Every state has addressed the registration and/or publication of a database of convicted sex offenders returned to parole or probation supervision. Your research assignment is to select a state (your home state, or the state where you live now, or some other state of your choosing) for which you will conduct internet research. Your research paper must cover topics including, but not limited to:
1 Your state’s regulations that are specific to registration of the sex offender, that is, tell what crimes trigger sex offender registration. Many sex offenses fall under the registration law while others do not. Within this topic heading provide a link to your state’s laws which establish the triggering crimes. (In your paper identify this discussion as “Topic 1.”)
2 Procedural guidelines related to the implementation of the registration/registry publication program. Information should typically include: a) How long after release or moving into a city/state do they have to register? b) For how long must they register and verify their address? c) What information must the registrant provide? d) Who pays for registration/publication? Within this topic heading provide at least these three links: a) a link to your state’s law establishing the procedures, b) a link to your state’s offender registry, and c) a link to the registry page displaying sex offenders who reside within your neighborhood or ZIP code (clearly identify this link as being from your neighborhood or ZIP). (In your paper identify this discussion as “Topic 2.”)
3 What are the punishments (category of offense [felony or misdemeanor and grade or level] and term of confinement/fine) for noncompliance with the registration requirements? Within this topic heading provide a link to your state’s penal code, code of criminal procedure, etc., which establishes these punishments. (Punishments for sex offenses is not sought here, only for noncompliance with registration requirements.) (In your paper identify this discussion as “Topic 3.”)
4 Are there Constitutional challenges? Be specific — have there been any court challenges to the state registration law? If so, describe the court case in manner similar to topic 7 below; within this topic heading provide a link to the case. If there are no challenges within your state, you may research challenges in another state if you desire. (In your paper identify this discussion as “Topic 4.”)
5 State your belief whether the laws regulating sex offender lifestyle have gone too far. If you believe they have, in what way? If you believe they are reasonable, state why. Use critical thinking skills (defined at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critical_thinking and http://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/defining-critical-thinking/766 to define your response. Your discussion of this topic must contain at least 250 words. (In your paper identify this discussion as “Topic 5.”)
6 State your belief whether legislation regulating sex offender registration/publication is or is not Constitutional. (Ensure you review the Bill of Rights before you give your opinion.) Use critical thinking skills to define your response. Your discussion of this topic must contain at least 250 words. (In your paper identify this discussion as “Topic 6.”)
7 U.S. Supreme Court cases. In addition to the case you discussed in Topic 4, research two U.S. Supreme Court cases dealing with issues related to sex offender registration. In each case brief state the following: the parties to the case and the case citation; the facts of the case; how the lower courts (trial and appellate) decided; and how the U.S. Supreme Court decided — if the lower decision was affirmed or reversed, and how the justices voted. You may want to refer to cases decided during 2003 wherein the Court decided cases out of CT and AK (or others). FindLaw.com is a good site to perform your research. Within this topic heading provide links to both cases. Cases decided by a state supreme court or an appeals court other than SCOTUS are not acceptable for this topic; cases must be U.S. Supreme Court — ensure your cases are U.S. Supreme Court cases and not a state’s supreme court. I cannot envision a detailed and complete case brief being less than 200 words, thus this section should contain at least 400 words total. (In your paper identify this discussion as “Topic 7.”)
Use the words “Topics 1-7” as your topic headings and below each topic heading provide the results of your research. This is the format for your paper: topic headings, the results of your research regarding that topic, and links to the sites you researched for that topic. I repeat: topic heading, your research, sites researched. (Do not repeat in your paper the description of the topics to be responded to; merely use the words “Topics 1-7.”) APA or MLA format is not required, essay style is fine.