Study: Registries Obscure Sexual Recidivism Risk

A study, currently under review, concludes that registries obscure sexual recidivism risk. The citation to the study is: Hanson, R. Karl, German Marquez Alcala, and J. J. Prescott. “UNDER REVIEW (submitted July 7, 2025, to Psychology, Public Policy, and Law). The conclusion is: There is no evidence,however, that current public sex offender registries contribute to community safety. One reason they

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When Punishment Outlives Purpose

Two recent reports out of Texas and California should force a long-overdue conversation about what “tough on crime” policies actually produce over time—not just in theory, but in real human and financial costs. In Texas, officials are grappling with soaring medical costs tied to aging individuals held under sex offender civil commitment and extended incarceration. Meanwhile, in California, policymakers are

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A Word of Caution About AI “Legal Research”

In recent months, we have noticed a growing trend. Many people write to us explaining that they have researched their legal issue using AI tools such as ChatGPT and believe they have discovered cases that support their position. Unfortunately, in many instances the conclusions generated by AI are simply wrong. We regularly see examples where the cases cited do not

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First the Registry, Then the Housing Crisis: The UK Repeats America’s Mistakes

A recent report out of Scotland shows that the United Kingdom is beginning to face a reality that the United States has been struggling with for decades: once governments expand registries and surveillance systems for people convicted of sex offenses, the number of individuals under those systems steadily grows—and communities must eventually confront the question of where those people are

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TN: Investigation into leaks of information on registrants from Clerk of Court.

According to a report by Local 3 News, a Monroe County (TN) woman, Emilee “Emma” Berger, was arrested and charged with identity theft after she allegedly posted a copy of a registered sex offender’s arrest warrant on social media. The document, shared in a Facebook group titled “Uncensored Voices of Monroe County Revamped,” contained sensitive personal information. What made the

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