Research on sex offender laws and their effects on people and society

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At least two organizations have recommended specific changes in sex offender laws. A special report on the subject by Human Rights Watch in 2007 had a chapter devoted to Recommendations.¹ The advocacy website, ReformSexOffenderLaws (affiliated with SOL Research), includes an eight-point call to action.²

In general, both the HRW report and the RSOL website can be said to be about encouraging a shift in public attitudes in support of changing harmful laws. With that commonality, the focus of the HRW is primarily on the legal issues, while RSOL focuses more on the societal aspects.

In specifics,

• Abolish public websites. The HRW recommendation on Community Notification and RSOL action #1 say there should be no publicly accessible sex offender registry.
• No registration of juveniles. HRW State Sex Offender Registries recommendation says that, even for the remaining registry that is accessible only to police, there should be no registration of people for offenses committed while juveniles. RSOL #4 says there should be no registration of juveniles. (Neither would limit police access to other criminal records of offenses.)
• Consensual teenage sex. HRW State Sex Offender Registries says juveniles having consensual sex with each other should not be a registrable offense. RSOL #4 says it should not be a crime in the first place.
• Housing. HRW Residency Restrictions says that except in special cases there should not be legal restrictions on where former sex offenders can live. RSOL #8 calls for helping, not hindering, sex offenders to find housing.
• Adam Walsh Act. HRW Adam Walsh Act calls for repeal of certain provisions of the Walsh Act. RSOL #1 and #4 oppose those provisions without mentioning the act by name.
• Reintegration into the community. HRW Law Enforcement and Treatment, Research, and Education and RSOL #8 call for helping sex offenders rejoin society after their release from prison.
• Research and education. HRW Treatment, Research, and Education calls for research and education on clinical treatment for sex offenders. RSOL #7 calls for research and education on sex offender characteristics and recidivism.
• The HRW report does not discuss civil commitment (RSOL action #2), use of language (#3), death penalty or life sentences (#5), or childhood sex education and empowerment (#6).

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1. No Easy Answers: Sex Offender Laws in the US by Sarah Tofte with research by Corinne Carey, Human Rights Watch, September 12, 2007, Section III on Recommendations

2. A Call to Protect American Society, our Children and our Liberties by ReformSexOffenderLaws.Org Group
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Note posted on February 1, 2008.

In June 2008, the US Supreme Court ruled that capital punishment for crimes against individuals could only be used in cases of murder. See Q&A # 18.
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Note posted on January 28, 2009.