In a first-of-its-kind, India released the National Database of Sexual Offenders.

• The registry has key details like names, photographs, residential address, fingerprints, DNA samples, and PAN and Aadhaar numbers, of convicted sexual offenders according to media reports.
• The database, which will be maintained by the National Crime Records Bureau, will also contain over 4.5 lakh cases.
• The cases have profiles of first-time and repeat offenders. Before India, UK, US, Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa and Trinidad & Tobago have maintained the data record.
• However, in the US, documents can be accessed by public. But in India, the details will be available only to law enforcement agencies.
• The decision to set up the database was taken in April this year following nationwide outrage over cases of sexual assault on minors.

How will this move help?

• This will act as a deterrent  to the criminals who are repeated offenders or who even thinks about doing.
• It only contains the name of who got convicted but not the accused.
• This is one of the good step and should be extended to all crimes.
• It creates a better understanding between different law enforcement agencies and will keep the lower police well informed.

Challenges to maintain this Database

Three Types of Data Category
Low danger category :- In this category the Data will be maintained for 15 years.
Moderate Danger Category:- In this category the Data will be maintained for 25 years
Extreme category where data will kept forever.

Concerns:

• If the Accused are family members, so whole family will get defamed.
• If the victim is a juvenile then the family struggles from the burden of society.

The Negative aspect:

• Since this entire exercise is about name and shame it has very less scope for reforming the convict.
• Even if the convict is willing to change his attitude he is going to be persecuted by the society.