Criminal Justice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Criminal Justice - Essay Example According to Jacob Wetterling Act, a state registration must require current address registration for a period of 10 years for persons convicted of a criminal offense against a victim who is a minor or a sexually violent Offense. A minor is a person below the age of 18 years. There are specific definitions in Washington which are used to identify how an offender victimizes a minor; kidnapping of a minor and false imprisonment (except the parent), sexual conduct with the minor, manipulating of a minor to engage in sexual conduct, use of a minor in sexual performance, solicitation of a minor to practice prostitution, and any conduct that its nature a sexual offense against a minor. In 1996, the Megan’s law according to Wetterling act provided a community notification on the sex offender registration and which brought about online sex offender registration websites. Adam Walsh child protection and safety act (2006) is the most recent federal law, which organized sex offenders int o a three-tier system with third tier registrants having the most rigorous registration requirements. The third tier requirements of sex offenders (RSOs) required the offenders to update or verify their information every three months and are registered in their lifetime. Failure to update information as required under this act one was to have committed a felony offense while a sexually violent offense is any criminal offense that consists of aggravated sexual abuse or an offense that has its elements engaged in physical contact with another person with the intention of committing such an offense. In Washington all juveniles who are sex offenders were required to register. But in other states the juveniles are required to register after attaining of 18 yrs or 21 yrs. Sex offender registration and notification helped to reduce the case of sex offenders recidivism by calling their attention through the sex offender websites, letters sent home with children, door to door notification an d also flyers. However the efficiency of this registration remains questionable with research to date indicating only nominal success. Also the registration facilitates the following; deterring offenders from committing future crimes; enhances enforcement of law and the protection of public rights. Adkins, G. Huff, D. & Stageberg, P. (2000) The Iowa sex offender registry and recidivism. Des Moines: Iowa Department of Human Rights Schram, D.D., & Milloy, C.D. (1995). Community notification: A study of offender characteristics and recidivism. Washington State Institute for Public Policy. Seattle, WA: Urban Policy Research. SEX OFFENDER REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS Sex offenders are required to register upon release from confinement or when sentenced to community supervision. The department of correction or the sentencing court registers the offender upon release to probation and alerts the offender of the requirement to register locally. The local registering agencies occur at the local police department in the jurisdiction where an offender resides. In community supervision, the supervisor officer is required to maintain information for the duration of supervision because when the supervision ends the law enforcement is responsible for offender’s registration information. Also the state registration law applies to offenders convicted in other States. According to the