Megan’s Law

Megan’s Law was passed in May 1996 and as per this law States are required to make private and personal information on registered sex offenders available to the public. The States are allowed to determine the criteria for disclosure but there are many benefits of such a law. Community notification through Megan’s Law helps in law enforcement investigations, acts as a deterrent to sex offenders and helps citizens safeguard their children from any possible harm. Each state has a website which citizens can access to search for information they are seeking on sex offenders in the vicinity.

Most websites adhering to Megan’s Law allow the user to search for the location of a sex offender by name or address. As per this law these offenders are required to notify the local police department of their change of address after their release from prison. They might be required to do this forever or a particular period of time. All this depends on the State they live in and the nature of the crime committed. The sites dealing with Megan’s Law also provide helpful tips on how to protect and watch over your family and children at all times. It also lists useful resources related to this and provides official contacts in case an individual wants to make a report.

The law gets its name from seven-year-old Megan Kanka of New Jersey who was raped and killed by a neighbor who was a known child molester. The family did not know this and Megan was lured by the killer into his home on the pretext of giving her a puppy. Megan’s Law states that it is not meant to punish the offender or harass any person who is on the list. Controversy still rages on about whether Megan’s Law is a threat to an individual’s right to privacy. There are also concerns that at times innocent people or those with minor offences find themselves wrongly targeted.