I wanted to post the Iowa sex offender registry site because I think it is something that everyone should 1. Know about and 2. Take a look at. I found it amazing how many offenders there were in the CF area, and was even more when in my small town there was 1 let alone multiple offenders. In Iowa On or after July 1, 1995, an individual who has been convicted or adjudicated of a
criminal offense against a minor, sexual exploitation, or a sexually violent crime
or who was on probation, parole, or work release status, or who was incarcerated on
or after July 1, 1995 is required to register.
The goal of this site is to provide public safety, deterrence, and is an investigative tool for law enforcement. There is a ton of informative information on this site so check it out!
http://www.iowasexoffender.com/
The goal of this site is to provide public safety, deterrence, and is an investigative tool for law enforcement. There is a ton of informative information on this site so check it out!
http://www.iowasexoffender.com/
While I have no position on the existence of a Sex Offender Registry, I have seen a number of articles on the negative effects it can have on offenders. Current legislation has made it difficult for some offenders to find places to live and work. It has also forced families to split up depending on where the offender resides. The link below explains some of the misconceptions about sex offenders, and offers ways of improving current legislation. The article explains that the legislation could be improved by eliminating the 2,000 foot rule, and replacing it with specific locations sex offenders are prohibited from entering, such as school grounds. Our children's safety must be a top priority, however the method through which we are trying to protect them leaves room for improvement.
http://www.iowanasw.org/PDF_docs/2009%20Sex%20Offender%20Restrictions.pdf
I've done a lot of research on this topic for a couple of my classes. I agree with the article and comment that John posted. While the concept and intention of the Sex Offender Registry looks great on paper,the real life incorporation of it has been disastrous.
In July 2006, the Federal Government enacted SORNA (Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act) to help set up a standardized set of regulations nationwide for sex offender registries (such as introducing a 3-tiered system regarding the length of time an offender has to register as a sex offender based on their crime). This act forced every state to adhere to the regulations or loose out on certain federal funding. The major flaw with SORNA is that it broadly defined a sex offender as anyone who commits any act that can be construed as sexual in nature. The broad definition meant that, hypothetical speaking, a man who was caught urinating on the side of a road by a 15 year old girl could be charged with indecent exposure. That charge would then force him to register as a sex offender for the next 10 years. Not only would that man have to endure the humiliation and the stigma attached to the label of sex offender, but he would also have to adhere to the laws each state has regarding sex offenders (i.e. the 2000-foot rule).
With the new 3 tier system for the length a time a person must register that SORNA enacted, offenders may have to register as a sex offender for either 10 years, 25 years, or life. Although there is some benefit to this, there is also a lot of negative effect as well. For instance, an 18 year-old boy and his 15 year-old girlfriend decide to engage in sexual relations a day shy of the girl's 16th birthday. If the boy were caught and charged with statutory rape, he would be required to register as an offender for the next 25 years! Realistically, does that seem fair?
While I agree that safe guards need to be set in place to protect our children, I'm more worried about the Sex Offender Registry being a catalyst for the public to respond in two opposite extremes. On one extreme, they could get hyper-vigilant and start demanding 2000-foot rules and the like which would force many offenders either underground or into one small area of the community. On the other extreme, the registry could possibly start desensitizing the public to the potential dangers of the true predatory offenders who may be on there because there is no real identification system of which offender is a real danger and which is not.
Like John mentioned in his comment, the majority of sexual offenses against children happen by people who are either related or close friends with the family of the child. So many sex abuse cases don't even make it to the criminal courts. Instead they are handled in family courts with DHS requesting the child be removed from the home. Because of this, many of the sexual offenders are never formally charged. Thus, they never have to register as a sex offender. This oversight can cause the Sex Offender Registry to create a false sense of security among the public. Even with access to supposedly ever sex offender's location in the state of Iowa, you still may be living next to a child molester and never even know it because their case was handled in a family court rather than a criminal one.