Jacob Wetterling Act

The Jacob Wetterling Act, enacted in 1994, was the first U.S. law requiring states to create registries of convicted sexual offenders. It aimed to protect communities by tracking individuals released from prison who had committed sex crimes. The Act mandated states to establish offender registries and share information with the public and law enforcement. Over time, it was revised and expanded, eventually leading to the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act in 2006, which standardized offender registration and notification nationwide. The Act honors Jacob Wetterling, a boy kidnapped in 1989, emphasizing community safety and offender accountability.