Changes needed in sex offender registry rules
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, a rare spate of high-profile child abductions and murders, mostly sexual in nature, terrified America. With constant media coverage, parents across the country were easily led to believe that their children could be in imminent danger. As demands from the public, as well as a few prominent parents of missing or murdered children escalated, legislatures responded, and the sex offender registry was born.
This primal need to protect our children from any possible harm resonates in us all. Human logic supports instincts – if we identify and track those who have committed these crimes, we can better protect those we love. False information surrounding the risk of re-offense by the perpetrators only increased the willingness to do anything to reduce that risk.
That was 30-plus years ago, and in those years the sex offender registration system has grown to the point that children as young as 9 can be registered, and teenagers having consensual sex and sexting can be registered. The rules, restrictions, and background checks often dictated by the registry can be onerous and destroy any rehabilitation initiatives and lifetime registration with no path off the registry destroys all hope for a better tomorrow.
Something else has happened in those 30 years. We now have a massive body of evidence showing that every premise upon which registration was built is false. It does not reduce sexual recidivism, neither violent nor nonviolent. It does not reduce first-time sex crimes. Furthermore, the purported high rate of re-offense is non-existent.
Finally, the American Law Institute is calling for changes. The institute is an independent organization of thousands of lawyers, judges, and scholars who published The Model Penal Code in 1962 to encourage the states to standardize their criminal codes. Even though it is not legally binding, it proved to be influential as a majority of states adopted it, either in part or in whole. Their current revision to the sex offender codes has taken nearly a decade to complete and is intended to guide the states in updating their laws based on the empirical knowledge we have gained since 1962.
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yes changes need to be made -most importantly police depts. need to make sure they verify info when charges are made I have worked with more than one man whose life was ruined because female had fake id’s or was lieing.My husbnds case years ago he passed a lie detector test but cops had attitude kids dont lie- long story of greedy women who knew husbands uncle was sitting on inheritance and they wanted it anyway they could get it – they pulled same thing on thier own sons because they were also heirs – sadly the second wife didnt know her son was left out of will – my husband still being persecuted for it – son by first wife attorney got him off after i did some research and learned same female had made charges against more than one male.Here in Florida where ihave been living a young manwho wasworking hard and trying to save his money – thewoman hewas withclaimed he washolding her prisoner -not the case-she couldhaveleft anytime she wanted – I didnt hear about thistilafter the fact – she was justangry that he was saving his moneyand wouldnt give her what she wanted to goshopping -lot ofshopoholicshere. sorry for errors cant see – I wrote tony state officefor husband that was investigating corruptioninthir system two years ago and never got a response – possible because i changed phone numbers – now I am about to contact them again with info fromhusbands son re: actions of the aforementioned women.
This is a great article and well written. I really like this part: Something else has happened in those 30 years. We now have a massive body of evidence showing that every premise upon which registration was built is false. It does not reduce sexual recidivism, neither violent nor nonviolent. It does not reduce first-time sex crimes. Furthermore, the purported high rate of re-offense is non-existent.
The most ardent supporters and defenders of this registry boondoggle are those who’s jobs depend on it.
When EVERYONE (including the general public) wakes up and realizes that it’s “ALL ABOUT THE MONEY”, Then Maybe, Just Maybe things will change ! Everyone “Involved” in the “Sex Offender Registry” Scheme KNOWS it Does NOT work ! BUT it BRINGS IN TONS (MILLIONS AND MILLIONS AND MILLIONS) OF MONEY all across the Board ! . There is TONS AND TONS of “Respected” Evidence, Proof, Research that PROVES the Registry DOES NOT WORK, AND US ABSOLUTELY PUNITIVE, But because of THE MONEY, Everyone with the “Power” to ABOLISH the Registry, Does NOTHING except CASH the Checks they get !!!. I’ve been Screaming this info to EVERYONE since 2005 (when I was FORCED onto the “List”), And it has only gotten WORSE for everyone ! . I’m very sorry for “Yelling” but it’s hard watching people “Beat Around The Bush” There needs to be some SERIOUS DEEP DIGGING done about WHO and WHERE all the MONEY goes that is “Given, Raised, Budgeted, Dispersed for “Governing ” The Registry !! The “Paper Trail” of all the MILLIONS just MIGHT be what “The People ” needs to see, To SHOW THE PUBLIC what “The Registry ” is really all about !!. I’m just a “Dumb Ole County Boy, Barely Making it, And don’t KNOW where or HOW to look for this info !!! But I AM A VOICE, And I use my voice to EDUCATE the public any time I get the chance !!. We ALL need to Band Together to SHOW THE GENERAL PUBLIC what is REALLY going on here !! But HOW ???? The “Public HATES us !!!!!!?????. Again, Sorry for Yelling !. God Speed.
The registry is so punitive and oppressive, I would bet it’s backed by religious affiliation. I know of no secular or humanist organization that would gleefully turn the screws on a segment of society in such a willingly tortuous manner.
Amen.
Ben change is gonna come but its with actions of those involved and those not involved in this registry to see the punitive damage it can do. Sure many things can be speculation at best but patience is a virtue.
https://floridapolitics.com/archives/581525-ron-book-a-friend-to-the-homeless/ Since I don’t have anything nice to say about this man I will say nothing at all.
FL Bar recognizes book for combating homelessness and child abuse?
That is sickening. I assumed better of the Florida Bar Assn.
Maybe they’re just recognizing him for being well connected.
This is good but I hope it won’t take another 30 tears to implement change.