Supreme Court Rules that Sex Offenders Can Be Held After their Prison Terms Expire

This is relieving.............

The Supreme Court has ruled that federal officials can hold inmates considered "sexually dangerous" for an indefinite period of time following the completion of their prison terms. CBS News reports that today's decision reversed a previous one made by the lower courts last year. The statute aims to control individuals who are likely to re-offend. Today's ruling marks a big decision in the history of sex offender legislation, one that definitely could have come sooner.

In 2006 President George W. Bush signed the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act, which authorizes the civil commitment of sexually dangerous federal inmates. The act also established a national sex offender registry, which has been huge in tracking and locating offenders.


We wonder how this new ruling will affect the number of crimes committed against children. In the long run it's likely to lower the number significantly (if held in place and enforced).

CBSNews.com. Sex Offenders Can be Kept in Jail, Court Rules. May 17th, 2010.