Essay 3
- Submitted by: normaewest
- Views: 3912
- Category: Other
- Date Submitted: 06/19/2010 01:33 PM
- Pages: 7
- Report this Essay
Norma Morales
CRJ 494
April 25, 2008
Essay 3
Legislation
The media has done a great job in making society live in paranoia and fear. It also has done a good job in covering high profile cases involving sexual predators. Because of the excessive media coverage, the public has taken more of an interest in knowing what law enforcement and criminal justice agencies are doing to not only increase public awareness but to prevent future victimizations from happening. “State legislatures passed more than 100 sex offender laws in 2005” (U.S. Department of Justice). These new laws require state and local law enforcement agencies to maintain “sex offender registries and implement community notification practices. New measures require: lifetime registration for certain offenders, electronic monitoring, and a broader scope of offenses subject to registration.” (U.S. Department of Justice). The question at hand is when a sex offender has been released from prison and placed back into society, what do we do? Is there anything that we can do? Because of the manner of their crime do they even deserve to have protection and privacy? Most convicted offenders reside, or at some point following a criminal justice sentence will reside, in the community. Communities will be strengthened if local citizens participate in responding to crime, as well as responding to the preferences and needs of victims, other communities, and offenders. One of these responses is passing certain legislation that control sex offenders. This essay will outline some of the legislations that have been passed as well as the future timeline of these laws and how they all relate to monitoring sex offenders.
Sex offender registration is being called Megan’s Law. This law was petitioned and passed into law in 1996, by the U.S. Congress along with the parents. The basis for the petition was that a young girl by the name of Megan Kanka was raped and murdered by a convicted sex offender who...
CRJ 494
April 25, 2008
Essay 3
Legislation
The media has done a great job in making society live in paranoia and fear. It also has done a good job in covering high profile cases involving sexual predators. Because of the excessive media coverage, the public has taken more of an interest in knowing what law enforcement and criminal justice agencies are doing to not only increase public awareness but to prevent future victimizations from happening. “State legislatures passed more than 100 sex offender laws in 2005” (U.S. Department of Justice). These new laws require state and local law enforcement agencies to maintain “sex offender registries and implement community notification practices. New measures require: lifetime registration for certain offenders, electronic monitoring, and a broader scope of offenses subject to registration.” (U.S. Department of Justice). The question at hand is when a sex offender has been released from prison and placed back into society, what do we do? Is there anything that we can do? Because of the manner of their crime do they even deserve to have protection and privacy? Most convicted offenders reside, or at some point following a criminal justice sentence will reside, in the community. Communities will be strengthened if local citizens participate in responding to crime, as well as responding to the preferences and needs of victims, other communities, and offenders. One of these responses is passing certain legislation that control sex offenders. This essay will outline some of the legislations that have been passed as well as the future timeline of these laws and how they all relate to monitoring sex offenders.
Sex offender registration is being called Megan’s Law. This law was petitioned and passed into law in 1996, by the U.S. Congress along with the parents. The basis for the petition was that a young girl by the name of Megan Kanka was raped and murdered by a convicted sex offender who...