Registration1 and community notification2 laws originated in the United States, with international adoption of these policies expanding to other countries in subsequent years. Federal and local laws in the United States, as well as a few other Western countries, often require children and adolescents adjudicated for a sexual crime to “register” their living location and other personal information with the local law enforcement agency on a regular basis. This requirement varies in its duration, but can continue for the rest of the child’s or adolescent’s life. Further, in some jurisdictions, identifying information is posted on the internet and is available to the general public – the most common form of “community notification.” Failure of the child or adolescent to comply with registration requirements is a crime.
The purpose of this paper is to review the emergence and development of sexual offender registration and community notification (SORN) laws, identify how these laws have been applied to children and adolescents adjudicated for a sexual crime, and consider the extent to which these laws:
• Are based on research and scientific knowledge;
• Reduce the chances that others will be victimized in the future by those who are required to register;
• Prevent offending by those who have not previously been adjudicated or convicted for a sexual crime;
• Provide actionable information to law enforcement for criminal investigation purposes and to enable the public to take preventive action; and
• Meet their intended goals of preventing sexual abuse and increasing community safety.