Sex Offender Registration Laws
Overview and Recent Supreme Court Action
As a result of Federal legislation, all 50 States, the District of Columbia, and the Federal Government impose some form of registration requirement on sex offenders; nonetheless, sex offender registration and notification remain controversial. Beginning in 1994, Congress enacted a series of sex offender statutes that require States to institute registration programs for sexually violent predators and those convicted of offenses against children. These statutes require offenders to register with law enforcement agencies upon release from custody and obligate the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to maintain a national sex offender database. In addition, these statutes specify that local law…
