Do sex offender laws do more harm than good?

 

(KYTX) — It’s a story that has gotten national attention — a 19-year-old Indiana teen forced to register as a sex offender after having sex with a girl he thought was of age. It turned out she was only 14.

Now, many are asking if sex offender laws do more harm than good.

With the click of a mouse, you can find out who the registered sex offenders are in your neighborhood. But while it may provide some peace of mind to the people living nearby, critics argue the registry should be reserved for only dangerous criminals who are likely to re-offend.

State representative Matt Schaefer calls the current state laws counterproductive. saying the punishment needs to be determined on a case-by-case basis.