What SOLAR stands for
Our reform work is grounded in evidence, constitutional principles, human dignity, and a commitment to public safety that can be measured.
These nine principles guide SOLAR’s public education, policy analysis, advocacy tools, and reform priorities.
Decades of research have not shown that broad registry systems reduce sexual offending. The vast majority of sexual offenses are committed by people not on a registry, and recidivism among people convicted of sex offenses is substantially lower than public rhetoric often suggests.
See the evidence →Policies that destabilize housing, employment, treatment, and family support can undermine the conditions that support successful reentry. Research also suggests that broad public notification can increase recidivism, challenging the assumption that more exposure necessarily means more safety.
See the evidence →Most reported child sexual abuse is committed by someone the child knows. Prevention therefore requires attention to family and trusted-access relationships—including teachers, coaches, clergy, and community leaders—not just the locations of people already on a public registry.
See the evidence →Nearly every other serious harm to children is addressed through prevention, regulation, treatment, and ordinary sentence-bound accountability—not lifelong public branding.
See the evidence →Public exposure, recurring reporting, residence, proximity, employment, and other restrictions can persist long beyond the original sentence, functioning as continuing punishment in everyday life and raising serious questions of due process, proportionality, and fairness.
See the evidence →Public identification, housing and employment barriers, and other restrictions can destabilize entire households. Spouses and children who committed no offense can face financial strain, forced moves, stigma, harassment, isolation, and lost opportunities of their own.
See the evidence →Universal requirements, restrictions, and labels ignore major differences among cases, people, time elapsed, conduct, treatment, and actual risk. Policy should be individualized, reviewable, and evidence-based.
See the evidence →They erect formidable barriers to housing, employment, education, financial services, and community participation, stripping many people of the basic tools needed to rebuild their lives and reintegrate safely.
See the evidence →The seriousness of sexual harm does not make every intervention imposed in its name effective. Registration, public notification, supervision, treatment, and other interventions should be evaluated according to what they actually accomplish, whom they affect, and whether their demonstrated benefits justify their burdens.
See the evidence →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 HubSOLAR’s campaign work grows from the principles above.
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 underwayThe SOLAR Framework
Our name reflects how we work, what we provide, and the future we’re working toward.
How we work
Support
Organize
Lead
Advance
Reform
What we provide
Sex
Offense
Learning
Advocacy
Resources
What we seek
Safety
Opportunity
Liberty
Accountability
Redemption
Choose the path that best matches how you want to contribute.
Share SOLAR articles, research, and resources to help replace fear and stigma with informed discussion.
Read & Share →Build a clear, evidence-supported message for a lawmaker, local official, journalist, or editor.
Open the Action Hub →Use SOLAR’s curated research and source library to support accurate, responsible advocacy.
Review Research & Data →Help others understand the human impact of registry policy by sharing your experience, insight, or expertise.
Contact SOLAR →Contribute skills in law, counseling, research, communications, technology, or community support.
Volunteer Your Skills →Choose your audience, position, and format. The Action Hub will help you build a message you can use today.