I think many of today’s parents are too overprotective. Yes there are child molesters out there, and we as a society have to do our best to protect children. (That’s why I’ve written legislation to protect children in foster care and boot camps. And I’ve also written laws to protect victims of domestic violence.)
But we also need to let children feel free enough to go outside and play, to explore the creek and try to catch that frog, even it means coming home crying with a skinned knee. In my opinion, it builds character to give our kids a wee bit more freedom and let them learn the lessons of life. I rode my bicycle around my neighborhood when I was 10 years old. And one time, I took a good tumble. It hurt! And the next time, I didn’t ride quite so fast down the hill.
And I really don’t think police should be scooping up our children and holding them for five hours without calling their parents. How about walking the kids home instead? Not all parents are good parents, and molestations unfortunately are more likely to happen to children from people they know than complete strangers. But I don’t think allowing your children to play in the park on a sunny day two blocks from home should be a case of criminal neglect.