Megan's Law: Protection is more important than privacy In 1994, twice convicted sex offender Jesse Timmendequas raped and killed Megan Kanka, a child seven-year-old who lived across the street. In reaction to this emotionally charged crime, Megan's home state of New Jersey ratified a community notification bill – nicknamed "Megan's Law" – just three months later. A national version of the law went into effect this fall requiring all fifty states to notify citizens in writing of convicted sex offenders in their communities. Certainly, society has a responsibility to protect children from sex offenders, and many believe Megan's Law is the best course of action. However, others believe this is an unwarranted intrusion on the privacy rights of individuals who have already paid their debts to society. Megan Kanka should still be alive today, and as a society, we have an undeniable responsibility to prevent such tragedies from happening again. which will take place in the future. We must not simply respond when sexual crimes occur, but must, instead, take an active role in preventing them in the first place. Megan's Law is an effective attempt by lawmakers to help us achieve this goal. In fact, it helps prevent these crimes by protecting children, our most defenseless citizens, from those most likely to put them in harm's way. Megan's Law operates under the logic that responsible parents, once informed that a designated "high risk" sex offender lives nearby, will be able to prevent their children from becoming victims of another attack. One of its main reasons is the high recidivism rate associated with sexual assault crimes. Not even considering the large number of sexual crimes that go unreported each year… half the paper… unit. For this reason, under the Freedom of Information Act of 1974, criminal records are a matter of public record. Megan's Law can be considered a logical extension of this law, channeling information to those who need it most. Criminal records must be brought to light where the well-being of others is at stake. Privacy is a precious privilege, but it is not a right that overrides the common good of our society. Ultimately, the debate over Megan's Law boils down to one question: How can we best ensure the safety of our children and the safety of our children? community? Because of the very high recidivism rate associated with sex crimes, because society has a duty to protect those who cannot protect themselves, and because concerns for the good of our society as a whole outweigh any individual right to privacy, it is It is imperative that Megan's protection The law must be maintained.