TX- CHILDREN ON SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY

7-28-2009 Texas:

A recent Dallas Morning News analysis found about 4,000 people on the Texas sex offender registry for crimes committed as juveniles.

About a thousand were younger than 14 at the time of their crimes. Children as young as 10 have been on the registry.

"I'm absolutely a little bit shocked that kids that young can be on the list," Michele Deitch, a University of Texas law professor who teaches juvenile justice policy, said in a recent interview.

She and other experts say public registration of juveniles contradicts the purpose of juvenile justice: to give kids a second chance.

A child must be at least 10 to be handled by the state juvenile justice system, so a judge may order an offender that young to register.

Some experts say most juvenile offenders do not reoffend. Their chances for rehabilitation may be hampered by public registration. Publicizing their names and addresses often leads to social isolation because other parents don't want their kids associating with sex offenders, they say.

For one family's story and a deeper look at the issues reported by Diane Jennings, go to dallasnews.com/crimeblog. ..Source.. by WFFA.com