SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY AND NOTIFICATION ACT (SORNA)

My Thoughts on SORNA from a Social Justice and Ethical Standpoint Name Institution Course and Code Professor Date My Thoughts on SORNA from a Social Justice and Ethical Standpoint The “Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA)” is a federal regulation in the United States which mainly focuses on the process of enrolling and monitoring sex offenders. In particular, it breaks down the guidelines on the registration as well as notifying individuals to ensure they benefit from the real-time information about the convictions of sex offenders. Ethical Considerations Surrounding SORNA From the viewpoint of ethics, SORNA is a multifarious conundrum. On the other hand, it fulfils the ethical principle of seeking enlightenment of victims by conveying some data about those who were convicted of sex crimes to the public (Merkouris, 2021). This openness allows people to know the reason of such convictions, thus preventing further occurrences of the same nature. However, the continuous imposition of the requirements by the SORNA creates ethical issues. For instance, it is difficult to establish whether or not it violates the principle of proportionality in punishment. Nevertheless, it certainly re-instates the ongoing punishment to the offenders even after the sentence period is over. The SORNA facilitates stigmatization and retardation of the reentry of inmates into society (Office of Justice Programs, n.d.). Furthermore, it hampers their rehabili...