Many people might think that sex offenders are repugnant to society and that people who commit sex crimes should be excluded from our society. The reality is that many people don't know that most people who commit sexual offenses are normal people. In most cases, these are hard-working people who have been caught doing something that our society “considers” to be wrong and are labeled sex offenders. This is where labeling theory comes in, as it focuses on social and institutional responses to an individual. The book PERVERTS and PREDATORS: The Making of Sexual Offense Laws talks about the emergence of perverts and predators and the types of people that society labels as "perverts and predators." This essay will discuss the many different types of sexual offenses that are considered a crime. . He will then discuss some of the historic sex offender laws that have shaped society as a whole. It will also define the role that religion plays in the emergence of the new sex offender laws that we have in contemporary societies. And finally, let's talk about the emergence of some current sexual offense laws that we have in our country. Before we go far, we need to understand the meaning of a pervert and a predator. According to the online dictionary, the term sexual predator is used to describe a "person considered to be obtaining or attempting to obtain sexual contact with another person in a metaphorically 'predatory' manner." A pervert is defined as “a person whose sexual behavior is considered abnormal and unacceptable.” » (Zilney & Zilney, 2009, p. iii). Many of us had participated in some type of sexual activity...... middle of paper ...... lney, LA (2009). The role of religion. Perverts and predators: the development of laws on sexual offenses (pp. 1-4). Lanham, Maryland: Rowman and Littlefield. Zilney, L.J. and Zilney, L.A. (2009). Historical laws on sexual offenses. Perverts and predators: the development of laws on sexual offenses (p. 61-62). Lanham, Maryland: Rowman and Littlefield. Zilney, L.J. and Zilney, L.A. (2009). A war on sex offense laws. Perverts and predators: the development of laws on sexual offenses (p. 66-74). Lanham, Maryland: Rowman and Littlefield. Zilney, L.J. and Zilney, L.A. (2009). The role of religion. Perverts and predators: the development of laws on sexual offenses (p. 1). Lanham, Maryland: Rowman and Littlefield. Zilney, L.J. and Zilney, L.A. (2009). The case of Megan Kanka. Perverts and predators: the development of laws on sexual offenses (p. 86-91). Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield. In Theories of Class, Crim 130.