Abstract:
Accounts of sexual abuse appear daily in the media. Rightfully, this issue demands attention. Juveniles may be victims; they may also be offenders who are subject to sex offender registration and notification (SORN) policies. Growing research finds that SORN policies fail to achieve intended public policy outcomes. Little is known, however, about the unintended consequences of SORN for juvenile offenders. This study contributed to a more comprehensive understanding of the effects of these policies on this population. Merton’s concept of manifest and latent functions of purposive social action and an alternate non-criminogenic form of Lemert’s secondary deviance proposition provided the theoretical framework. Research questions focused on whether a relationship exists between sex offender registration for a juvenile offense and severity of depression in current and former registrants after maturation into adulthood, and whether the relationship persists.
As an adult, I can tell you this isn’t any easier on us.
The registry makes adults depressed, too. By fighting the registry I am keeping it from making me depressed.
It’s hard not to be depressed when you know you’re one step from a “gotcha” arrest for unintentionally violating a crazy registration “civil” (hahahaha!) law. I think of my wife and little kids who are in danger if I’m not providing income (let alone the cost of attorneys!). And then I see the sparkle in my kids eyes as we decorate for Christmas and I know I can keep going for now.
Even five years ago I’d never have dreamed that the further I get away from my conviction and the further I move up in my career, the more danger I’d feel just doing life. Lord help us.
Yup. I’m always worried about getting some sort of positive and public recognition, for either work or in my private life, that may result in someone Googling my name.