Everyone who is convicted of a sex offense in Denver, Arapahoe or Adams County such as Rape – C.R.S. 18-3-402, Sexual Assault on a Child – C.R.S. 18-3-405, or Unlawful Sexual Contact – C.R.S. 18-3-404 will be required to register as a sex offender. Sex offender registry and public notification has not been proven to work; in fact, recent studies show that the opposite is true. Instead, sex offender registration cuts sex offenders off from society, and can cause them to reoffend. Also, notifying the public of their name and address only incites fear, and can create opportunities for blame to be placed on innocent people. In a recent case in Jefferson County, a woman stabbed her child and herself, and then blamed it on a sex offender in the area, even identifying a photo. It turned out the man wasn't even connected with the crime.

Sex Offender Registration Doesn't Keep Us Safe in Denver

Two studies show that sex offender registration doesn't help with public safety, or keep offenders from re-offending. Instead, one study reports that “registered offenders may actually be more likely” to reoffend when “subject to community notification.” Why then does this legislature exist? The average citizen in Jefferson, Douglas or Broomfield County often doesn't think about the constitutionality or helpfulness of a law if it is done in the name of “public safety.” The general public also believes that sex offenders should be punished more than other offenders because they are “more dangerous.” What they don't realize is that there are other consequences to this legislation: Homes with a sex offender living in the neighborhood are worth less than comparable homes farther away ($5,500 less), and people don't know what to do with the knowledge that a sex offender is living in the area. Sex offenders are often cut off from the very people and society that can help them to recover from their behavior. Instead, they can become targets, like the man who was accused of the knife attack in Jefferson County.

If you are a registered sex offender in Larimer, Weld or Denver County, contact us for a free consultation. You may meet the requirements to petition the court to deregister and remove yourself from the sex offender registry. Contact an experienced criminal defense attorney at the O'Malley Law Office at 303-830-0880. Or, submit the “Get Help Now” form. Together, we can protect your future.

Sources:

• J.J. Prescott and Jonah E. Rockhoff, “Do Sex Offender Registration and Notification Laws Affect Criminal Behavior?” Journal of Law and Economics 54:1
• Amanda Y. Agan, “Sex Offender Registries: Fear Without Function?” Journal of Law and Economics 54:1.
• 7 News – The Denver Channel: http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/local-news/mother-charged-with-stabbing-her-child-then-herself-and-falsely-blaming-a-sneak-attack