Abstract
This paper discusses the need to keep children safe from sexual predators today, which includes the use of Community Notification Laws to inform the public when sex offenders move into a neighborhood or region. The paper further points out that these laws may include direct notification of people in a neighborhood or more general notification by posting names and addresses on a website accessible by all. The paper concludes by stating that such laws can help reduce the incidence of sexual abuse of children by putting parents on notice so they can take greater care, though such an approach is not a panacea and will not completely eliminate the threat, only reduce it.

From the Paper
"Keeping children safe from sexual predators today includes the use of Community Notification Laws to inform the public when sex offenders move into a neighborhood or region. II. The argument for notification is clear--parents want to protect their children from potential harm by knowing that sex offenders are nearby so they can warn their children and take extra precautions. III. This approach has been extended to other violent felons as well. IV. Another provision in the federal crime bill was a national registration network to track convicted pedophiles. V. Even those who support notification laws may admit that the act of..."

Tags:communtiy, notification, laws

Abstract
In this article, the writer notes that keeping children safe from sexual predators today includes the use of community notification laws to inform the public when sex offenders move into a neighborhood or region. The writer points out that these laws may include direct notification of people in a neighborhood or more general notification by posting names and addresses on a website accessible by all. The writer argues that such laws can help reduce the incidence of sexual abuse of children by putting parents on notice so they can take greater care, though such an approach is not a panacea and will not completely eliminate the threat, only reduce it. The writer concludes that community notification creates an opportunity for parents to become more informed and to exercise greater caution regarding the safety of their children.

Outline:
Introduction
The Argument
The Approach
Another Provision
Problem of Notification
Efficacy
Conclusion

From the Paper
"This sort of response has been extended to other violent felons as well, with more and more communities fighting the placement of parolees in their area and seeking laws involving everything from notification to the right to refuse entry to a released offender to enhanced incarceration beyond the original sentence. Local groups across the country are trying to block former convicts from settling in their communities and are pressing their state assemblies for tougher detention laws and parole conditions. As a result, more and more states are enacting laws that put the interests of the community before the rights of ex prisoners. The most vociferous demands are for notification laws to alert citizens when a sex offender is about to be released into their community. At this time, many states require that local police be notified when a release is imminent, and now the New Jersey law calls for authorities to notify community members as well. In the U.S. Congress, members approved a provision which requires certain offenders to check in with police every 90 days for the rest of their lives. The New Jersey proposal only requires police to notify neighbors, schools, churches, youth groups and the media within 45 days of an ex offender's moving into a neighborhood."

Tags:offenders, public, protect, warn, precautions

Abstract
This paper examines the issue of habitual sex offenders and what to do with them when they are released from prison in order to protect the community. It provides arguments for and against laws such as Megan's Law (named for a year-old girl named Megan Kanka, sexually assaulted and killed by a known pedophile that was her neighbor), which allow notification to the community of known sex offenders living in the neighborhood. It argues how although these laws may seem appealing, they raise numerous issues of privacy which, while applying only to sex offenders today, could apply to others tomorrow. They also carry the potential for adverse community action outside the law and can prevent any chance of real rehabilitation.

From the Paper
"Once the federal government passed its version of this law, the idea spread and was taken up by states across the country. The federal statute called on states to enact registration and notification laws by September 1997 or lose part of their federal law enforcement funds. In effect, this imposed the idea of a Megan's Law on all states, since none wants to lose this funding. The last of the states to do so was New Mexico, which missed the deadline but which had a law pending in 1998. These laws have been popular, and one poll showed that 89 percent of adults favored such laws. Observers note that these laws are flawed, for they vary greatly between states because Congress did not specify "how, how much, or to whom states must release registration information" (Johnson 9)."

Tags:megan's, law, pedophile, community, federal, government, rehabilitation

Abstract
This paper deals with the problems in implementing Megan's Law also known as community notification laws for sex offenders This paper lays out in great detail the problems this law presents to law enforcement officers. The author argues that Megan's Law has a lot of flaws and questions that must be addressed.

From the Paper
" In the wake of the murder of seven-year-old Megan Kanka by a convicted sex offender, the State passed a series of bills designed to toughen the states handling of sex offenders. These bills Senate No. 13-1994 and Assembly No.85-1994, commonly known as Megan's Law, range in scope from requiring convicted sexual offenders to provide blood specimens to a DNA database, to studying the effectiveness of the state's treatment center of sexual offenders. These bills address the danger of recidivism by sex offenders. It requires the registration of sex offenders to their local police. If their municipality does not have a local police department, they must register with the State Police. They must verify their address with the police every three months. The most controversial provision of Megan's Law is the community notification provision that provides notification when a sex offender will be let out of prison at least 45 days before they are released. The bills passed both houses by an unanimous vote. It was signed into law by Governor Whitman on October 31, 1994. (Dougherty)"

Tags:community, law, laws, megan, notifaction, offenders, sex

Abstract
This paper explains that Hawaii's laws regarding sexual offenders have nothing in particular unique about them as they are modeled on successful laws passed in other States, including California, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The paper states that the Hawaii's Supreme Court struck down Megan's Law, as enacted by the State of Hawaii, on November, 21 2001, because they ruled that it violated due process, right to privacy and equal protection under the law. The author believes that Hawaii made an error in its original version of Megan's Law when it did not contain provisions for allowing convicted sex offenders out of the requirements of registering in a meaningful amount of time.

Table of Contents
History of Registering Sex Offenders in Hawaii
Registering Sex Offenders and Public Access
Known Problems with Offenders Not Registering
Problems with Offenders Housing
Legal Statues
Unique Provisions of the Law
Current Stats
Where does Megan's Law Stand in Hawaii / Opposition to the Law
Conclusions

From the Paper
"The State maintains a database that citizens can access from any county police station headquarters in their area. The database contains information on all those convicted of any crimes, as well as sex crimes. The weak point of the database seems to be that if your sexual crime was not committed in Hawaii, there seems no provision for accessing information about the person or the crime. The computers are accessible during normal business hours Monday through Friday. The State used to have a website that could be accessed but because Megan's Law, as it was written by the Legislature in Hawaii, was struck down by the Hawaiian Supreme Court that web site has go off line. The Legislature has sense rewritten the law. According to the State's official governmental website you can still access the information on line but when you click on the link you go to a page that says it is still under construction."

Tags:model, privacy, time, provisions, website

Abstract
This paper presents an analysis of Megan's Law, which requires that every state must develop and implement processes which will facilitate public notification when a sex offender is released into the community. The paper describes the law, citing its major components in a bulletted list.. Then, it explains why the law was created and how it is intended to deter sex offenders from committing crimes. Additionally, the paper examines criticism of the law, which is based on issues relating to human rights and privacy. The paper concludes by stating that while there are human rights concerns to consider in certain circumstances, what is of paramount importance is that children should be protected from these criminals.

From the Paper
"The requirements of this law raise a number of important issues relating to human rights and privacy. These include the important issue of whether the sex offender should be further persecuted after he has served his sentence and paid his debt to society. One point of view is that these crimes are considered by many to be of such a heinous and damaging nature that normal human rights are not applicable to these offenses and that they should continually monitored and be recognizable by the public to prevent further crimes. In other words, while the sex offender has in theory the same right as other criminals who have paid their debt to society to be free of prejudice and harassment, it is felt by many pundits that these offenders constitute a special category and that the nature of their crimes requires greater surveillance and tracking after release from custody.
"This point of view is supported by the finding that many sexual offenders often repeat their crimes even after lengthy periods of incarceration. Therefore, the central argument given in many studies for the existence and continuation of this law, especially against children, is that it goes the very moral and ethical heart of contemporary society. This point of view is clearly expressed in the following assessment of the significance of these crimes."

Tags:Jacob Wetterling Crimes Against Children's Act, Registered Sex Offenders, privacy, individual rights

Abstract
Megan's Law requires known sex offenders to register their address with the state in which they live. The basis for the law was Washington State's 1990 Community Protection Act. However, it was the rape and murder of 7 year old Megan Kanka that prompted public demand for comprehensive community notification. This paper looks at how since that time the law has come under debate due to its potential violation of first amendment laws and the denial of the right to privacy of the sex offenders. It explores both sides of the issue and supports the thesis that Megan's law is necessary and that notification should not only be pursued, but that it should be pursued aggressively.

Outline:
Elements of the Law
The Controversy
Parents vs. Law Enforcement
Where Do We Draw the Line?

From the Paper
"The number of known sex offenders in the United States is staggering. The state of New York alone has more than 14,000 sex offenders on its registry (New York Attorney General). The first portion of Megan's law that requires registration is not the source of controversy in recent debates. The law is relatively clear on the registration process. This process is largely under the control of law enforcement. Under the first portion of Megan's Law the types of offenders are divided into three types. They are classified as Level 1 (low risk), Level 2 (moderate risk), and Level 3 (high risk) (New York Attorney General). This portion of the law is uniform across the country. "

Tags:sex, offenders, rape, register

Abstract
It is the argument of this paper that justification for the notification of communities to the presence of sex offenders far outweighs any counter argument. People should most definitely be notified of sex offenders in their neighborhoods. This notification should not only be attempted but should be aggressively pursued to assure total coverage.

From the Paper
"To hear on the news of a brutal rape and murder of a small child somewhere across the country is disturbing enough. To hear of such an outrage in your own neighborhood can bring, fear provoking agony. Imagine the reaction of the mother of 7 year old Megan Kanka when she found out that the man who lived across the street and murdered her daughter had two previous convictions as a sex offender. Why hadn't she been informed? The perpetrator had paid his debt to society and had his right to privacy. But what about Megan's right to life? What about her right to an innocent childhood free of the horrors of sexual molestation? A value judgment must be made on this issue. Protecting the life of an innocent child must be valued more highly than the privacy rights of a convicted felon. People have not only a right to be notified of sexual offenders living in their neighborhoods, but they have a right to demand that officials make an aggressive effort to notify them. The nation as a whole overwhelming seems ready to make this judgment."

Tags:rape, sexual, offense, privacy, notify, constitution, child, minor, rights, individual

Abstract
This paper explores sexual offender legislation, arguing that these laws are often too harsh. First, the paper examines sexual offender laws from the perspective of the Constitution, showing the difference between civil and criminal law. Then, it discusses how sex offender laws can be classified into three categories: residency restrictions, community notification and registration. Finally, two recent laws are discussed which the paper sees as overly harsh. These are Jessica's Law and the Adam Walsh Act (AWA). The paper concludes by stating that children deserve laws that protect them, however former offenders need laws that allow them to rebuild their lives.

From the Paper
"Sex offender laws can be classified into three categories: residency restrictions, community notification and registration. Although these laws are endorsed as ways to protect children, they typically apply to anyone who has committed any kind of sex-related offense and can include teenagers having consensual sex, streakers and others committing nonviolent crimes. Those convicted as juveniles are also subject to these same laws. There's a lot of evidence to suggest that these laws don't protect children and may even increase the risk by aggravating the factors that lead people to re-offend (Fellner, 2007).
"n looking at the residency restrictions, it is important to look at Jessica's Law. This law says that sex offenders that are released from prison are forbidden from living within 2,000 feet of any school or park. Given the amount of schools and parks in many areas, the residency restriction effectively banishes them for life from living in many cities and towns, often far from their homes, families, jobs and treatment. This makes it almost impossible for offenders to return to society successfully. It also makes supervision by the police very difficult."

Tags:pedophiles, molestation, Jessica's Law, Adam Walsh Act (AWA)

Abstract
This paper argues that community notification of the presence of sex offenders is discriminatory and unequal. Some of the points the paper emphasizes are that sex offender registries prevent sex offenders from reintegrating back into society, and also do not protect the community or help offenders fix their problems. The paper also suggests the only way to prevent sex crimes and to contribute to the rehabilitation of these citizens is to support research on treatments, and not just containment.

From the Paper
"Over the years, society has created laws and regulations to protect itself from predators. Sex offender registries are an illustration of just that. Some argue that registries are a good way to protect the community and solve problems with reintegration. For example, many think the registry protects people from predators, because people know where the predators are. While on the other hand, some people believe that community notification has little if any impact on the likelihood that a convicted sex criminal will strike again. They believe it even hinders their ability to reintegrate back into society, without the chance of a relapse. Although sex offender registries are meant to help keep predators away and help offenders reintegrate back into society, they are unlawful and promote discrimination. We should provide sex offenders with more appropriate resources, such as better treatments, so they can successfully reintegrate back into society."

Tags:rehabilitation, criminal