Politicians ought to study and deliberate carefully before passing ordinances that break new ground. Perhaps then they could avoid the embarrassment of having to rescind such ordinances immediately afterward.

The city of Clinton this week changed its mind about banning all convicted sex offenders from ever coming within 100 feet of city properties where children are gathered. The ordinance, aimed primarily at keeping such people away from parks, was ill-advised and ineffective, as we said before the city council passed it only a few weeks ago.

Now, the council has backed away under the threat of lawsuits it was not prepared to fight. Instead, the city wants to find ways to educate parents and develop Neighborhood Watch programs. This is a much better approach.

The original ordinance seemed designed to give parents a sense of security, and to assure the public that Clinton is a city safe for families. Instead, it could well have had a dangerous effect — giving people a false sense of security and perpetuating myths about an extremely serious crime.

Government statistics show that most sexual assaults are committed by people the victim knows. Often this list includes relatives, family friends, a baby-sitter, Scout leader or someone else in a position of authority over a child. In about half of the cases, the perpetrator of child molestation is another juvenile between 13 and 17 years old. And, while a state Web site helps people keep tabs of convicted sex offenders once they are released from prison, no one can alert a parent or child to the presence of a sex offender who never has been caught. Officials estimate that many cases go unreported or unsolved.

Education is indeed the best tool for protection. Parents have a duty to warn their children as to what constitutes inappropriate behavior from an adult and how they should report such things. Even a Neighborhood Watch program, as effective as it can be against property crimes, cannot stop what a baby-sitter may be doing behind closed doors.

A lot of cities nationwide are struggling with this issue, and understandably so. Child sex abuse is among the most heinous of all crimes. For public office holders, the temptation is to enact an ordinance that appears sweeping in its scope, attacking people who already have committed such crimes. But in this case, that was not an effective approach. The council should have known that, but at least it has had the good sense to to change its mind.