Disproving Myths About the California Sex Offender Registry (PC 290)
Anyone who has been required to register as a sex offender knows that being placed on the sex offender registry carries a negative stigma. However, not all sex offenders are the same. That is why the California Sex Offender Management Board (CASOMB) released a new video dispelling some of the myths about the sex offender registry and the offenders on the list. Let’s take a look at some of those myths.
Myth: It Costs Nothing to Maintain the Sex Offender Registry
Having to register as a sex offender is a consequence of committing certain sex crimes. However, people who are placed on the registry aren’t the only ones paying this consequence, according to the CASOMB. There are currently more than 100,000 people on the sex offender registry in California, and there is a high cost to taxpayers to keep track of all these people.
Sex offender for registration is for life, so as new offenders are added to the list, the cost of maintaining it continues to increase.
Myth: The Sex Offender Registry Increases Public Safety
The main reason the sex offender registry exists is to increase public safety. The idea is that keeping track of these sex offenders will help curtail the danger they present to the community. However, the CASOMB states there is little evidence that the sex offender registry has an impact on public safety.
Myth: All Sex Offenders are the Same
When most people think of sex crimes, they likely think of violent acts of rape or sex crimes committed against children. These are some of the more serious sex crimes, but the sex offender registry includes offenders who were convicted of minor sex crimes as well.
Additionally, sex offender registrants differ in age, gender, ethnicity and economic status. The CASOMB emphasizes that current system of treating all sex offenders the same is not helpful.
Myth: Sex Offenders Have a High Re-Offense Rate
One of the greatest myths that CASOMB addresses is that most sex offenders represent a high risk for reoffending. In truth, persons on the list who qualified as “high risk offenders” only have a 29% chance of committing a new offense within five years of being released from prison. “Low risk offenders” reoffend at a rate less than 1%.
Myth: Most Sex Crimes are Committed by Current Sex Offenders
According to the CASOMB, the biggest issue with California’s sex offender registry is that there is no system in place for risk assessment. Serious offenders are provided the same treatment as low level offenders, giving the public the idea that any sex offender could be at a high risk of re-offending. The reality is that most sex crimes are committed by first-time offenders.
So How Should California Change the Sex Offender Registry?
According to the CASOMB, a push in California to take risk assessment of sex offenders into account is the best way to change the sex offender registry. When all sex offenders aren’t treated the same way, the state’s resources can be used more effectively.
Contact the Sex Crimes Attorneys at Wallin & Klarich
If you or a loved one is facing sex crime charges, your entire future is at stake. Being required to register as a sex offender will impact you for the rest of your life. That is why you should speak to an experienced sex crimes attorney immediately. At Wallin & Klarich, our sex crimes defense attorneys have over 35 years of experience successfully defending our clients facing sex crime charges. Let us help you now.
With offices in Orange County, Riverside, San Bernardino, Victorville, Los Angeles, West Covina, Torrance and San Diego, you can find an experienced Wallin & Klarich criminal defense attorney near you no matter where you are located.
Call us now at (877) 4-NO-JAIL or (877) 466-5245 for a free phone consultation. We will be there when you call.
