Capstone Case: Smith v. Doe The Alaska Sex Offender Registration Act requires convicted sex offenders to register with law enforcement authorities,...

Capstone Case: Smith v. Doe

The Alaska Sex Offender Registration Act requires convicted sex offenders to register with law enforcement authorities, and much of the information is made public. The U.S. Supreme Court considers whether the registration requirement is a retroactive punishment prohibited by the Ex Post Facto Clause.

• Do you find that the Alaska registration law is not punitive and therefore not an ex post facto law? Why or why not?
• Should restrictions on ex post facto laws apply to administrative procedures, such as parole hearings, or should they only apply to laws that define crimes themselves?