Megan's Law is the colloquial term used to denote a number of state laws in the United States that require law enforcement authorities to identify what are generally called sex offenders to the public at large through various media, including in some cases the Internet.

The characteristic feature of the laws requires those subject to it to notify the local police department of any change of address after being released from prison; this requirement may be imposed permanently upon the offender, or for a fixed period of time (usually at least ten years) depending on the individual state, and sometimes on the nature or gravity of the specific offense. Some states that have such a law require persons convicted of any sexual assault, whether the victim was a child or not, to notify the authorities of their whereabouts; some states require notification only for certain types of sexual assaults (usually the more egregious crimes); and at least one state — Kansas — extended the requirement to persons convicted of consensual sodomy, which was illegal in that and some other U.S. states before the Supreme Court of the United States declared state laws prohibiting consensual sodomy unconstitutional in June of 2003.

The first Megan's Law was passed in New Jersey in 1994 after the rape and murder of Megan Nicole Kanka by Jesse Timmendequas, a convicted sex offender who was living across the street from her. The Megan Nicole Kanka Foundation suggests that "Every parent should have the right to know if a dangerous sexual predator moves into their neighborhood."

In 1996, the federal Megan's Law was passed (U.S. Public Law 104-145).^* Authored by Congressman Dick Zimmer, it requires every state to develop some procedure for notifying concerned people when a person convicted of certain crimes is released near their homes. Different states have different procedures for making the required disclosures. Libertarians, pro-sex feminists and gay rights activists have criticized Megan's Law because the sex offender registry includes those who commited consensual crimes in addition to sex predators.The incidents in which one could become a sex offender include streaking, skinny dipping and mooning. Sodomy(pre Lawrence v Texas), adultery and fornication are also crimes in which one could become a sex offender. Another criticism of Megan's Law comes from police officers, prosecutors and victim's rights adovocates. These critics instead favor life imprisonment for the most dangerous sex predators , especially for child molesters. Authorities in the United Kingdom are currently holding talks about the possible introduction of a variation of Megan's Law, called Sarah's Law, named in memory of Sarah Payne

See also

• AMBER Alert
• Amie Zyla
• Sarah's Law - campaign for a similar law in the United Kingdom
• Wetterling Act

External links

• Illinois Sex Offender Registry Web site
• California Megan's Law web site, CA Dept. of Justice
• New York Megan's Law web site, NYS Div. of Criminal Justice Services
• Politics and Irrelevance: Community Notification Statutes - Critical view of notification laws.
• Megan's Law - More info about Megan's Law.
• Megan's Law Turns 10 Do the Sex Offender Registries Work?

Megan-leĝo | ミーガン法