WV- State Supreme Court to Swear In Officers Who Monitor Sex Offenders

10-19-2009 West Virginia:

Those officers operated a pilot program to carry out provisions of the new law, which requires extended supervision for sexual offenders, especially those convicted of crimes against children.

CHARLESTON -- Supreme Court of Appeals Chief Justice Brent D. Benjamin will swear in four new sex offender intensive supervision officers on Tuesday.

The ceremony will be held at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20, in the Supreme Court Chambers, located on the third floor of the East Wing of the Capitol.

The specialized officers are working under provisions of the Child Protection Act of 2006.

Probation Officers Arthur Houchins, Tonya Lash, Matthew West, and Heath Harmon were hired Oct. 1 to work in Region Six, which includes Fayette, Raleigh, Pocahontas, Greenbrier, Monroe, Summers, Mercer, McDowell, and Wyoming Counties. Their official swearing-in was delayed by scheduling issues, according to a news release issued by the State Supreme Court.

Also, Probation Officer Courtney Lewis has transferred from Region Five to Region Six to act as the new team's coordinator. Ms. Lewis was among the first group of sexual offender probation officers hired in Novemver 2008 to work in Region Five, which consists of Boone, Cabell, Lincoln, Logan, Mingo, Putnam, and Wayne Counties.

Those officers operated a pilot program to carry out provisions of the new law, which requires extended supervision for sexual offenders, especially those convicted of crimes against children.

The officers' only duty is to supervise sex offenders. They work out of their cars, not offices. They work holidays, nights, weekends, and hours in between to provide intensive supervision. The officers also work with circuit court judges and treatment providers to make sure offenders are complying with court orders. The extended supervision includes polygraph examinations and electronic monitoring.

The supervision program is being expanded one region at a time throughout the state. A total of 30 probation officers eventually will be hired to carry out provisions of the law.

The program was developed under the leadership of Justice Robin Jean Davis when she was Chief Justice in 2006 and 2007. ..Source.. by WOWK.com