Psychology Today: Laws that were passed to protect us from molesters may actually do the opposite
Megan’s Law (1994), the Adam Walsh Act (2006), efforts to require special sex offender license plates, and dozens of other laws restrict the movement, residence, employment, privacy, and every other right of convicted sex offenders.
Megan’s Law was sponsored by New Jersey congressman Dick Zimmer, who recently died at age 81. Signed by then-President Clinton, the federal law required states and municipalities to set up websites listing the local addresses of convicted sex offenders who had completed their sentences.
The supposed reason for this is the familiar chant of every moral panic: “Helping families make informed decisions for themselves and their children.” Decisions about what? “Quick, change lanes, we don’t want to drive behind a molester.”
Predictably, these registries are used by vigilante groups attempting to drive registrants out of their community. Cities across America also require offenders to surrender their civil rights on Halloween—despite no evidence whatsoever of an uptick in offender activity. Laws regulate where registrants are allowed to live—requirements so stringent that they often end up under freeway overpasses, homeless camps, or in the desert. If they weren’t poor, sick, and hopeless before release, they are soon after.
Unfortunately, research shows that these laws do not make American children safer (1), and critics argue that they divert resources from more effective prevention.
PLEASE READ THE ARTICLE IN PSYCHOLOGY TODAY
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Excellent article. Great references to utilize later. Thanks for sharing his article. Blessings.
The registry by it’s affects on families actually cause sex crimes to go unreported. Because 90٪ or more of sex crimes are committed by those close to victims. There is no way to gauge that, but rest assured it has become a problem. The answer is to have a vehicle in place as an off ramp from the registry across the board no matter the crime. A tiered registry is a start.
Wow! Did they just profile Mr. R. Book of FLA here or someone else in his image from across the nation?!
Very excellent article. It sums up the whole matter nicely. Maybe the supreme court should see it?
Perhaps someone should mail a copy to John Roberts.
I hope Dr Klein is on your witness list for our litigation…