Megan’s Law – Protecting Communities and Preventing Sexual Crimes
Megan’s law is a US federal law that requires states to develop and maintain sex offender registries and provide public access to information about convicted sex offenders. The law is named after Megan Kanka, a 7-year-old girl who was raped and murdered in 1994 by a convicted sex offender who lived across the street from her family in New Jersey. Here, we explore the background, requirements, and impact of Megan’s law.
Background of Megan’s Law
The tragic murder of Megan Kanka in 1994 brought to light a shocking gap in the US criminal justice system. Megan’s killer was a convicted sex offender who was living across the street from the Kanka family – a fact that they were unaware of. This led to widespread public outrage and calls for more robust measures to protect communities from sexual offenders.
Requirements of Megan’s Law
Megan’s law requires states to establish and maintain sex offender registries that contain information about convicted sex offenders and make that information available to the public. This includes details such as the offender’s name, photograph, current address, and offense history. The law also requires states to notify communities when a high-risk offender moves into the area.
Impact of Megan’s Law
Since its introduction, Megan’s law has had a significant impact on community safety and sexual crime prevention. By increasing public awareness about convicted sex offenders, the law has helped to prevent new offenses and protect vulnerable individuals. It has also pushed for more stringent criminal justice measures against sexual crimes, enshrining tougher sentences and penalties for those convicted of sexual offenses.
Controversies Surrounding Megan’s Law
While Megan’s law has been instrumental in reducing sexual crime rates and protecting communities, it has also been subject to criticism and controversy. Some critics argue that it violates the privacy rights of offenders and that its public registry is open to abuse, leading to vigilante justice, and harassment. There have been calls to re-evaluate the law’s requirements and provisions to strike a balance between the protection of vulnerable individuals and the privacy rights of offenders.
Conclusion
Megan’s law has been a vital tool in the fight against sexual crimes and for the protection of communities. Its background, requirements, and impact highlight the importance of creating a robust legal framework that protects the most vulnerable in society and ensures public safety. While some concerns and controversies have arisen around the law, its overall contribution to the prevention of sexual crimes cannot be understated.
MEGAN’S LAW
HISTORY & ENACTMENT OF MEGAN’S LAW
Megan’s Law is a general term for laws enacted by both Federal and State governments that authorize law enforcement agencies to publish and notify communities that a convicted sex offender is present in their community whether it be as a resident or employee in a certain area.
The law stems from the rape and murder of a seven (7) year old girl named Megan Kanka by a convicted sex offender living across the street from her home. Due to outrage over the matter the State of New Jersey passed Megan’s Law in 1994.
In 1996 the U.S. Congress adopted Megan’s Law into the Jacob Wetterling Crimes Against Children’s Act. Today every Stat in the Union is required to notify members of its community of the residences and places of employment of convicted sex offenders.
In 1996 Bill Clinton’s administration strengthened the law by requiring all convicted sex offenders to register with their local law enforcement agency and require law enforcement agencies to grant complete access of convicted sex offender databases to the public.
THE STATUTORY DEFINITION OF MEGAN’S LAW
Under Federal law States must make private and personal information about registered sex offenders available to the community. This is very open to interpretation and the federal government has adopted a policy whereby it is up to the States to determine the route and criteria that must be disseminated to the public. The list of offenses that may be considered in applying Megan’s Law varies from State to State, some being very strict in their interpretation of a sex offender and others being very lenient. All States has sex offender registration but only twenty-eight (28) require juveniles convicted of sex offenses to register with their local law enforcement community. Five (5) States require that juveniles tried as adults to register and New Jersey has the strictest laws which require all those individuals fourteen (14) and over to register as convicted sex offenders, whether tried as a juvenile or adult.
The parameters of which offenders need to be registered is complicated and include a number of factors that are left to the local law enforcement agencies. These include whether the offender is under post-incarceration supervision, the likelihood of being a repeat offender, substance abuse, etc.
WHAT INFORMATION MUST BE SUPPLIED?
If a court determines that an individual is a convicted sex offender, upon that individual re-entry into the community he/she must register with their local law enforcement community and provide certain information. This information varies from State to State but usually includes the individuals name, description, photographs, residential address, and place of employment, license plate and driver’s license numbers and a description of the offenses that the individual was convicted of.
For further information there are numerous websites maintained by your local law enforcement agency that will give you this information and often times a map with the exact location of any sex offender living in your community.
