The law and policy of banishment

In addition to its recent strong work on life sentences (discussed here and here), the New York Times today also gives us this strong article entitled “Exiling Sex Offenders From Town.”  The article effectively covers some of the law and policy discussions prompted by the fact that “in towns and counties across the country …, local officials have passed laws in recent months that effectively banish anyone convicted of a sex crime against a minor.”  TalkLeft discusses the article and the broader issues here.

Notably, as detailed here, the blogosphere had a great debate over these residency restrictions back in August on the heels of major recent rulings by the Eighth Circuit and the Iowa Supreme Court.  Arguments over the constitutionality of these laws will surely make their way to the Supreme Court sooner or later, which is among the reasons I am so interested in exploring SCOTUS nominee Harriet Miers’ work in support of prisoner re-entry.