Whats so bad about being over-inclusive and allowing broad public notification regarding even those sex offenders who do not pose a real risk to the community?
A. Aside from the stigma associated with being a sex offender, individuals who are subject to broad public notification suffer very real harm. Job loss is widespread. Individuals who have already served their time in prison are nonetheless harassed and picketed by neighbors. Some individuals in other jurisdictions have been driven from their homes. Others have entered psychiatric hospitals and committed suicide because of the force of the community’s response to their presence. Additionally, vigilante attacks have become common-place. For example, in the first six years of Washington State’s Megan’s Law, there were 17 reported acts of vigilantism against registered individuals.
Related Questions
- Does the proscription against sex in Ramadhan (the holy month where Muslims abstain from food, drinking, sex and bad language) mean the whole of the month or just during the fast hours?
- How can I obtain the report, Death Notification: Breaking the Bad News With Concern for the Professional and Compassion for the Survivor: A Seminar for Law Enforcement (NCJ 162363)?
- Why might there be misconceptions by the public about the Safer Sex Smart Card?
