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Them Today, Us Tomorrow
The state of Idaho has overhauled its sex offender registration program. Offenders must now register upon release or when they move, and annually thereafter. There is a $10 administrative fee (read: tax) charged for the privilege. More significantly, for a nominal fee of $5, any person may obtain a list of registered sexual offenders by geographic area, such as by county or by zip code.
Interestingly, while failure to register is a felony with a maximum five year prison sentence, using the publicly available registry information for vigilantism (or other misuse) is only a misdemeanor not much of a deterrent for some.
Every prisoner, not just sex offenders, should be concerned about the precedents being set with sex offender laws. Because it won't take much for the various legislatures to extend these laws to the rest of us and make every convicted felon register for the rest of his or her life and have his/her name published on a list that any busybody can acquire and distribute.
-- S.S., ID Prisoner
Interestingly, while failure to register is a felony with a maximum five year prison sentence, using the publicly available registry information for vigilantism (or other misuse) is only a misdemeanor not much of a deterrent for some.
Every prisoner, not just sex offenders, should be concerned about the precedents being set with sex offender laws. Because it won't take much for the various legislatures to extend these laws to the rest of us and make every convicted felon register for the rest of his or her life and have his/her name published on a list that any busybody can acquire and distribute.
-- S.S., ID Prisoner
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