Notes from eAdvocate on Sex Offender Issues (2-10-2010)

2-10-2010 National:

Today while updating old murder cases I found a news report which put a reason on how Edward Vaughn Keeley was killed, the killers used the public sex offender registry to find him. Click on his name to read the full case.

Because he was killed by use of the public registry his case qualified for my list of those who were "Killed by Law," a list which is slowly growing. This list should also be used and cited when speaking to lawmakers, so that they know their laws are resulting in deaths.


Next, in the new blog "Sex Offenders - in the Courts" we have added a place for each Civil Commitment Center in the nation, see list following States HERE.

As I gather any information about civil commitment centers it will be filed in those buckets for the lack of a better name. You will note much of the information is lacking right now, but it will build as folks help fill it in with anything they may have learned about those centers.

Up to this point I have not found anywhere anything that centralizes civil commitment center information. If anyone knows of such a place please contact me and I will blend it in where it belongs.

To-date there are 20 states that have civil commitment centers.

Something else folks may want to know, the Department of Justice finalized Rules (Guidelines) for the Adam Walsh Act, civil commitment section, on 11-20-2008, those rules are HERE.

I have studied those rules quite a bit and it appears -to me- that an offender MUST HAVE one-on-one contact with a victim before they can civilly commit someone. Yet, I have read cases of child pornography possession being held for civil commitment hearing. That would appear to violate the rules.

One final point, under the Adam Walsh Act (Civil Commitment Portion) it appears that, there are grants for any state that wishes to establish a civil commitment center. It is not clear whether there would be annual operating grants for those centers after they had been established, so states should be wary about jumping into the CCC boat; advocates need to make lawmakers aware of that should a state start pushing for a CCC.

Oh yes, the Bureau of Prison is detaining folks for CC Hearings in spite of the case in the U.S. Supreme court which will decide the constitutionality of that portion of AWA. According to one report there are now about 130 folks being held awaiting that decision. Some have been held since 2006-2007.

For now, have a great day & a better tomorrow.
eAdvocate


PS: My Annual Report of "Murdered in the United States: Registered Sex Offenders & Others":In case anyone missed the 2008 report (CLICK), and the 2009 report is coming and the numbers are up. Each year I wish there were a way to have it ready on 1-1 but if I did that it would be wrong because so many reports just come in during January but pertain to the former year. So it will be late February before it will be ready.