Since 1994, when Congress first ordered states to create sex offender registries, the laws in the United States about sex crimes have steadily ratcheted up. We now have what experts say is the most draconian regime in the world. As we’ve tried to show in Slate this week, legislators have repeatedly expanded the definition of a sex offender, extended the periods of time for which offenders must register, and toughened the consequences of registration. And they have done all this even though these laws rest on flawed stereotypes, not solid evidence. Full Article
Part 5 of a 5 part series
August 11, 2014
http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudence/2014/08/sex_offender_registry_laws_have_our_policies_gone_too_far.html
August 13, 2014
http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudence/2014/08/sex_offender_registry_laws_by_state_mapped.html
August 15,2014
http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudence/2014/08/sex_offender_registries_the_best_ideas_for_reforming_the_law.html
The most draconian regime in the world? I’ll second that! It’s also upsetting that “they have done all this even though these laws rest on flawed stereotypes, not solid evidence,” “there is little empirical proof that sex offender registries and notification make communities safer” pretty much says what many of us caught in this tangled web of confusion have known and have been saying for quite a while. I wonder what it’s going to take for lawmakers and the general population to see how counterproductive the current view is. Will they ever realize that they can’t regulate through legislation and… Read more »
I am extremely happy with the series slate has done over the past week. Finally someone is taking a serious look into the insanity of the United States justice system and the fetish like obsession society has with sex offenses. Unfortunately the conversation hasn’t even started yet but every time these factual articles come up a little more foundation is laid. Unlike most other people I question the nature of why various sex offenses are seen sex offenses and which data has been used to validate the current perspective on the issues surrounding these acts. Rape, molestation, exploitation, and mistreatment… Read more »