Sex offense recidivism, risk assessment, and the Adam Walsh Act

Sex offenses are among the most egregious and frightening crimes committed by criminal offenders. Since the early 1990s, increasingly strict legislation has been enacted to track, monitor, apprehend, and punish sexual criminals. The Jacob Wetterling Act, passed by the U.S. Congress in 1994, established requirements that sex offenders must register their whereabouts with law enforcement agencies. In 1996, Megan’s Law allowed for the public disclosure of registry information, and subsequent amendments to the Wetterling Act required states to post information about convicted sex offenders on Internet websites. In 2006, the Adam Walsh Act (AWA) enhanced registration and notification requirements, expanded the duration of registration time periods, and increased penalties for sex offenders who fail to register. States are mandated to comply with federal guidelines or risk losing federal funding. According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, it is estimated that there are currently over 617,000 registered sex offenders in the United States. Indubitably, sexual violence is a social problem deserving of attention, and communities are entitled to protection from repeat sex predators. The daunting challenge is to determine the strategies most likely to achieve goals of prevention and improved publi