In particular the article talks about Megan's Law, which is an informal name for laws in the United States requiring law enforcement authorities to make information available to the public regarding registered sex offenders. It is named after a seven year-old girl in California who was violated and killed by a paroled felon. Individual states decide what information will be made available in a public database. Some commonly included information is the offender's name, picture, address, incarceration date, and nature of crime. The information is often displayed on public websites, but can also be published in newspapers, distributed in pamphlets, or through various other means.
Today, all states employee these databases and are required to share the information with a national database. In some communities, when an offender moves in, the police inform the local school system, which in turn sends parents a notification that includes a history, address, and photo of the wrongdoer. Some states share information with each other regarding almost all criminals, and some allow citizens to search for these offenders by name. Below I have included a picture taken of a sign that is just outside the city limits of Wapello, Iowa. It is a good example of a community that uses a public database to declare an offender-free district.
I believe that this is a good way to regulate sex offenders within certain communities. Although some may argue that this is an invasion of privacy, I think people have a right to know when a sex offender or pedophile moves into their neighborhood, especially people who have young children.
Website cited: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megan's_Law
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