One worry is that the registries have the potential to lead to retributive violence against offenders.

The Nation's one-time reputation for retributive violence may be too great a deterrent to asking questions that otherwise might have been answered long ago.

"Rambo" and "Red Dawn" are recent examples of paranoia and the dream of retributive violence.

This leads to a cycle of retributive violence, as the young man seeks vengeance for death of father, sister and fiancee.

A third reality is that retributive violence, no matter how massive, almost inevitably begets more violence against us in response.

Sectarian slayings continued in Iraq, after Thursday's respite from a week of retributive violence.

He counseled caution, arguing that "retributive violence, no matter how massive, almost inevitably begets more violence against us in response."

Tales of further acts of retributive - or equally often, random - violence by Lizzy were legion.

In some cases, arrest may provoke the abuser and increase the possibility of more retributive violence.