TX- Sex Offenders' Employment to Become Public

9-25-2008 Texas:

Addressing the comment in the video that, "it is a federal law" requiring states to post the places of employment of registrants. Simply put there is no federal law requiring that, with that said, there is a federal "Guideline" under the Adam Walsh Act which permits state legislatures to OPTIONALLY show the place of employment of registrants (See excerpt from AWA at end of commentary).

Guidelines are not laws, and the AWA guidelines are parameters for state legislatures when enacting their state laws. Guidelines do not have to be followed, they are optional under law.

In this writer's opinion, to place the employment online is to deny employment to registrants, no employer dealing with the public -in any capacity- will hire someone listed on the sex offender registry if it will negatively effect the business. Certainly it will and the result will be that the registrant will be terminated. Anyone thinking otherwise is not dealing with the reality of society as it is today.

The states that choose to do this, it is a STATE choice not a FEDERAL law requiring it. Those state legislators are closing their eyes to the reality of the consequences of this decision. What are they, simple, unemployment, welfare, Medicaid bills, and a host of other things which I cannot think of right now.

The point is, if you deny these folks work, you pay their bills and they do not have to pay you back. So, what is the price of safety, money handed to registrants of sex offender registries, or, deny your kids the price of college as one example.

Its time for the public to get SMART because at some point, some percentage of your tax dollars will go for supporting registrants, I'd rather see them working.
eAdvocate



9-25-2008 Texas:

You can already find out where they live, now the government is about to share even more information about sex offenders.

They bag your groceries, sell and service your vehicle, even prepare your food. Chances are you've run into a sex offender while he or she was on the job, and didn't even know it.

-And nothing happened either, also you may have run into a murderer, burglar, robber, DUI or even someone who has killed a child in a fit of rage during a domestic situation.

Come January, that could all change, as nationwide, states list employment locations on sex offender websites.

"It will be new information to the public. It won't be anything new to us because we already collect this information anyway," said Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper Eddie Carmon.

Until now, states just didn't publish it; unlike an offender's address and picture which are already available.

Troopers say its just more information to help you make wise choices about yourself, and your kids.

"Thats the best thing that can come from this, is self protection because the police can't protect you at all times," said Carmon.

"I've got my little girl, so that's definitely something I'd definitely want to know," said parent Richard Pitzer. "I think that's a good thing. If they're gonna be allowed out in the public they should definitely have to say where they live, where they work, everything."

The website won't just be handy for parents, co-workers could use it too.

"Definitely I would," said Brenda Williamson. "I wouldn't want to work with them. That may be not right, but they did wasn't right either."

However, not everybone thinks disclosing that much information about a sex offender is a good idea.

"Entitled to their privacy no matter who it is," said Michelle Manriquez. "Everybody deserves a second chance. Doesn't matter if you're a murderer, everybody deserves a second chance."

Not only will you be able to see where a convicted sex offender works, but the new law mandates that state websites provide information on an offender's convictions in other states. ..News Source.. by Ashlea Sigman

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Verbatim from The Adam Walsh Act

SEC. 118. PUBLIC ACCESS TO SEX OFFENDER INFORMATION THROUGH THE INTERNET.

(a) In General- Except as provided in this section, each jurisdiction shall make available on the Internet, in a manner that is readily accessible to all jurisdictions and to the public, all information about each sex offender in the registry. The jurisdiction shall maintain the Internet site in a manner that will permit the public to obtain relevant information for each sex offender by a single query for any given zip code or geographic radius set by the user. The jurisdiction shall also include in the design of its Internet site all field search capabilities needed for full participation in the Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website and shall participate in that website as provided by the Attorney General.

(b) Mandatory Exemptions- A jurisdiction shall exempt from disclosure--

(1) the identity of any victim of a sex offense;

(2) the Social Security number of the sex offender;

(3) any reference to arrests of the sex offender that did not result in conviction; and

(4) any other information exempted from disclosure by the Attorney General.

(c) Optional Exemptions- A jurisdiction may exempt from disclosure--

(1) any information about a tier I sex offender convicted of an offense other than a specified offense against a minor;

(2) the name of an employer of the sex offender;

(3) the name of an educational institution where the sex offender is a student; and

(4) any other information exempted from disclosure by the Attorney General.

(d) Links- The site shall include, to the extent practicable, links to sex offender safety and education resources.

(e) Correction of Errors- The site shall include instructions on how to seek correction of information that an individual contends is erroneous.

(f) Warning- The site shall include a warning that information on the site should not be used to unlawfully injure, harass, or commit a crime against any individual named in the registry or residing or working at any reported address. The warning shall note that any such action could result in civil or criminal penalties.