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41 Colum. J.L. & Soc. Probs. 479 (2007-2008)
Setting Their Record Straight: Granting Wrongly Branded Individuals Relief from Sex Offender Registration

handle is hein.journals/collsp41 and id is 487 raw text is: Setting Their Record Straight: Granting Wrongly Branded Individuals Relief from Sex Offender Registration SHAWNDRA JONES* Sex offender-- the label itself produces a vile image in the minds of many. This image is often validated by the media's portrayals of sex of- fenders and sex scandals. Faced with such validation and vocal critics, legislators increasingly pass legislation easing the manners through which states may publicly label those convicted of sex offenses. Yet the ability to remove labels from those who erroneously receive them has become more difficult in many ways. This Note examines the plight of some of those falsely accused sex offenders and focuses on recent methods for them to obtain relief. It suggests that many of these methods are inadequate and argues it is necessary to implement additional reforms under state law to remove the names of the wrongly convicted from the most prominent labe- ling system - the sex offender list. The Note concludes by proposing a law incorporating various systems for clearing names, ensuring their removal from sex offender registries, and compensating those wrongly labeled indi- viduals. I. INTRODUCTION Even though they maintained their innocence and had a cor- roborated alibi, Samuel Scott and Douglas Echols were convicted * Editor-in-Chief, COLUM. J.L. & SOC. PROBS., 2007-2008. The author thanks Sylve- ster Jones, Delois Jones, Marquis Jones, her extended family, and friends for their pray- ers, love, encouragement, and support. She also thanks Professors Jeffrey Fagan and Philip Hamburger for their guidance and insight. Finally, the author is grateful to the Journal's members for their comments and edits. This Note is dedicated to the author's beloved grandparents, who encouraged her to seek truth and justice.