AK- Justices limit sex offender registry

I've read this decision several times today before posting it and am having a hard time believing so many justices actually took this courageous stance against overwhelming opinions to the contrary. However, given it is only applicable to folks in Alaska it doesn't help folks elsewhere. Lawyers should be studying this and applying it's logic wherever they can in other states. We will have to wait and see what developes as the decision gets around and construed by various legal minds.

7-26-2008 Alaska:

FAIRBANKS, Alaska — The Alaska Supreme Court says
the Alaska Sex Offender Registration Act can't be used to punish people convicted of sex crimes before the act was passed by the Legislature.

The decision issued Friday involves a man convicted of sexually abusing his daughter in 1985.

He served his sentence and was released in 1990. He completed parole in 1991 and probation in 1995.

The Legislature in 1994 passed the sex offender registration act.

The ruling Friday says the requirement for the man to provide personal information, which was then made publicly available in the sex offender database, was punitive.

The state sex offender registry is off-line until Monday, according to a note on the site. ..News Source.. by Fort Mills Times.com