State audit indicates Missouri lost track of more than 1,200 registered sex offenders

An October 2018 audit conducted by officials in Missouri indicated that the whereabouts of 1,259 registered sex offenders was unknown. At the time of the audit, Missouri had approximately 16,000 convicted sex offenders listed on record. In addition to the audit results from Missouri officials, the Associated Press identified other states with similar challenges pertaining to sex offender registries. The state of Wisconsin had 2,735 missing registered sex offenders. A 2017 audit in Massachusetts indicated that nearly 1,800 registered sex offenders were missing from registry records.

According to a New York Times article from October 2, 2018: "Federal law requires states to register sex offenders and to notify the public when a convicted sex offender moves into a community. But despite the law's good intentions, it has been criticized for invading the privacy of those who have already been punished, then continuing to punish them. Those who remain on the sex offender registry often have difficulty finding work or a place to live. In addition, the registry is limited in how it can help. In many cases the victims of sex crimes know the offenders. Often, and especially when it comes to child sexual abuse, perpetrators are friends and family. According to the Department of Justice, only about 10% of perpetrators of child sexual abuse are strangers to the child."

Sources:

"Missouri Lost Track of More Than 1,200 Registered Sex Offenders, State Audit Finds," by Christina Caron. The New York Times. October 2, 2018. 

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/02/us/missouri-sex-offender-registry.html

" 'Disturbing and alarming': Whereabouts of almost 1,300 Missouri sex offenders unknown," by Jim Salter. The Associated Press. October 1, 2018. 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2018/10/01/missouri-has-lost-track-nearly-1-300-sex-offenders-state-audit/1493733002/

"Missouri has lost track of nearly 1,300 registered sex offenders: Audit," by David Lohr. The Huffington Post.com. October 2, 2018.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/missouri-lost-track-1300-registered-sex-offenders_n_5bb39a16e4b00fe9f4fb04f7

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