National Database on Sexual Offenders (NDSO)
- National sex offenders registry = more than 4.4 lakh people convicted for various sexual offences after 2005 are listed.
- It includes name, address, photograph and fingerprint details of the convict.
- Details won’t be public but will be available to law enforcement agencies(NOT LIKE USA where data is made public).
- India became the 9th country(US,UK,Ireland, NZ,Canada,Aus, S. Africa,Trinidad and Tobago) in the world to have a National Database on Sexual Offenders (NDSO) + Database will be maintained by NCRB.
- The database will include offenders convicted under charges of rape, gang rape, Protection of Children from Sexual Offenders Act (POCSO) and eve teasing + Data will be stored for 15 yrs for those posing low dangers, 25 yrs for moderate and lifetime for habitual offenders
- In a first of its kind, India released the NDSO which contain the key details like names, photographs, residential address, finger prints, DNA samples, PAN and Aadhaar numbers of convicted sexual offenders + pros(4 lakh offenders is alarming number which shows the importance of the move + Rising case of sexual offenders which has increased from 2 cases per hour in 2007 to 4 cases per hour in 2017 according to NCRB + increased deterrence to offenders + conviction rate may increase + investigation process and the conviction cases will be solved much faster + decrease opportunity for repeated offenders + better coordination and enforcement among law enforcement agencies) + Drawbacks(under reporting of sexual offences + false claims of sexual offences + deterrence will improve if data is made public as done in USA + it should be implemented as unless implemented every data is historical)
- NDSO is a very positive step and will complement other steps like POCSO(2012), SHE Box, prevention of sexual harrasment act which would helpour country to become more safer for women and help women to realise their full potential without fearing of their own safety
- This data and other like murder data,sedition data ect which is available in the CCTNS network must be shared with law enforcement agencies so as to effectively enforce rule of law
- The real changes has to begin from the family by starting providing right values to our son,daughter,siblings . A high percentage of sexual offence cases are done by the family members or someone known which shows the faulty value system
- To prevent sexual offences a complete overhaul is required at Family,judicial and police level