A lot of justification of the Sex Offender Registry centers around making the community feel safe by letting them know where the danger is. It is, of course, a false sense of security. Recidivism rates (under 10%, the lowest of any category of crime, including murder) have remained virtually unchanged since the 10 years before the sex offender laws came into effect.
Clearly, watching Sex Offenders has had little to no effect in reducing recidivism or preventing new sex crime, for the simple reason that the majority of new sex crime is committed by those who aren't on the Sex Offender Registry.
Which brings me to this interesting news story: Texas police officer accused of rape (link)
The public relies on the Sex Offender Registry and the police to watch Sex Offenders and keep them safe. But, who watches the watchers?
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