Will Grigg?s Liberty Minute

March 11, 2009

Few if any crimes are more hideous than the sexual abuse of children. Those who commit such offenses should be punished with appropriate severity. There is a danger, however, in permitting our desire to punish sex offenders to undermine critical principles of due process.

In 2006, Congress enacted a law permitting states to seek federal ?civil confinement? of sex offenders once their prison terms had expired. Those deemed ?sexually dangerous persons? would be transferred from state to federal custody, and then imprisoned indefinitely for crimes they have yet to commit.

No matter how grotesque the offense, we cannot preemptively punish people for crimes they haven?t yet committed. And while such federal ?civil confinement? is presently limited to child sex offenders, there?s no reason why it won?t someday be applied to others deemed to be ?socially dangerous? for reasons of religion or political ideology.

Let us take back the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free.