Should the Sex Offender Registry be abolished Research Paper

Should the Sex Offender Registry be abolished - Research Paper Example This paper argues for the abolishment of the public sex offender registry by giving concrete reasons against having the practice retained. Reasons why the Public Sex Offender Registry should be abolished Harm to families. Proponents of the public sex offender registry argue that making sex offender information public reduces the rates of sexual offenses by repeat offenders and enable parents to protect their children (IDEA, 2009). However, public notification of sex offenders does not only affect the offenders, but their families as well. This is because despite the fact that states have the discretion to decide on the criteria for disclosing sex offender information, majority of the states implements them to the extreme. Sex offenders get imprisonment sentences and remain incarcerated for a significant amount of time, but their families get to suffer more humiliation, especially when details get disclosed to the entire public, such as being made available on the internet. Hodgson an d Kelley point out that â€Å"highly publicized case have demonstrated a severe and negative impact on the victim’s family and the offender’s family† (2002, p. 229). Cases of mistaken identities after release of offender information to the public have also been witnessed, and the persons incorrectly identified as sex offenders have undergone harassment and assault. Ex-offenders and their families suffer constant instability when their private information such as name, age, place of employment, address, and crime committed is made available to the public. This includes lack of proper employment and challenges accessing suitable housing.... This paper stresses that proponents of the public sex offender registry argue that making sex offender information public reduces the rates of sexual offenses by repeat offenders and enable parents to protect their children. However, public notification of sex offenders does not only affect the offenders, but their families as well. This is because despite the fact that states have the discretion to decide on the criteria for disclosing sex offender information, majority of the states implements them to the extreme. Sex offenders get imprisonment sentences and remain incarcerated for a significant amount of time, but their families get to suffer more humiliation, especially when details get disclosed to the entire public, such as being made available on the internet. The author talks that supporters of the preservation of the public sex offender registry and relevant acts argue that the registration is important in protecting them and their children. They however forget the tax burde n imposed on tax payers, who have to pay the salaries and fund all operations of the staff working in these units. The implementation of additional laws and regulations is also funded by taxpayers. This report makes a conclusion that there are better ways of handling sex offenders, rather than subjecting them and their families to excessive punishment, humiliation and harm, and violating their rights. The main aim of the justice system is reforming offenders and giving them a chance to live normal lives. The use of the public sex offender registry fails to do this.