Q: Is megan's law part of a criminal sentence? Can it be applied to a civil decision?
A: Sex offenders are required to register with their local authorities with their names, addresses, and places of employment after they have finished their sentences. That is a portion of the punishment they face upon their release from prison. Due to Section 170101(d) of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (42 U.S.C. 14071(d)), which is more popularly known by its short title “Megan’s Law,” they are required to register more frequently and with greater consequences to their daily lives and social interactions. The greater security that this law promises to provide comes at the expense of the rights of the offenders. They may have committed one or many heinous crimes, but their punishment should be during their imprisonment, not upon their release. Exactly how it would be applied or admissible in a civil case depends on factors too numerous to attempt to elaborate on here.
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