Ben McJunkin, Univ. of Michigan Fellow and J.J. Prescott, Univ, of Michigan Professor of Law and recognized expert on sex offender registration, put out a new article, “Fourth Amendment Constraints on the Technological Monitoring of Convicted Sex Offenders”
The article weighs the balance between the government’s interest in monitoring sex offenders and the often disproportionately invasive and intrusive technology used to track them, in light of the boundaries of the Constitution. It is a good resource for the state of law in various jurisdictions and across court decisions and is useful when litigating against unnecessarily or arbitrarily burdensome requirements.
ALL judges and legislators should be required to wear AND pay for a GPS monitor for a couple of years to determine first-hand whether or not it is PUNISHMENT.
During my masters degree at Lincoln university I did a peer reviewed study on the Megans Law. The study revealed most people would agree to the highest level of punishment however when those same people were questioned about the specific nature and purpose a high percentage agreed they did not know enough about the law to comment. Turns out the Megan’s law was a high price prison without walls deal that mimics a babysitting service. I will forward a copy written in 2011 if anyone is interested.
Kathy – Absolutely! Please forward the copy to us and (if you don’t mind) we will post it.