Laws Protecting Children

Internet Crimes

As bodies of law continue to develop in reaction to other innovations, including the Internet, several laws protecting children have been adopted by legislatures and enforced by court systems across the United States. Below are a few examples of laws protecting children and how they are handled as the legal process unfolds.

Child Protection and Safety Act

In July of 2006, President Bush signed the Child Protection Safety Act into law. The Child Protection and Safety Act accomplishes several things:

  1. Expands the National Sex Offender Registry - The law will integrate the databases of sex offenders around the country and allow law enforcement agencies to access this information that's already on record with other states or with federal authorities.
  2. Strengthens federal penalties for crimes against children - The federal penalties for child-related sex offenses now carry much stiffer penalties.
  3. Internet considerations - The law creates new regional Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforces that will assist law enforcement of all levels in arresting those who entice children on the Internet.

Megan's Law

In 1996, President Clinton signed Megan's Law and made it a federal statute. The federal version of Megan's Law requires all 50 states to release information to the public about known convicted sex offenders when it is necessary to protect their safety. Failure to release this information places the state or states that don't meet this requirement at risk of losing federal funding for crime-fighting purposes.

Sex Offender Registration

Sex offender registration statutes are in existence in every state, and although some of the details may differ in terms of point-by-point requirements, the basic requirements are similar. Generally, sex offender registration requires a convicted sex offender to:

  1. Register with the local law enforcement agency when he or she plans to move into a particular area;
  2. Maintain current contact information with this law enforcement agency for a period of years;
  3. Stay away from schools or day care centers for a period of years, although the actual distances can differ;
  4. Maintain current contact information with the state law enforcement agency or parole board, if applicable.
  5. Failure to comply with a sex offender registration requirement usually results in a felony that can include a prison term.

Overall, there have been several laws protecting children enacted both on the state and federal level. Three examples of these laws include the Child Protection and Safety Act, Megan's Law and sex offender registration statutes. Each of these laws can govern any situation, and for clarification regarding these issues, you need to contact us so that we can guide you through the often-complicated issue of jurisdiction. You owe it to yourself to protect your freedom, and our firm will help guide you through this process so that you can come to an ultimate solution to your problems. The most sure-fire way to make a situation such as this worse is to not comply with the requirements or to assume that these laws will not apply to you. Contact the firm today to make sure that you don't face unnecessary sanctions.

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