Published Tuesday, August 13, 2013 at 12:00 am / Updated at 9:23 am
UNO report: Nebraska sex offender law 'founded more on public emotion than good science'
"A newly released report questions whether public safety has improved since Nebraska adopted a state law that requires all convicted sex offenders to be listed on a public website.
The law, known as the Adam Walsh Act, was passed in 2009, but has been criticized as being too harsh on former offenders who committed minor crimes, are low risks to reoffend and have now become productive, law-abiding citizens.
A northwest Omaha man, who completed his probation four years ago for two federal child pornography convictions, said Monday that being listed on the state’s sex offender registry has been a “horrific” nightmare for him and his family.
Harassing signs have been put on his home and car, eggs have been thrown, and he said he has been unable to get better-paying jobs because of his listing on the Nebraska State Patrol’s website.
“And I’m one of the lucky ones. I’ve been able to keep my job,” said the man, who asked not to be named for fear of further harassment or loss of his job.
On Monday, a report done by the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s Consortium for Crime and Justice Research concluded that the Adam Walsh Act “was founded more on public emotion than good science, which is its fundamental shortcoming.”"
http://www.omaha.com/article/20130812/NEWS/130819754/1694
New Nebraska study suggests sex offender registry changes pushed by feds may do more harm than good
http://sentencing.typepad.com/sentencing_law_and_policy/
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