Because most of The Daily Collegian's readers do not know me personally, it is imperative that two statements preface this column.

First, I love children, and I cannot wait to finish school, become a successful professional and raise a family.

Second, above all else, I believe firmly in the function and the importance of the U.S. Constitution, and more specifically the rights afforded to all persons by the document's Bill of Rights.

That being said, after months of biting my tongue, and on the day that may change this country's political course for the next few years, I have decided to address this country's terrible sex offender laws.

Currently, each of the 50 states must comply with Megan's Law, which was enacted by Congress in 1996 and required registration of all sex offenders and public notification of their residences once they have been released from prison.

Each of the 50 states and the federal government have ignored the injustices in sex offender registry laws, and many state legislatures and political candidates want to enact laws that further violate the rights of freed sex offenders, who also happen to be full U.S. citizens and should be afforded the same rights as everyone else.

Today, millions of Americans will travel to polling places around the country to participate in one of the most important aspects of a democracy: voting. And while most political candidates claim to have the best interests of their constituents in mind, it seems that these candidates and state legislatures around the nation are simply out to scare voters.

For example, California's ballot will offer Proposition 83, also known as Jessica's Law. If passed, California would become yet another state that requires all convicted sex offenders to live at least 2,000 feet away from the state's schools and parks.

Not only do such regulations border on violations of the Fifth Amendment's double jeopardy provision, but they also require that those who have been freed from prison be treated as though they are still criminals, thus perpetuating the criminal mindset and the cycle of crime.

Society is sending these offenders mixed messages, on the one hand saying they are fit for release, and on the other hand saying they are still criminals and threats to children.

But why are states going to such great lengths to ruin the lives of these offenders? Murderers who plead guilty to lesser charges or who do not receive life sentences are not even monitored once they are released from prison, yet we monitor those who have not killed.

While I agree that these crimes should be taken very seriously, sex offender registries as well as companion bills do nothing but cause even more problems.

If we as a society are so worried about tracking sex offenders and want to warn residents about the presence of offenders in their neighborhoods, then why are these people being released from prison in the first place?

Rather than allocate countless tax dollars to establish and maintain sex offender registries, why not invest those tax dollars in rehabilitation efforts, or simply increase the minimum sentences for convicted sex offenders?

This has turned into the most political of all issues. Recently, politicians have become successful by creating fear among their constituents and then promising to address those fears.

Rather than catering to those politicos today, voters should see beyond these shallow political tactics and support those candidates and ballot initiatives that actually make a difference, instead of those that only compound unrealistic fears.