Megan's Law

            R 2137, commonly known as Megan's Law, was put into action in 1996 after the rape and murder of seven year old Megan Kanka. Her killer was a twice-convicted sex offender, and had lured the young girl into his home with promises of candy and a puppy. This law, which falls under Public Policy as well as State policy since it is both statewide and federally implemented, was created namely to alert families in neighborhoods where convicted sex offenders chose to reside. While Megan's Law was initially created in order to protect young children, the law itself has proved to be controversial in many different aspects. Although several issues have been raised against the law, ultimately, if put to good use, Megan's Law will prove invaluable to families of young children everywhere. .
             In New Jersey, where Megan's law was first proposed, there are specific mandates that require a certain type of public notification upon the arrival of a convicted sex offender in a neighborhood. Criminals are categorized on a three tier system: Tier one is for those with a low risk of re-offense. Criminals that may fall into this category can be as mild as a 19-year-old boy being convicted of statutory rape for having sex with his 16-year-old girlfriend. Under the rules of Tier one, only law enforcement agencies that may come into contact with the offender will be notified. Tier two is for offenders whose risk of re-occurrence is moderate; In this case, in addition to law enforcement officials, any community, agency, or group which may come into contact with the offender must be contacted. This could mean a local neighborhood watch, or a local daycare in the area where the offender resides. If a convicted sex offender is deemed as Tier three, and therefore deemed as having a high chance of re-offense, any members of the community who may come into contact with the offender is to be contacted and informed, as well as schools, public officials, day cares, etc.