Sex offender database - Essay Example

nder and had been released, have served to help stir up public outcry and outrage, but it is debated whether the reactions to this demand have been wise. Several pieces of legislation have been proposed and adopted that are intended to toughen punishments for sex offenders despite evidence that fear of punishment has little to no effect upon commission of the crimes involved while they serve to also undermine the basic human rights and privileges we all enjoy as Americans and must work to protect.

In an attempt to decrease the ability of sex offenders to re-offend by moving to an unaware community and slipping the notice of the law, Florida and many other states began enacting legislation designed to put greater constraints upon freed sex offenders by requiring greater legal involvement. In 2005, Jessica’s Law, named after a young girl who was raped and murdered by a previously convicted sex offender, was enacted in the state of Florida and has since been introduced, in a revised form, to federal ranks.

It introduces a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 25 years followed by lifetime electronic monitoring for sex offenders convicted of engaging in ‘lewd or lascivious acts against a victim less than 12 years old’ (Florida Statutes, 2007). Those found guilty of sexual battery or rape of a child less than 12 are convicted of a capital felony with sentencing limited to death or life imprisonment with no chance of parole (Florida Statutes, 2007). As it has been introduced at the federal level, Jessica’s Law requires the use of GPS devices on all sex offenders for a period of five years after they are released from prison unless they are considered to be sexual predators, in which case they are required to wear the ankle devises for life.

Under the current proposed legislation, states must incur the expense of tracking these devices for each offender and must also engage in a mailing of sex offender registration forms randomly at least twice per year as a