The Merlin Foundation

This site is to be used for open and honest discussions which lead to the improvement of life for Women, Children and Families. NOTE: To post a comment click on the topic (recent posts) listed on the left. A comment button will be at the bottom of the page. To e-mail a column to a friend, click on the envelope at the bottom of the post.

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Location: Green Forest, Arkansas, United States

We are a non-profit organization located in Green Forest, Arkansas serving women, children and families. To view our programs or to contact us please go to our website merlinfoundation.com.

Saturday, July 30, 2005

Another Cost of the “Meth” Epidemic

In a July 11th. article the NY Times studied another side effect of the unchecked growth of the Methamphetmine epidemic in America. Children in foster care.

They reported; In Oregon officials stated that their foster care client load would reduce by nearly half if “Meth” were eliminated. That amounts to nearly 2500 of the 5515 children they have in custody. Oklahoma estimates 16% and in Kentucky 12% additional case load due to “Meth”. In Tennessee the number of “Meth” children in custody went from 400 in 2003 to 700 in 2004.

It doesn’t take much of a thinker to realize that the State doesn’t make a good parent either in quality nor in cost effectiveness. Time and time again we see statistics where people arrested and in our prisons were a product of our foster care system.

This in no way is to infer that most foster care parents are bad. Our experience indicates the rules of the State, the movement of children from home to home and the feeling of abandonment on the part of the children who are not with their permanent family just doesn’t measure up to the “real” definition of a family.

It is time to look at the whole problem of “Meth” and it’s impact on our lives. Increased crimes of all types including child abuse; the added destruction of thousands of children with no “real” family and the costs of massive prisons to house these users.

Each of us owes it to our "American Family", meaning all of us, to take action.

Join with us at the Foundation; assist your local law enforcement and vote out every elected official who is soft on this drug that is destroying our American way of life. Ask every candidate you meet if "Meth", children and families are a priority.

Saturday, July 23, 2005

Sex Offender Posting

Recently the media has come alive with cases where sex offenders, some out on bond, some on parole and others just out, have committed crimes against children of such proportions that even the most liberal thinker would agree… the public needs to know who these predators are and where they are.

Not true.

I recently saw an article from Florida where a sex offender had been released from a mental institution and discovered his picture prominently posted in his neighborhood. He committed suicide. People became outraged and started to demand that the practice of posting these convicted offenders stop.

As I write the US Department of Justice is making a website which will give links to all states who post their registered sex offenders. A note to their e-mail to me was that Washington only publishes those who have committed crimes against children. Those fine people in the northwest feel it is right to protect an offender who violently beats rapes an adult woman. Actually, one who would rape and kill his victim would be protected also. Murders don’t get posted anywhere that I know of.

I’ve been known to hang a tad on the left when it comes to social issues in general and a giant step from center on women and children’s issues, so I have spent a lot of time trying to see the other side. I cannot however, find any logic which would make me want to protect from society and future victims the identities of those who are level three and four sex offenders.

If you didn’t know, level one and two sex offenders are not published anywhere. Level three and four… those evaluated as likely and highly likely to re-offend are the only ones posted on state websites and only level four are posted in their neighborhoods.

Our Florida fellow must have been a level four to see his picture.

Come on folks, it has taken our Government, state and federal over two hundred years to say that the public and victims have at least as many rights and offenders in just a few areas. Let’s not take a step backwards and allow any repeal or softening on those who chose to violate women and children.

On a related issue, I believe every employee and volunteer of every public and private school, day care and charity (Scouts, Boys and Girls Clubs etc.) that work with children have a background check. What do you think? Would you like to help with a legislative effort to make background checks a law? E-Mail me… my address can be located on the main page of our website. Our website is listed in the Blog Profile.