Sex crimes are serious and offer little opportunity for individuals to return to their normal lives if they are convicted. For example, when a person is charged with and convicted of rape in Indiana, they must register with the state’s sex offender registry. Inclusion on the registry can cause long-term challenges in the individual’s life beyond the sentences they receive from their rape conviction.
A brief history of the registry
Officially known as the Indiana Sex and Violent Offender Registry, the registry was established in 2003 by law and tasked the state’s sheriff’s departments with working together to create it. The registry lists the names, appearances and addresses of individuals who have been convicted of sex and violent crimes. It may be searched by individuals to see if sex offenders live in their communities.
The problematic nature of inclusion on the registry
In theory, public policy suggests that registries such as Indiana’s empower the public to better understand where alleged predators may live and if they are in specific communities. Unfortunately, many registries are incomplete, and others include bad or wrong information about those included on their lists.
Sometimes, registries are used to target men and women who have been labeled predators. This targeting can prevent them from finding homes and jobs and may even lead to higher rates of recidivism. In some communities, registries are used to target alleged offenders who see their property and lives destroyed.
Conviction from a rape charge can lead to serious problems for an individual, and inclusion on the registry can mean that the individual’s challenges can last for the rest of their life. There are ways for men and women to fight sexual assault and rape charges lodged against them. The legal professionals of Kammen & Moudy can help.