Thursday, January 8, 2015

Registries and Shaming Websites: Machinery That Transforms Victims Into Registered Citizens

Registries and public-shaming websites like the one we have in Nebraska do no one any good, and they inflict far more damage than our society is willing to admit.

We are blinded by the fear whipped up by politicians and others driven by hatred who need to feel better than some group, in this case Registered Citizens. Label a group dangerous, and it's easy to find buy-in for the hate.

Hate is profitable: Politicians win votes with their deft manipulation of hate. Punish-for-profit schemes (law enforcement grant programs, GPS / ankle-bracelet manufacturers, "child protection" software, commercial corrections management, etc.) blossom and thrive on hate.

As this story out of Portland, Oregon, makes clear, we're simply cycling generation after generation of victims of horrible crimes onto the registries. And the registry is designed to isolate you from the support and assistance you so desperately need, guaranteeing more hardship, more victims.

Registries and websites are the tools through which the sex-offender industry ensures that it will have a steady supply of sex offenders.

Registries and shaming websites do not serve a compelling public interest in community safety -- they subvert that interest.

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