News from North Dakota:

Authorities searched the home and car of a convicted rapist arrested in the disappearance of North Dakota college student Dru Sjodin, and also released a photo of the vehicle, hoping someone might remember details that could lead them to the missing woman.

The University of North Dakota student was last heard from Nov. 22 when her cell phone conversation cut off as she was leaving work at a Grand Forks mall. On Monday, Alfonso Rodriguez Jr., a 50-year-old convicted rapist just released from prison in May, was arrested in connection with her disappearance.

If this is true, I hope Ms. Sjodin's misfortune sparks a reassessment of sentencing for rape in this country. For the life of me I cannot understand how men convicted of rape, a crime just short of murder in my opinion, wind up back on the streets. I'd like to see degrees of rape, where First Degree Rape is premeditated and Second Degree Rape is rape committed with a deadly weapon and / or violence (I am seeking to separate these from the more fuzzy "date rape" instances). First or Second Degree Rape should carry a life sentence, in my opinion, with no chance of parole.

How any jury or parole board or judge could advocate that someone who commits rape should ever walk amongst free people again is fist-clenching to me.