Stop Registering Kids and Young Adults: The Truth Lawmakers Must Confront
In their article Young People Caught in the Net of Sex Offender Registries, Riya Saha Shah and Jennica Janssen reveal the profound, life‑altering consequences that sex offender registration imposes on youth and young adults. Their work underscores a painful truth: if legislators responsible for crafting and approving these harsh penalties truly examined the research, they would see how deeply inappropriate, and fundamentally unjust, registries are for juveniles and young adults whose actions often stem from immaturity, not predation.
As the article highlights, sex offender registries were designed to protect public safety, but for thousands of children, they have become a source of lifelong punishment. Despite research showing that over 97% of youth adjudicated for sexual offenses never reoffend, a majority of states in the US continue to place children on sex offender registries — sometimes for life. These laws impose severe barriers to housing, employment, education, travel, and daily functioning, and they often cause significant psychological and physical harm.
Registries sweep in a wide range of behaviors, from consensual adolescent sexual activity to serious offenses, and disproportionately impact young adults, Black, Brown, Indigenous, LGBTQ+ youth, and youth with disabilities. Many registered youth and young adults have themselves been victims of sexual abuse or live in group homes or foster care, where heightened surveillance increases the likelihood of system involvement.
Public awareness of this issue remains low. However, when people learn how youth registration actually works, most oppose it. In a study of 1,384 participants, nearly 60% disagreed that registration was appropriate for the youth described, and large majorities rejected community notification laws and residency restrictions for children.
Evidence‑based interventions exist and are highly effective at addressing problematic sexual behaviors in youth. Nearly 85% of surveyed individuals believed youth are capable of rehabilitation with proper support, underscoring that punitive registration laws are both unnecessary and harmful. You can review the full article, as published on the American Bar Association’s website here.
The article calls for a shift away from criminalization and toward treatment, prevention, and rehabilitation — and directs readers to the Juvenile Law Center’s Labeled for Life report for a detailed breakdown of each state’s youth registration laws and additional resources.