Consequences of Zero Tolerance

One of the big concepts in criminal justice, particularly when dealing with sex offenders, is that of "zero tolerance." All people convicted of sex crimes must be branded, ostracized, and marginalized from society, regardless of their actual conduct. As usual, that sometimes produces grossly unfair results. Over at Crime & Federalism, Mike posts a letter from a reader who pleaded guilty to statutory rape in Georgia years ago when the law did not require him to register as a sex offender. He was given probation and has lived an exemplary life. But in July, Georgia changed the law to require all sex offenders to register. As a result, the reader lost his job and had his home raided by police (to "inform" his room mates of his status - they knew).

He doesn't minimize his offense or that he deserves punishment. But why should he be treated the same as some guy who snatched a woman off the street and raped her at knifepoint?