Source: casomb.org California Sex Offender Management Board 7/17/25
In 2018, the Board was tasked by the legislature with making policy recommendations about the
management of juveniles who have offended sexually. CASOMB continues to monitor the
research and discussions related to the management of youth who commit sexual based offenses
and provides this updated addendum, on Juvenile Registration, to continue to provide expertise on
this matter.
The Board recommends that California does not reinstate registration for juveniles whose only
sexual offending was under the age of 18. Research supports that juveniles should be treated
differently than adults due to their low re-offense rates and their amenability to treatment and
rehabilitation. Creating barriers to obtaining jobs, securing housing, and accessing an education
by requiring registration may exacerbate rather than help rehabilitate juveniles. It may also
preclude home or appropriate residential placement.
Articles like this always make me mad. Research suggests the same thing for ALL people. Not just the young. Not just women. The registry is counterproductive for literally 100% of people on them.
So, minors go through the same thngs adults do.
Imagine that!
So, if it’s counterproductive for them, it should be noted that the day someone turns 18 doesn’t automatically make it productive for an adult.
There is the magical line again of 18 of being able to do things and not despite a minor being able to be charged as an adult. Unproductive v productive at this magical line? Really? The thinking behind this is unreal. Is this the saving of just one child?
The registry is counterproductive for adults causing more problems than solutions. Time for the status quo to go and abolish the monstrosity known as the registry once and for all.
“Registration is Counterproductive for Youth Who Have Offended Sexually”
“Creating barriers to obtaining jobs, securing housing, and accessing an education
by requiring registration may exacerbate rather than help rehabilitate juveniles. It may also
preclude home or appropriate residential placement”
But it doesn’t do all this and more to anyone who is 19 years old or older, right? Or is it the actual legislative goal?
This is so hypocritical they lock kids up in Juvenile hall all the time, and put them on probation, and if the crime is serious enough they trial kids as adults.
Them even have a registry for minors in the first place, and it’s useless because the public doesn’t have access to it, law enforcement dose but with out the public’s knowing and shaming the people on it, it’s worthless.
Heartening to see this. Of course the registry is counterproductive for adults too, for the same reasons.
I think the reason why there’s a difference between adults and under 18 year old is that the Smith v Doe, 2003 ruling was only against adults. Recall, the Smith v Doe decision was the one that cited the Psyschology magazine that was promoting the 80% recidivism rate for adults and made SCOTUS stated the recidivism rate was “frightening and high” that the registry is not punitive for the non-redeemable.
For under 18, there is no study. Thus, CASOMB presenting a study can be adhered presented and the legislation to follow.
We have known for ages that the true recidivism rates are between 3-3.5% nationally. For CASOMB, they have cited under 1% recidivism rate for California for several years and then they stopped reporting it.
Allowing human beings to be put on a list in the name of safety while putting their life at risk is pure evil. Allowing human beings to live in the woods due to residency restrictions when they have places to call home. Allowing human beings to be either underemployed or unemployed all because of their past, while other criminals have better times finding or keeping employment. Allowing human beings to be smeared with myths about their re-offending all for grants to fill the states’ registry machine’s wheels greased for the fattest check is cruel and f ing disgusting. Keep telling yourself that the registry isn’t punishment because it looks like punishment, feels like punishment, and it is cruel and unusual punishment. Abolish the registry!!
But its ok to put adults in those very situations, possibly for life, affecting them, their wives and children. They’re pretty much saying they know the damage the registry causes but don’t care as long as the person has reached adulthood. The fact this hasn’t been brought back to the supreme court shows how corrupt our legal system is. Do they rule according to established law or public opinion!!??
It seems to me that registration is counterproductive period, either the shame of the arrest is enough, let alone the incarceration, or it doesn’t matter at all as a deterrent because some people refuse to think or act differently.