Civic Research Institute This is a loose-leaf 3-hole notebook to accommodate the yearly supplements. Yearly Supplements are available on changes that may occur and significant new cases. Civil commitment of sexual predators, central registries of sex offenders, and community notification laws are the society's attempt to respond to the reality of sexual offenses. The purpose and intent is to reduce their frequency and protect the citizenry. There is considerable controversy about the laws and the results are not yet fully clear. There is serious questioning of their effectiveness with some making the argument that the effect is increased sexual offenses and reduced safety. In the meantime, the legal process is producing a growing body of case law and applications of the sexual predator laws. As the laws have been implemented, it has become apparent that the cost is a troublesome issue and the number of states with such laws has stabilized at 17 while other states are more carefully examining both their effectiveness and whether or not state budgets can bear the burden. All professionals who are working in states with sexual predator laws and all who are involved in the basic attempt to control sexuality need to have extensive knowledge and comprehension of the laws, the outcomes, the legal process, and relevant scientific research. Judges, lawmakers, attorneys, mental health professionals, academic researchers, social pundits and activists, and media professionals need balanced and objective information about the laws. There is much passion and intensity associated with how the laws are perceived and it is important to be able to sift through a lot of speculation, unsupported dogmas, and ideological posturing to make progress toward the goals of the laws. This Sourcebook provides the careful reader with the ability to see what the questions are and what facts are known to work for improvement and for progress in fairness and effectiveness. The book is divided into three parts. Part I presents the practices in the field and the issues that have arisen. The legal challenges to the statutes and procedures of registration and notification includes both punishment and non-punishment based arguments. This information is objective and balanced. Part II is a summary of the relevant cases, both federal and state, and the issues they raise. There is a brief description of those issues and an index by issue is provided at the end of the annotated list. Part III has the laws and guidelines. Tables summarize the main provisions and the differences between the statutes on a state-by-state and federal basis. The the laws are given verbatim. Then the guidelines for implementation are printed out. There is nothing else that puts this wealth of information together in an accessible, user-friendly way as this book does. The plan for yearly supplements to make clear what changes and developments there have been makes it an essential tool for any professional who has the ambition to be responsible and fair in dealing with the laws and the broader concerns they raise for the society and our legal institutions. Anybody who does not seek to learn what this book has to offer would have a hard time being an effective and responsible professional in responding to sexual predator laws. We recommend it without reservation. Reviewed by Ralph Underwager, Institute for Psychological Therapies.
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