Iowa's 51,960-name child abuse registry could get an overhaul in the wake of complaints that the list damages reputations and job prospects for the accused before they've had a fair hearing.
"There are too many innocent people on that registry list," said Rep. Bruce Hunter, D-Des Moines. "This isn't about letting people guilty of child abuse off the hook. Those people shouldn't be anywhere around children."
I'm all for protecting kids, believe me. But putting someone on a subjective list of this nature, a list that doesn't even require a conviction in court, is wrong. It only takes a finding by the Department of Human Services that it was "more likely than not" that abuse or neglect occurred. Sorry, guys. 51% is not enough to damage a life, even for something as noble as protecting children.
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