Across the country, youth and young adults are being swept into sex offender registries that were never designed for them, saddling adolescents with lifelong penalties for behaviors often rooted in immaturity rather than predation. Despite overwhelming research showing that young people rarely reoffend and respond exceptionally well to treatment, the majority of states in the US continue to impose registration requirements that block access to housing, education, employment, and community life. These laws disproportionately harm vulnerable groups — including Black, Brown, Indigenous, LGBTQ+ youth and those with disabilities. As public awareness grows, so does the recognition that these punitive policies are ineffective, unjust, and urgently in need of reform.