Deck 9: Sex Offender Registration, Notification, and Civil Commitment Statutes: Due Process Vs Community Safety: Barbara Sims Megan Reynolds Leah Taylor

Question 1

Which of the following statements BEST describes the overall purpose of sex offender registration?

A) To allow the public an opportunity to confront sex offenders who are living in their neighborhoods.
B) To alert local law enforcement as to the whereabouts of sex offenders within their jurisdiction.
C) To give notice to the local media who have an interest in reporting on sex offenders.
D) All of these.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

In ___________________, the U.S. Congress passed legislation requiring states to set up and maintain a sex offender and child abuse registry.

A) Megan's Law.
B) Pam Lychner Sexual Offender Tracking and Identification Act.
C) Walsh Act.
D) None of these.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

The _______________ categorizes sex offenders based on the seriousness of the offense (Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3).

A) Megan's Law.
B) Pam Lychner Sexual Offender Tracking and Identification Act.
C) Walsh Act.
D) None of these.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

In Doe v. Poritz (1995), the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that ______________.

A) Civil commitment statutes are unconstitutional.
B) Sex offenders have a right to travel as they please with no restrictions.
C) Registration and notification statutes do not violate the constitutional rights of sex offenders.
D) Law enforcement cannot force a sex offender to let them know if they move from one address to another.

Question 5

In __________________, the U.S. Supreme Court rule upheld privacy rights for sex offenders who engaged in interstate travel prior to the passing of SORNA.

A) Carr v. U.S.
B) Kansas v. Hendricks.
C) Selig v. Young.
D) Kansas v. Crane.

Question 6

_________________ extended civil commitment to beyond the end of a federal prisoner's sentence if he or she is considered mentally ill and sexually dangerous.

A) Kansas v. Hendricks.
B) Selig v. Young.
C) Kansas v. Crane.
D) U.S. v. Comstock.

Question 7

Which of the following policies has been offered as an alternative to sex offender registration and notification?

A) Repealing this type of legislation.
B) Creating enhanced sentencing for convicted sex offenders who are especially dangerous.
C) Doing away with plea bargaining for truly dangerous sex offenders.
D) Both b and c.

Question 8

Which of the following statements is MOST true?

A) Most states will continue to move toward more, not less, punitive measures for dealing with convicted sex offenders.
B) Most states will move toward backing away from more severe punishment for sex offenders.
C) Most states will attempt to get out from under having to maintain registration and notification databases.
D) None of these is true.

Question 9

Which of the following findings were associated with Welchan's (2005) meta-analysis of studies designed to measure the effectiveness of sex offender notification and registration?

A) Some sex offenders are not aware of the notification requirement.
B) Some offenders who do know about these requirements fail to comply with the requirement.
C) Eighty percent of treatment providers believe that registration and notification will not protect children from being sexually abused.
D) All of these findings were part of Welchan's conclusions.

Question 10

Some critics of sex offender legislation argue that singling out this particular category of offenders for registration and notification (e.g., not requiring this of murderers, arsonists, etc.) violates the ___________________________ of the Fourteenth Amendment.

A) Cruel and unusual punishment prohibition.
B) Equal protection clause.
C) Due process clause.
D) Prohibition against double jeopardy.