| MYTHS | FACTS |
|---|---|
| All sex offenders are the same. | Individuals who have committed sex crimes differ in many ways. The term sex offense includes a wide variety of behaviors, from public urination to sexual abuse of children and violent rape. Oregon’s registry is based on risk, placing people at one of three risk levels: low, moderate and high risk. |
| All persons convicted of a sex offense will commit more sex crimes. | A 2017 Oregon study found that just 1.8% of people emerging from prison with a sex crime were convicted of a new sex crime in 3 years. A 2019 Bureau of Justice study found that 7.7% of people with a sex crime were re-arrested for a new sex crime in 9 years. |
| All persons who committed sex offenses in the past will always be dangerous. | A recent leading study shows that risk for all previous offenders declines predictably with time spent offense-free in the community. Studies also show that 30-50% of child sexual abuse is committed by other juveniles, and 93% of child sexual abuse is committed by persons known to the victim. |
| The greatest threat of sex crimes comes from people on the sex offender registry. | A study showed that about 95% of new sex crimes are committed by individuals who are not on the registry and have no previous record of a sex crime. |
| A public sex offender registry is an important tool for protecting society. | Studies looking at public safety before and after registration and notification (SORN) laws were adopted showed no decline in the number of sex crimes or victims. |
Supporting Justice, Fairness, and Rational Laws
Contact Us
info@oregonvoices.org
971-317-6868
Oregon Voices
P.O. Box 13175
Salem, OR 97309
Due to limited resources Oregon Voices does not currently participate in the CorrLinks email system and we regret that we cannot accept email invitations from adults in custody.