Is the Registry Unconstitutional?

  1. Why isn’t a sex offender registration unconstitutional?
  2. History of the registry – how/why did it come about:
    1. Pre 1994: Few states required convicted sex offenders to register addresses with local law enforcement. The 1994 Jacob Wetterling Crimes Against Children and Sexually Violent Offender Act, required states to implement a sex-offender registration program.
    2. 1996: Wetterling amended by Megan’s Law. Required all states to conduct community notification, required the creation of Internet sites containing state sex-offender information but did not establish specific forms and methods.
    3. Post 1996: Several pieces of legislation were passed to improve sex offender registries. Despite these efforts, many sex offenders still failed to comply with registry laws.
  3. How is unconstitutionality defined?
  4. Construct an unconstitutional registry
  5. Do only items covered in the Bill of Rights count or do all constitutional amendments get covered when looking at constitutionality
  6. If you have your constitutional rights, how does that impact what you can do while under supervision?
  7. Different societies have their own constitution. Wouldn’t a ‘right’ be universal? Natural versus legal rights
  8. States with lifetime registration. Is this constitutional?
    1. http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article172159212.html
  9. Eliminate registry vs Private registry?

Source http://www.registrymatters.co/

image_pdfimage_print
Help us reach more people by Sharing or Liking this post.

2 Thoughts to “Is the Registry Unconstitutional?”

Leave a Comment

We welcome a lively discussion with all view points - keeping in mind...

  • Your submission will be reviewed by one of our volunteer moderators. Moderating decisions may be subjective.
  • Please keep the tone and language of your comment civil and courteous. This is a public forum.
  • Please stay on topic - both in terms of the organization in general and this post in particular.
  • Refrain from general political statements in (dis)favor of one of the major parties or their representatives.
  • Refrain from comments containing references to religion unless it clearly relates to the post being commented on.
  • Do not post in all caps.
  • We will generally not allow links; the moderator may consider the value of a link.
  • We will not post lengthy comments.
  • Please do not go into details about your story; post these on our Tales from the Registry.
  • Please choose a user name that does not contain links to other web sites.
  • Please do not solicit funds.
  • If you use any abbreviation such as Failure To Register (FTR), the first time you use it please expand it for new people to better understand.
  • All commenters are required to provide a real email address where we can contact them. It will not be displayed on the site.

  1. David

    The way I see it, if someone is convicted of a sex crime, they do their time if sentenced to jail/prison. Time is served, any restitution paid in full. All requirements met, counseling, probation/parole done with. Everything the courts sentenced to be taken care of are completed. Now, everything has been met but the sex offender registry is punishment for something you have already paid for. If a person is considered safe enough to be out on the streets, has not committed crimes since released either they are safe to be in the community if not they should be in prison still. The sex offender registry does nothing but punish the person who has served their time and completed what was put before them to complete. Leave them alone, quit punishing them for something they have paid the price for!!

  2. Jane Doe

    Of course it’s unconstitutional. Few sex offender registrants actuallly went to trial, instead they were forced into a plea deal under the threat of a long jail sentence. The plea deal itself prevents the alleged offender from appealing the sentence or having it reversed. Due process is manipulated in this manner.