In July 1994, Jesse Timmendequas, 35, confessed to strangling, and raping seven year old Megan Kanka, his neighbor in Hamilton Township, New Jersey. He had pleaded guilty twice before to sexually assaulting small children. In 1981 a judge had labeled him a “ compulsive, repetitive sexual offender.”(Glaberson A1 1996). The killing of Megan generated enormous public outrage. New Jersey legislature responded by proposing Megan’s Law; a series of statues aimed at protecting the community from sex offenders. While …showed first 75 words of 4759 total…

…showed last 75 words of 4759 total…Megan’s Law are a good idea, however I don’t believe that these type laws will withstand constitutional standards. Finally, the issue of sexual crimes has many dimensions, involving the criminal justice system and the mental health field. An effective approach to preventing sex offenses should involve not only the legislature, but also police, prosecutors, judges, treatment personal, and researchers. All of these agencies must work together to reduce the problem of child molestation.