The Registry, for sex related criminal records, does not cure anything nor has it saved any child’s life nor has it really done anything for society other than make some residents feel angry, disgusted and rebellious over who is living in their neighborhood.

The Registry is not accurate^{1 less than 75% of the addresses listed could have been correct, as at least of 25% were false addresses, empty lots or businesses. http://www.examiner.com/article/how-accurate-are-sex-offender-registries}and it can not determine when, where or how another sex related crime will occur. For example, let us say your hard working neighbor with a family and a dog is on the local registry and you see him or her go to work every day then return in the evening to attend community and family functions. Would this lift an eyebrow as to what deviant and unusual activities the person may be up to at any given time? Probably not. But if you saw a single middle age, scruffy looking apparently unemployed man who never really left his house often; then one may say to your self, he is definitely up to no good and I want him out of my neighborhood.

The truth of the matter is that you do not know what any of these registered persons may really be doing. The well mannered husband who is employed and eats dinner with his family every night could be the biggest criminal in your neighborhood. While the scruffy looking guy could be isolated to his computer all day because he is a world class computer programmer or sells products online and is stuck sitting at his terminal all day to get orders filled. The bottom line is: do you really know who is doing what and when. Your “family-man” could be a member of a child abuse-related syndicate and he meets every Thursday at a bar in downtown hotel to organize his deals with other members. While the scruffy guy is basically making a hundred and fifty grand a month and is saving for a warehouse in New York where he can expand his business to.

The other important factor in the “search for predators” scare is, do we really help anyone or protect anyone by keeping tabs on people who are on the registry? I know that the State of Arizona has a new Registry for owners and pilots of these four bladed flying drones^{2 http://registrationfordrones.com/arizona-drone-registration/} so that the FAA can have someone to point their finger at when it comes time to collect an insurance policy relating to damages or death caused by one of these drones flying into a plane. Sort of in the model of why we have registration for automobiles, so that insurance companies can be sure who the owner is (and so that States can get budget information based on types and number of of vehicles). All of these last two registration systems are good for preparation and resolution within the limits of the programs.

Can you tell me if any sex-related crime records system—the Registry—can insure or compile instances of fact to prepare or resolve any crime against a child? I would love to see reports or stories of such and would be welcome to post them on this Website if you can show me any such material.

Do you know where your sex offender is tonight?

01/24/2015 aside: I found this while looking for work which requires a background check. Services provided by this reputable large national background check service listed s.o. registry search as offered:

Sex Offender Registry
Price: $8
What’s Checked:
National Sex Offender Registry (48 states)
Does not include CA or NV – our interpretation of the legislation in those states is that the info from their sex offender websites should not be used for employment purposes, mainly due to inaccurate info

So you may have noticed the disclaimer at the end of this price sheet claiming to no accuracy on CA, NV websites; the part they did not want to include was that in CA The website at  www.meganslaw.ca.gov was established by the California Department of Justice pursuant to a 2004 California law for the purpose of allowing the public for the first time to use their personal computers to view information on sex offenders required to register with local law enforcement under California’s Megan’s Law.

California Penal Code Section 290.4(d) (2).

However, there is an exception.  According to California law, a  person is authorized to use information disclosed pursuant to this section only to protect a person at risk. California Penal Code Section 290.4(d) (1).

The problem for employers that want to use this information is that there is no legal definition for the term  a “person at risk.”  Neither the California Penal code, the legislative history of the section or the Megan’s law website defines a “person at risk.” ^{3 http://www.esrcheck.com/wordpress/2009/07/16/california-sex-offender-search-employment-screening-background-check/} and NV has recognized, pretty much, the same injunctive action.