Sex Offenders Laws in California essay

The national legislation concerning sex offenders implies the introduction of the registration and notification, but each state have its own jurisdiction and specific legislative norm in regard to both registration and notification. In such a situation, it should be pointed out that different states had a different attitude to the introduction of registration and notification. In this respect, it should be said that such states as California were among the major proponents of the introduction of the registration and notification. Local specialists and law enforcement agencies , according to Sex Offender Registration in California (2005), underline that the introduction of the registration and notification contributed to the improvement of the current situation in the state and proved to be an effective means of the prevention of sex offenses. In such a situation, it is quite logical that specialists (Sex Offenders Registration in California, 2005) insist on the necessity of continuing the registration requirement, though there are certain apprehensions concerning its further effectiveness, since some law enforcement agencies argue that the registration and notification are not really effective in the prevention of recidivism.

Nevertheless, it should be said that California traditionally supported the introduction of Jacob Metterling Act and Megan’s Law. As a result, the state legislation concerning the registration of sex offenders may be considered as quite strict. At this point it is worth mentioning that the Penal Code paragraph 290 reads:

“Every person described in paragraph (2), for the rest of his or her life while residing in California, or while attending school or working in California, as described in subparagraph (G), shall be required to register with the chief of police of the city in which he or she is residing”¦ within five working days of coming into, or changing his or her residence within any city, county, or city and county, or campus he or she temporarily resides” (p.13).

Basically, the state legislation targets at the establishment of strict norms of the registration in order to maximize the security of the community since such an approach to the registration limits consistently the opportunities for sex offenders. Though, at the same time, it also limits consistently their freedom in the community.



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