The discussion argues that tracking should be considered in the wider context of the political economy of risk, which emphasizes both the proactive management of knowledge about offenders and the production of compensatory measures. It notes that noncustodial sentences for offenders at the lowest end of the scale and changes to parole arrangements are expected over time to result in an increasing number of sex offenders released from custody into the community. The idea of such offenders in the community creates a special anxiety among the public and media. The adequacy of current arrangements in England and Wales for tracking offenders after release are being questioned by professionals and the public, especially in the case of child sexual abuse. Proposed changes involve a proactive approach to tracking that reflect modern approaches to risk management through surveillance. The arguments for and against community notification programs exemplify a particular tension in the political economy of risk distribution, in which the focus on deviance, control, and order begins to be displaced by a focus on knowledge, risk, and security. Tables, note, and 51 references