•  
  •  
 

St. Thomas Law Review

First Page

359

Document Type

Comment

Abstract

Part I of this Comment will examine the events in Salem which brought the phrase "witch hunt" into the public vocabulary. Part II will focus on Joseph McCarthy's ability to convince a nation that Communists had infiltrated this country and had to be stopped at any cost. Part III of this Comment will shed light on the truth concerning internet sex offenders and the role the media has played in fostering the hysteria surrounding them. Part IV will show how this most recent witch hunt has influenced lawmakers to move from punitive to preventative measures. Part V will seek to answer the question, "What can be done to call off the hunt?" It is important to note that this Comment does not seek to condemn the efforts made by law enforcement to apprehend sex offenders before they hurt children. What this Comment seeks is to examine the way in which often unfounded fears can influence lawmakers and condemn the ways in which the laws have moved from punishing those who act on their thoughts, to punishing those who merely think them. Although "witches" take a different form today, the fundamental disregard for due process rights remains the same. History teaches us that, even in the face of hysteria when it is not fashionable to disagree with the majority, what this country needs is a strict adherence to a code of laws which uphold the due process rights of all Americans.

Download

Included in

Law Commons

Share

COinS