What SOLAR stands for

SOLAR Advocacy Positions

Our reform work is grounded in evidence, constitutional principles, human dignity, and a commitment to public safety that can be measured.

Our Position Statement

These seven principles guide SOLAR’s public education, policy analysis, advocacy tools, and reform priorities.

At SOLAR, we exist to Support, Organize, Lead, Advance, and Reform—providing Sex Offense Learning, Advocacy, and Resources—to realize a future of Safety, Opportunity, Liberty, Accountability, and Redemption.

The sex offender registry system is ineffective, harmful, and rooted in misinformation.

It does not prevent crime. The vast majority of sex offenses are committed by individuals not on any registry, and empirical evidence consistently shows lower recidivism rates for people convicted of sex offenses than commonly assumed.

Registry systems cause lasting harm to individuals, families, and communities.

Rather than increasing safety, registries foster fear, isolation, discrimination, and vigilante violence. Children and families often suffer consequences through no fault of their own.

The real risk to children often lies closer to home.

Authority figures—including family members, teachers, coaches, clergy, and community leaders—are more likely to perpetrate sexual harm than strangers. Public registry systems misdirect attention toward the stranger-danger myth.

Other types of crime present a greater and more consistent danger to public safety.

Many serious harms to children and communities are addressed through prevention, regulation, treatment, and sentence-bound accountability rather than lifelong public branding.

Registries are punitive in practice, not administrative in nature.

Public exposure, recurring reporting, restrictions, and collateral consequences operate as continuing punishment after a sentence has been served and stand in tension with due process, proportionality, and fairness.

One-size-fits-all registry laws are fundamentally flawed.

Blanket restrictions ignore major differences among cases, people, time elapsed, conduct, treatment, and actual risk. Policy should be individualized, reviewable, and evidence-based.

Registries create a permanent underclass.

They block access to housing, employment, education, financial services, and community participation, stripping people of the tools necessary to rebuild their lives and reintegrate safely.

Put these principles into action

The Advocacy Action Hub turns these positions into a personalized phone script, email, letter, public testimony, or letter to the editor.

Open the Advocacy Action Hub

Current Advocacy Campaigns

SOLAR’s campaign work grows from the principles above.

RECON Initiative

Register Every Convict or None

RECON exposes the selective logic of permanent public registries. If lifelong public branding is truly necessary for safety, that logic should be applied consistently. If it cannot be applied consistently, it should be reconsidered.

Campaign development underway

Ways to Make a Difference

Choose the path that best matches how you want to contribute.

Spread Awareness

Share SOLAR articles, research, and resources to help replace fear and stigma with informed discussion.

Read & Share →

Policy Advocacy

Build a clear, evidence-supported message for a lawmaker, local official, journalist, or editor.

Open the Action Hub →

Research the Evidence

Use SOLAR’s curated research and source library to support accurate, responsible advocacy.

Review Research & Data →

Share Your Story

Help others understand the human impact of registry policy by sharing your experience, insight, or expertise.

Contact SOLAR →

Offer Professional Support

Contribute skills in law, counseling, research, communications, technology, or community support.

Volunteer Your Skills →

Ready to make your voice heard?

Choose your audience, position, and format. The Action Hub will help you build a message you can use today.