Having non-consensual sex is a crime of various degrees and circumstances. People who are convicted of this crime may be put on a federal registry by state to be tracked. The public may have access to these listings to see if there are sex offenders living in their neighborhood. When placed in a registry, it can be very difficult or almost impossible to get off the list.
There are also laws that make it a crime to travel overseas to have sex with minors.
The sourced articles below should contain more information on sex offenders and how they can be tracked.
- What Is A Sex Offender Registry?
“It’s natural to want to take steps to keep your kids and family safe. One of the ways to be proactive about safety is by staying informed of who is living and working in your neighborhood.”
Online Resource, rainn.org, accessed on 4/5/2018
- Sex Offender Registry Websites
“The National Sex Offender Public Website—coordinated by the Department of Justice—enables every citizen to search the latest information from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and numerous Indian tribes for the identity and location of known sex offenders.”
Online resource, fbi.gov, accessed on 4/5/2018
- International Megan’s Law: One Year Later
“One year to the date of its enactment, Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) reports that the International Megan’s Law is already having the intended effect of reducing the threat of child sex tourism. Smith, who authored the bill, met today with a delegation from Thailand who expressed deep gratitude for the enactment of the law.”
News Release, chrissmith.house.gov, 2/8/2017
- Sex Offender Enactments Database
“The full text of bills is available by clicking on the bill number.”
Online Resource, ncsl.org, 12/1/2016; (Broken link removed 12/2024)
- Congress Passes Bill To Track International Travel Of Sex Offenders
“The passport identifier would be one of several actions to track sex offenders. The bill would also establish the ‘Angel Watch Center’ to monitor sex offenders attempting to enter or exit the United States.”
Online Resource, govtrackinsider.com, 2/3/2016
- States Slowly Scale Back Juvenile Sex Offender Registries
“After years of establishing and strengthening sex offender registries, some states are rethinking policies allowing juveniles to be placed on them.”
Rebecca Beitsch, pewtrusts.org, 11/19/2015
- Welcome To Pariahville
“They live in this exile, of course, because there is nothing lower than their kind.”
Jay Kirk, gq.com, 4/27/2015
- Pros and Cons Of Sex Offender Rules Still Debated
“Soon after it was enacted, Megan’s Law faced a series of legal challenges from public defenders, civil liberties advocates and others who questioned its constitutionality. Federal and state courts have been mostly consistent in rejecting the arguments, ruling that public safety concerns outweigh the privacy or equal-protection claims of sex offenders.”
Kibret Markos, washingtontimes.com, 11/1/2014