Experts say sex offender registries don’t work. Can they be fixed?

During confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson, Republicans hammered away at her record in cases involving sex offenders. Much of that centered around misleading claims about sentences she handed out to people convicted of possessing child pornography. But GOP senators also repeatedly questioned Jackson on her views on sex offender registries, a topic she wrote about as a law student in the 1990s.

In 1994, Congress enacted a law mandating that all states create registries of people convicted of sex offenses and crimes against children. Two years later, it passed what’s known as Megan’s Law, a follow-up bill that made information in those registries available to the public. Since then, a broad slate of new laws has been passed, which expanded the types of crimes that classify someone as a sex offender and imposed strict rules they must meet to avoid further criminal punishment. As of 2018, there were an estimated 900,000 people in the U.S. listed on sex offender registries.

The vast majority of Americans believe sex offender registries make their communities safer, according to polls. A growing body of research, however, suggests otherwise. A long list of studies using decades of data have found no significant evidence that registries prevent sex crimes. Some even indicate that the laws imposed on sex offenders may make them more likely to commit crimes in the future.

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13 thoughts on “Experts say sex offender registries don’t work. Can they be fixed?

  • March 30, 2022

    What a Title! Everybody Understands That The Registry Does Not Work… Okay Heard This For Yrs Now. Funny Thing Is Nobody Does Nothing about This! Why Because No One Can Do Nothing About It … Yes It’s Sad But I Have Been Hearing About The Same Problems For Over 14 yrs Now… Yes I Have Tried To Talk To My County Members But Don’t Hold You’re Breath As Long As The Book Family Has Anything To Say About It It Will Never Change ! I Have Sense Moved states And Live A Life Of Happiness And Living My Best Life While Still On The Regestery That I Can Live…Florida Is A Trap State Once Your On Floriduh’s Regestery You Are Screwed For Life!…

    Reply
  • March 30, 2022

    Yes many say registries don’t work? Guess if its not broken don’t fix it. So whats broken in the sex registry? Who controls the evil within? Nothing wrong with the new age sex registry is their? Sure their are pro’s and con’s attributed to the registry but who said you were NAKED or unlearned in this trial and error of law enforcement.

    Why does anyone get involved in many ordeals or is their a right to know act that America wants to know about the other person. Guess some are wanting to get in others affairs. I believe Hank Williams had a song about “Mind your own business” seems the sex offender is everyone’s business as compared to others.

    Sure the registry has its faults even the methods are questionable but if it goes against the bible than that’s a question in and of itself. Counselors of God playing the harlot in much of this ordeal. One could talk about the right or wrong of the physical encounter which is bad in and of itself but better is a little with righteousness than great revenue without right.

    I am sure many would agree with that one with all the mixed emotions about the registry today and who wants to get the winning hand in all this… Its not always about winning its about justice or should we all go back to school. Even Cherokee has a good point on much of this registry.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g34mmyKuwmk

    Reply
  • March 29, 2022

    I have comprised a list of things we can be/are called. Some may be legit terms for our situations, some are wrong, and some are degrading. Some are present tense and some past tense, but many people still refer to or believe that is what we are.

    #1Criminals
    #2 Cons / Ex-cons
    #3 Felons, Ex-felons or former felons (Once a felon always a felon according to some)
    #4 Ex-offenders / Offenders
    #5 Prisoners
    #6 Inmates
    #7 Parolees
    #8 Probationers
    #9 Registrants
    #10 Sex-offenders
    #11 Predators
    #12 deviants

    Feel free to add your own. If we are going to fight this crap, we have to be prepared and know what we are up against. Not only is the public calling us these things, the news, politicians and prosecutors love to stir the pot. They use scary words to put fear in people, law makers, the police and judges.

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    • March 29, 2022

      Perverts

      Bush lurkers

      Prison slang that I don’t want to repeat

      Pedophiles

      Sex Trafficker

      Always Frisky

      Monsters

      People Forced to Register

      Registrants

      Registrant Community

      Non-offending Citizens

      Reply
      • March 31, 2022

        sexual deviant.

        Reply
  • March 28, 2022

    This is a great article on a popular site. I think I will send the author a thank you. I have done it in the past, thanking someone for taking on a difficult subject. And I always get a thank you.

    Reply
  • March 27, 2022

    I think the Internet term you want is that the registry is FUBAR

    Abolishment of tge registry is the only solution.

    Reply

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