Politicians: Riding the Backs of Sex Offenders?

As I sit here thinking about all the news and studies I have been reading trying to make sense of everything, I feel confused and frightened. Can anything we all do make a difference? Will we be able to stop the tide of senseless hysteria that threatens to swamp us all. Where will it stop?
It seems that each state, town and county is loaded with politicians using the system to make sure they gain electoral votes. If town x passes a law restricting where Former Sex Offenders can live Y and Z have to pass one that's more restrictive. It's like a game of one up man ship. And the few voices of reason are threatened and harassed into silence, or they risk loosing the next election.
Patty Wetterling, the mother of Jacob Wetterling who was abducted by a masked gunman over 18 years ago, when asked about how much legislator understand about the laws they are passing said, " Overall I would say they have very little understanding of the problem." "Second of all they usually propose legislation after another really horrible crime. So they have public sentiment and demand...THese are people who have to get reelected, and the goal is to look like they are the toughest on crime, t6hat they've done the most to go after these bad boys. They name laws are either compelling, compassionate, like after the child, or the PROTECT Act, The Adam Walsh Act is named after a child. There are so many named after children, Dru's Law, Jessica's Law. It gives the sense that this is a compassionate and caring and that it will make the world safer. Often, it doesn't." Taken from the book Sex Offender Laws, Failed Policies, New Directions, editted by Richard Wright. Click here to read the chapter.
If this mother who tragically lost her child and whose son's name is on one of the first Registery Laws can change her mind this way why can't others?