Are there only189 ways to end up on the sex offender registry?

FACTOID:

The mystical 189 ways list.

Because I have been asked this question -it seems- umpteenth times, I researched it and here is what I found, two personal comments:

Comment from Damian January 3, 2012 at 1:15 PM:

My point is, with the registry being as OVERBLOWN as it is (there are 189 ways to get on that list, under the AWA), you can't tell who the "bad guys" are, and who the "made a dumb mistake as a young adult". You are stereo typing them all together, with a tiny, fine print ... ... ...

Comment from DonavonLace January 13, 2012 11:16 PM:

I hate to burst everybody’s bubble because it sounds like this issue is close to the heart but I have a few facts you need to know about. First the two guys in the story are the worst and system failed but to change laws that would affect 1000’s for one guy is just wrong. Everyone on the registry is not a child molester sorry that the truth. Florida has 57,000 on the list and growing because we have 189 ways to get on the list. If everyone on the list was a monster and touching kids you’d have 57,000 new sex case’s on the books well you don’t. Now some facts the re-offend rate for sex offenders is 5.3% (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sex_offe...) the only re-offend rate that’s lower is murder. Most of the new cases are guys that are not on the list and 98% of the time it is ... ... ....

Let me start with AWA, there is nothing in AWA (any Title within it) that a person (a non sex offender) would be prosecuted for and end up on the sex offender registry. AWA expands other existing laws, and if prosecuted under those laws a non sex offender could end up on a sex offender registry.

As to the second comment, about the number of offenses in Florida, that a non sex offender -if prosecuted for- could result in being placed on the sex offender registry. Don't know if 189 is correct, because laws change seemingly daily. Assuming it to be correct, at some point in the past, it speaks ONLY of one state and no other state.

So we end with this, are the other 49 states sex offender laws, exactly the same as Florida? Nope, so if we were to use Florida's number as a standard, we could end up with a national number of 9,450 possible laws any one of which could result in the person being placed on a sex offender registry.

Good luck checking either the 189 or the 9,450.

One closing thought, how many sex offender registries -nationally- have folks on them convicted of other types of crimes? California's includes arsonists, and some registries are titled "Sex and Violent Offender Registry" all sex offenders?

For now have a great day and a better tomorrow.
eAdvocate