The view from the Idea Center

Amy is working on a special assignment today, so I'm back, taking on Noon(ish) duties.

Cleveland has fought to slow the tide of sex crimes prior to, and especially following, the Anthony Sowell case, when the bodies of 11 women he'd raped and murdered were discovered in and around his Imperial Avenue home. Had he been investigated and jailed on earlier sex crime charges, might some of those women have lived?

We've long written and spoken of the need for change in the law for Cleveland and across Ohio. Now, the state is finally looking at eliminating one loophole serial rapists have been able to use to their advantage: the 25-year statute of limitations on the crime.

This morning on the Sound of Ideas, I had a spirited conversation with guest journalists Andrea Simakis, M.L. Schultze and Karen Kasler. We delved into the potential abolition of that statute, the 30-year cap on keeping evidence, and the  two year limit on filing civil suits, a point in time where some victims haven't even fully processed what's happened.

It's not only a statute that protects women. Marci Hamilton, founder and CEO of CHILD USA recently spoke about  making it easier for all victims of sexual abuse and rape to report crimes and seek justice.

"Right now, Ohio is in the dark ages for child sex-abuse victims. There really is no state that's worse," she said, according to the Columbus Dispatch.

But we’re working on it.

Senate Bill 162, sponsored by state Sens. Nickie Antonio (D-Lakewood) and Sean O'Brien (D-Trumbull County), had its first hearing last week.

It would not only eliminate the time limits for prosecuting rape, but also remove of the period of limitations for a civil action and expand proceedings in which a person could testify against their own spouse to include prosecutions for any sex offenses.

It's an important bill about an important conversation.

We'll be closely following.

Amy's back Monday! Have a great Thanksgiving.
Rick Jackson

Need to KnOH

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Your ideas

They're already in our national park and on our downtown streets. But how do you feel about e-bikes and electric scooters in the suburbs? Call us at  (216) 916-6476 or comment on our Facebook page. We'll feature some of your thoughts and comments here in Noon(ish) and on Morning Edition.