National Sex Offendor Registry

I have heard about this for a long time but have never looked at it. Go here http://www12.familywatchdog.us/ and type your address to see addresses, pictures, and convictions of registered sex offendors in your area. I am not sure how I feel about this. First of all, I was shocked with how many people were living near my work and home that have criminal convictions for sex crimes. I would have thought it was a really, really rare thing. Apparently not. Although there were people on there with convictions for statuatory rape, and in all likelihood that was an 18 year old high school senior who was caught by his 17 year old girlfriend's parents. Maybe not, but isn't it a little like the Scarlett Letter? M