I think the question of whether communities should be notified when ex-prisoners are released from prison is much more complicated than it seems. I believe many people would instinctively answer yes to this question out of fear, concern and panic for their community. Many people have a “once incarcerated, always incarcerated” perception of those who have been previously incarcerated and will forever label them as dangerous and deviant. Generally, our society has espoused an attitude toward ex-offenders that their punishment must extend beyond prison walls and time served and that they must endure restrictions beyond their sentence and some for life. It often seems to me that public scrutiny of ex-offenders further limits them from functioning as accepted members of society, increasing the likelihood of recidivism. By informing communities when ex-offenders are released from prison, it seems to me that community members would be less likely to help them improve their lives and, instead, many community members' first impressions/knowledge of the new "free" world"”...