BALTIMORE, MD, March 26, 2013 (Press-News.org) The modern sex offender registry is an online repository of information about people who have been convicted of sex crimes. It's called the "SOR" on the Maryland Department of Public Safety website, and you can search by name, zip code, even an interactive map.
Sex offender registries exist in one form or another across the nation, but there are differences state to state. However, most (if not all) state registries are public in nature.
The original sex offender registry came about under the federal Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act - named after a six-year-old boy who was abducted from a mall and murdered - which requires offenders to keep their whereabouts updated on a regular basis.
The Adam Walsh Act also classifies sex offenses by tiers.
Tier I
You must generally register for 10 to 15 years, depending on the situation, if you've been convicted of crimes ranging from possession of child pornography to public indecency, voyeurism, and sexual contact without permission.
Tier II
You will be required to register for 25 years after having been convicted of distribution of child pornography, sex trafficking of minors, child molestation, and several other related crimes.
Tier III
Tier III requires lifetime registration and is reserved for the most serious of offenses. These include rape and sexual contact with children under age 12.
Criticism of Sex Offender Registry Laws
The Adam Walsh Act does much to protect children, yet it has received its share of criticism as different jurisdictions have enforced the law over the years.
Patty Wetterling's son was abducted in 1989 and never found.
Wetterling since became a well-known child advocate and original supporter of the Adam Walsh Act. But, in recent years, Wetterling has spoken out against the Act and sex offender laws generally, claiming that they go too far.
Dan Gunderson, writing for Minnesota Public Radio, quotes Wetterling:
"Everybody wants to out-tough the next legislator," she said. "'I'm tough on crime.' 'No, I'm even more tough.' It's all about ego and boastfulness."
What Wetterling wants, according to Gunderson, is effective public policy.
Effective public policy would mean that a boy wouldn't be required to register as a sex offender after a statutory rape conviction for teen sex, as one example. Or that the picture of a Tier III offender convicted of rape wouldn't be displayed right next to a Tier I offender convicted of teen sex.
Maryland's High Court Rules in Favor of Effective Public Policy
According to a local CBS News report, a Maryland junior high teacher served two years behind bars after pleading guilty to having had "inappropriate contact" with a student in the 1980s.
But he pleaded guilty in 2006, with Maryland's sex offender registry in place, and the man faced lifetime registration.
The high court in Maryland essentially ruled that people convicted of sex offenses that took place years ago, before the sex offender registry was in place, shouldn't have to keep registering, though according to the man's attorney people will have to address the issue on a case-by-case basis.
This recent ruling shows that it's possible, as Patty Wetterling might agree, to balance "toughness" with fairness when it comes to sex offender registration.
Baltimore criminal attorney, James Crawford and his legal team defend clients against all types of crimes, from misdemeanors like shoplifting, to felonies like drug distribution and sex offenses. The law firm also represents clients in Baltimore divorce law and personal injury cases. People in Maryland have relied on the Law Offices of James E. Crawford, Jr. & Associates, LLC since 1992. To contact James Crawford, Esq. or a member of his legal team, call 866-635-0623, or visit http://www.crawforddefenseattorney.com/ for more information about his criminal law practice.
Current Web properties by The Law Offices of James E. Crawford, Jr. & Associates, LLC to help you with your specific legal issue:
Criminal Defense: http://www.crawforddefenseattorney.com
Criminal Defense Blog: http://www.baltimorecriminallawblog.com
Family Law: http://www.crawforddomesticmd.com
Personal Injury: http://www.mymarylandinjurylawyer.com
Locations:
The Law Offices of James E. Crawford, Jr. & Associates, LLC
1435 Sulphur Spring Road
Baltimore MD 21227
Phone: 443-701-4525
Directions: http://pview.findlaw.com/view/1687779_1
The Law Offices of James E. Crawford, Jr. & Associates, LLC
802 Ingleside Ave
Catonsville MD 21228
Phone: 443-701-4525
Directions: http://pview.findlaw.com/view/4054446_1
Criticism and Changes to the Maryland Sex Offender Registry
Sex offender registries exist in one form or another across the nation, but there are differences state to state. However, most (if not all) state registries are public in nature.
2013-03-26
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[Press-News.org] Criticism and Changes to the Maryland Sex Offender RegistrySex offender registries exist in one form or another across the nation, but there are differences state to state. However, most (if not all) state registries are public in nature.