Closer look: Finding statistics to fit a narrative

This Psychology Today article has been ERRONEOUSLY pointed out as causing a problem in the 2003 U.S. Sup court case (Smith v Doe) by a "High Recidivism" comment. That high court case was already in trouble because of a "misquote" of recidivism stats in that case: see: Special Report: Misquoting of Prentky's 1997 Long Term Recidivism Study: Affecting a MAJOR US Supreme Court Decision.

Mar 25, 2016

Licensed Professional Counselor Robert Longo has been vocally opposed to public registries for convicted sexual offenders for years.

“I actually met with a group of people in New Jersey and sat across from Megan Kanka’s grandfather,” Longo said.

The 1994 murder of 7-year-old Kanka gave rise to the public disclosure of sexual offender registries through what are commonly known as Megan’s laws.

“I told the grandfather of the young girl, Megan Kanka, who was raped and murdered, that I appreciate what happened to his granddaughter but this law is not going to make people safe,” Longo added. “Those laws did nothing. It didn’t prevent anything.”

That has not stopped an article he co-wrote in Psychology Today 30 years ago (Mar 1986 see cover of article) from being used to uphold and provide evidence for the “public’s need” for the registries.

(LONGO"S COMMENT:) “I just think it’s unfortunate,” Longo said. “What can I say? “People use statistics and they will twist statistics,” he added. “People are going to take anything that works to their advantage, or twist a quote, to make it work to their advantage and I just think it’s unfortunate.”

Article

Comments by Mr Montgomery in Packingham Oral Arguments

2-27-17:

82 percent:
Authority for cited percentage is on Enough is Enough Sexual Exploitation Archives: "In 82% of online sex crimes against minors, the offender used the victim's social networking site to gain information about the victim's likes and dislikes. (Journal of Adolescent Health 47, 2010)"

62 percent: sic 65 percent
Authority for cited percentage is on Enough is Enough Sexual Exploitation Archives: "65% of online sex offendors used the victim's social networking site to gain home and school information about the victim (Journal of Adolescent Heatlh 47, 2010)"

Oral Argument Transcript

Enough is Enough's Sexual Exploitation Archives has many other interesting facts.

Michael Harris Interviews

January 2017:

While at the 2016 National Conference Michael Harris was privileged to interview some of the presenters. Here are the links to these videos:

Craig Hallenstein

Paul Rigney

Gilbert Schaffnit