Community notification: Neither a panacea nor a calamity

Community notification of the release of sex offenders has provoked opposition from offender treatment providers who fear that it does not enhance community safety and is a short-sighted response to the problem of sex offending. Many of the arguments opposing community notification misunderstand its role, are based on speculation and might jeopardize the justifications for treatment alternatives. Sex offender treatment providers take risks when they denigrate or oppose the wishes of the community.