Sex Offender Registry Research Paper

Who’s Right to Safety? Notification of Sex Offenders in the Community

The sex offender registry has been a topic of debates and formal studies since the Minnesota Sex Offender Registration Act was first passed in 1991 (Stevens, n.d.). Sex offenders across the country are being harassed and abused on a daily basis for the crimes they committed, were convicted for, and served their punishment for. Due to the sex offender registry giving out names, pictures, addresses, phone, numbers, vehicle information, as well as other personal information these sex offenders are being targeted in the homes and work places. Their families are also victims of abuse. In addition, the use of the sex offender registry has created blind spots in parents. They may

become unable to see abuse that is occurring close to home. Alternatively, the use of the sex offender registry may be saving lives of potential victims.

Before the registry was enacted, sex offenders who lived in their neighborhood victimized adults and children and no one knew about their prior criminal history. In very public cases, it was brought to light that children were being abducted, violently sexually assaulted, and finally brutally murdered by sex offenders that should have been registered. Those children could have been kept safe and may still be alive today if the public knew the information about their attackers. Also the surviving victims of sexual abuse endure life long suffering in both mental and physical symptoms. In my opinion I think that families should have unlimited access to the personal information of the registered sex offenders regardless of the privacy rights of those sex offenders. I will discuss both the sex offender’s rights as well as the right to

safety deserved by the people of those who want to keep their families safe.

Violated Rights and False Sense of Security Created by the Sex Offender Registry
There are many arguments that are well studied and documented as to why the sex offender registry should not be in use today in the United States.
Continued Punishment: First and foremost, placing sex offenders on a national registry can be seen as further punishment and can violate Double Jeopardy, the Ex Post Facto Bill, and Cruel and Unusual Punishment bans in the constitution (Logan, 2003). Once a sex offender is convicted and punished they should be able to live the rest of their lives in peace, although when placed on the sex offender registry they face constant, continuing punishment, which goes against many state and federal constitutions and laws.
Harassment and Abuse: To illustrate, it has been researched that the use of a sex offender registry leads to harassment and abuse of the sex offenders. For example, a study conducted between 2005 and 2006 and released in 2013 included in depth interviews with 24 convicted sex offenders who were on the sex offender registry. The study began when 232 male sex offenders were mailed letters that explained the purpose of the study and asked the sex offenders to participate in face-to-face interviews. After receiving the responses only 11.9% of the total participants elected to participate. Eventually, the study concluded that 83% of the sex offenders reported being harassed and assaulted by members of their community at home and work. Several of the sex offenders reported that degrading comments were made directly to them as well as being said while the sex offender was not present. Others alleged that their neighbors intentionally threw trash on their lawn. Additionally, cars driving by would honk their horns and yell profanities such as “Sex Offender” or “Pervert” out the window (Worley, R. M., & Worley, V. B., 2013). Furthermore, these sex offenders are also being forced out of their homes by the other residences; one of the sex offenders reported that after his name had appeared on the registry that the other residence filled a petition to have him evicted from their subdivision. That sex offender is still fighting with his homeowners association to remain at his residence (Worley, R. M., & Worley, V. B., 2013). Family members of these sex offenders also reported being harassed; the mother of one of the sex offenders was harassed at her work place after her son appeared on the sex offender registry. The sex offender stated that two teenagers taped copies of his sex offender registry photo to his mother’s car while she was at work. Additionally, other sex offenders reported that people would tape copies of their sex offender registry photo to their mailbox. Some of the sex offenders claimed to have the windows of their homes smashed with rocks. They stated that the police did not pursue an investigation because none of the neighbors could corroborate their story. Also, one of the sex offenders claimed that due to him appearing on the sex offender registry that he was assaulted. His statement to the police read “Three of my former coworkers came on my property and assaulted me. I suffered a concussion and had a fractured skull. By the time I got to the emergency room, I was also urinating blood. During the scuffle, I was stabbed by one of the son of bitches, and the D.A. tried to pin it on me with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Fortunately, the grand jury gave me a no-bill.” (Worley, R. M., & Worley, V. B., 2013). When the sex offender was asked why he didn’t press charges on the assailants he said he did not want to testify in court because his criminal history would come out.
Violated Privacy: Furthermore, sex offenders who register also face their right to privacy being violated.

Two of the sex offenders from the Worley study reported that during Halloween they are told by law enforcement to not answer the door or have outside lights on. Also, local television networks broadcast their picture to warn others of their sex offender status. This then leads to much embarrassment and shame, having their picture televised every year (Worley, R. M., & Worley, V. B., 2013). Today, anyone with Internet access can view and search the sex offender registries and this leads to the direct violation of privacy of these sex offenders. Not only are they tormented but their family members are as well. Their children are bullied at school and their spouses may be forced to quit their jobs (“US: Sex Offender Laws May Do More Harm Than Good,” 2007) As discussed earlier, the sex offender faces harassment and abuse constantly when they are placed on the sex offender

registry.
False Sense of Security: Moreover, the use of the sex offender registry may lead to a false sense of security, by viewing the sex offender registries it may lower a parent’s vigilance in monitoring a child’s contact with friends and family members who are more likely to commit sexual offences than strangers (Quinn, Forsyth, & Mullen, 2004). According to the Center for Sex Offender Management, approximately 60% of boys and 80% of girls were sexually victimized by someone they know or someone the family knows (CSOM Publications,” 2012). By thinking that the only sex offenders present are the ones registered can lead a parent to have tunnel vision when their child is spending time with others. This can lead to a parent not being able recognize that sexual violence is occurring in their own home because they are so worried about the sex offender down the street.