Washington panel might push for changes in sex offender laws
The Washington State Sex Offender Policy Board might be making some recommendations in 2024:
- Do away with community notifications about sex offenders when they move into neighborhoods.
- Make registries only available to law enforcement.
Research shows that community notification and registries are ineffective. There are also websites that let the public know who is on the registry and where each registrant lives.
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The Model Penal Code “has found that community notification actually undermines public safety. It also recommends that sex offender registries should be reserved for law enforcement and not be made available to the public.”
But we have a society that balks at research: “There’s a great deal of support for community notification on our board (Washington State Advisory Panel) and I would be shocked if any proposals to limit that or in any way diminish that were successful.”
https://komonews.com/news/local/state-panel-addresses-confusion-outrage-over-sex-offender-notification-damage-control-washington-policy-board-community-misunderstanding-model-penal-code-public-safety-difficult-reintegration-research-document-agenda-packet
Here is the tentative draft of the proposed changes https://sgc.wa.gov/sites/default/files/public/SOPB/meetings/2023/Review_and_Summary_of_Model_Penal_Code_Recommendations_Handout_09212023.pdf
I live in Washington state and I have to say that Washington seems to follow the data and models their SOR largely on facts.
And of course, Nextdoor thinks they are the World police now by calling out anyone and everyone from Karens to people on the registry. I saw someone on there a few days ago stating they are leaving the site due to it evolving into a platform to go on and just complain about everything and everyone.
Looks like we’re seeing the fruits of American law institute report maybe being implemented earlier than expected.