A law in the
United States (actually 50 laws, one in each
state) which requires that the
neighbors be notified when a convicted
sex offender moves in.
Megan's Law, which began in
New Jersey, is named for a 7-year-old girl who was
raped and
murdered by a known
sex offender in her
neighborhood.
Victims' rights organizations generally approve of such laws because they keep the community informed and may prevent such crimes in the future.
Civil liberties organizations generally disapprove because they constitute lifelong punishment even after a sentence has been served, and because the majority of child sexual abuse is committed by family members, not neighbors.