Can you believe that title? Our Attorney General believes that the Michigan sex offender registry isn’t effective anymore? Amazing! Actually, it’s not that amazing – some have said this for a long time. Let’s take a look at a few of them…
Failure to designate accurate levels of danger!
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel says that one of the major reasons the sex offender registry isn’t very effective here in Michigan, is because it’s too vague. More specifically, it doesn’t properly designate which offenders are truly dangerous, and which aren’t. Well, we’ve been saying this for years! Being labeled a sex offender and being lumped in with child pornographers and violent rapists when all a teen did was have consensual sex with their girlfriend doesn’t make sense! We certainly agree that registration changes are needed to differentiate between violent offenses and technical violations such as those described in the Romeo and Juliet laws in Michigan.
According to Attorney General Nesser, the registry was initially designed to be a better tool for law enforcement to protect the public. However now, it has gotten larger without including a way to distinguish which offenders are the most dangerous. But that’s not the only reason it’s lost its effectiveness over time, Nessel points out. There’s also the issue of it being too punitive. Hmmmmm. We’re scratching our head.
Too many restrictions make it impossible to live by!
Being on the registry is pretty intrusive. The best way to avoid that intrusiveness is to not commit a sex crime. However, as we said above, non-violent offenses are different than violent one. The level of restriction, which limit many aspects of an offenders daily life, once a person gets out of prison, hurts their ability to get treated and re-enter society.
Between requiring that they register their cars and addresses and email info with the cops, report all job changes and vacations out of state, and public safety.” Nessel says. “Simply put, the state Sex Offender Registration Act has gone far beyond its purpose and now imposes burdens that are so punitive in their effect that they negate the state’s public safety justification.”
And then there’s the issue of bullying!
The opinion that our sex offender registry is set up to encourage people to ‘tattle’ on offenders has created a system where individuals use the registry as a way to “act as vigilantes” and bully others for perceived slights. “There are certainly dangerous sexual predators and the public needs to be protected from them,” Nessel agrees, “But the current requirements are not the way to achieve that goal.”
Here at The Kronzek Firm we’ve been saying this for decades! Our experienced sex crime defense attorneys know exactly how limiting the restrictions of the sex offender registry can be. Which is why we’ve successfully helped so many people fight sex crime charges over the years, and why we help people who are currently on the registry to get their names off it! Need help? Call 866 766 5245 (866 7No Jail) today and let us protect you too.