How SCOTUS Promoted Myths About Sex Offense Registries 20 Years Ago
This Sunday marks the 20th anniversary of Smith v. Doe, a Supreme Court decision that said Alaska’s sex offense registry was preventive, not punitive.
Justice Anthony Kennedy said that the registry made sense as a public safety measure. He also said “the risk of recidivism passed by ‘sex offenders” is ‘frightening and high,’ as high as 80%”. Justice Kennedy’s opinion came from an unsubstantiated estimate from a source who has publicly and repeatedly disavowed it.
Several courts have concluded that the registry, as we know it, is punitive.
Activists will call attention to this injustice during a vigil at the Supreme Court this Tuesday morning, March 7, 2023.
I hope the silver lining is that they died on this hill to justify SORNA and it they have been repeatedly and undeniably proved to be wrong. The evidence will one day crush this massive violation of human rights. We just need our day in court again.
article was also on reason.com as well.
Justice Anthony Kennedy is guilty of spreading misinformation which is a huge NO NO these days. I think that it is our duty of fact loving Americans to correct this blatantly inaccurate statement.
It seems to me that we should concentrate ALL efforts into exposing this false statement as it has been used to justify not only the registry but the public’s misconception of sex offenses.
Imagine all of the suffering that spreading this lie has caused. Imagine the registered people abused and yes – killed because of this lie. Imagine the wasted resources because of this lie. Imagine the children harmed because of the false sense of security provided because of this lie.
Imagine if this lie was finally corrected and the truth exposed and accepted. Lives would be changed. Let’s expose this lie once and for all.