to go to WDW or wherever doesn't hold water Let the PO send the predator out to a park with their kids or family!


This is not a PR game, pre or not, as previously noted if Disney was looking for PR they would be crowing from the roof tops, but no they are proceeding like any good security program would, keeping things to themselves..........its a fact of the world we live it today and we don't have the right to take chances!

AKK
AKK

 

[TheShea's]

Interestingly enough, FDOC (FL Dept of Corrections) indicates that Sex Offenders have a high recidivism rate.

http://www.dc.state.fl.us/pub/recidivism/2011/violentoffenses.html

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

Interestingly enough, FDOC (FL Dept of Corrections) indicates that Sex Offenders have a high recidivism rate.

http://www.dc.state.fl.us/pub/recidivism/2011/violentoffenses.html

Thank You, you nailed it down!

Keep the scum out of WDW and for that matter away from people in general!

AKK

 

[faindrops27]

Thanks for answering my question in your previous post. So, where they can go really depends on each individual and where he/she is in their treatment and how much support they have. That makes perfect sense!Whoops. I forgot all about that. Since Disney is now addressing sex offender stranger danger, I wonder if we will see fewer older boys in the ladies rooms with their mommies .

I take my 10 year old in the bathroom with me, if we are alone you just do not know, who or what crazy sick person you are dealing with these days. I think it is a wonderful idea to keep sex offenders out of Disney parks..Although a PR move I welcome it! However, how do they regulate the tickets bought by sex offender's wives, or friends (the one's who try to make all kinds of excuses for those sex offenders.) I bet that will be hard.

 

[faindrops27]

Thank You, you nailed it down!

Keep the scum out of WDW and for that matter away from people in general!

AKK

Yes! Thank you! The thing I find disgusting as well are the people who make excuses for them.. Befriend, date, marry them..I wish they could be banned too, to me they are just as bad..

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

Yes! Thank you! The thing I find disgusting as well are the people who make excuses for them.. Befriend, date, marry them..I wish they could be banned too, to me they are just as bad..

I have found the posts that seem to make excuses for them odd as well.

Now maybe *away from people in general* was a bit over the top, but my point is these heinous crimes, assault, rape and pedophilia etc. effect these people for life, especially the kids. While granted some are very minor and things like peeing in a bush, maybe crude, but should not be on a predators list.




AKK

 

[robinb]

Yes! Thank you! The thing I find disgusting as well are the people who make excuses for them.. Befriend, date, marry them..I wish they could be banned too, to me they are just as bad..

Now you want ban completely innocent people just for knowing a sex offender? Nice.

 

[eadavis]

Now you want ban completely innocent people just for knowing a sex offender? Nice.

At least it will shorten lines...


If there is a method to keep those unwanted out...please lets implement it.

Once we do, pass it on to Congress so they can apply it to immigration reform...

 

[faindrops27]

Now you want ban completely innocent people just for knowing a sex offender? Nice.

No, not innocent. Those who befriend, marry, date, or defend them..Why would anyone want to know, or get to know a sex offender?