NCJ Number
140126
Journal
Hamline Journal of Public Law and Policy Volume: 13 Issue: 1 Dated: (Spring 1992) Pages: 163-179
Date Published
1992
Length
17 pages
Annotation
A recently enacted Minnesota statute requiring the registration of sexual offenders with authorities when they are released from prison reflects public concern over sexual violence toward both children and adults.
Abstract
The findings of a 1991 Minnesota poll indicate that 64 percent favor keeping sexual offenders locked up and that over 50 percent favor castration or impotence drugs. The poll also states that a year after leaving prison, 10 percent of convicted rapists and 5 percent of convicted child molesters are arrested for new sex crimes. In contrast, a 3-year study by the Minnesota Department of Corrections tends to dispel the belief that released sexual offenders will recommit sexual crimes. Current legal options for sexual offenders in Minnesota include civil commitment for psychopathic personality, rehabilitation and increased prison term, and registration. The recently passed Minnesota Registration of Sex Offenders statute requires registration of any person convicted of the first three degrees of criminal sexual conduct if the victim is a minor. The statute does not provide for the registration of out-of- state sexual offenders who move into Minnesota. The registration term is for a 10-year period, with no consideration given to the seriousness of the offense requiring registration. Further, Minnesota does not permit the release of registration information to the public. Minnesota's statute is compared to the more stringent registration law covering sexual offenders in the State of Washington. 155 footnotes