Sheriff Candidates At Odds On Sex Offender Statistics

While itsa true that 2 out of 5 is 40%, reality is that, you cannot use that 40% as to ALL registrants. I think that tells voters who should be in office, and who should not be there! Those TWO may be the only ones not properly registered.

3-3-2010 North Carolina:

Reports Finds 40 Percent Of Offenders Unaccounted For

FORSYTH COUNTY, N.C. -- The two Republican candidates for Forsyth County sheriff are at odds over a recent WXII report suggesting that 40 percent of sex offenders in Forsyth County could be unaccounted for.

WXII aired the report on Feb. 16 after shadowing Forsyth County Det. Paolo Gargiulo, who heads the unit tasked with keeping track of the county's sex offenders.

In the report, a check of five Forsyth County registered sex offenders showed two out of the five weren't living at the address listed on record.

Gargiulo said that result is indicative of the general trend in the county, meaning around 190 of the nearly 500 registered offenders are ducking the law.

Sheriff's Department candidate Dave Griffith took no time capitalizing on the statistic in a news release announcing his candidacy for sheriff.

"A recent report that states 40 percent of sex offenders in Forsyth County are unaccounted for puts families at risk and is a cause for alarm," the release read.

Griffith elaborated during an interview with WXII this week.

"I've been in this business long enough to know that (the statistic) probably is correct, or very close to correct," Griffith said. Tracking sex offenders "is a difficult task. It's an extremely difficult task to do and I understand that. And the deputy that's assigned is doing a great job. But what I'm saying is that's not enough."

Incumbent Sheriff Bill Schatzman, who was first elected in 2002, said the statistic on sex offender absconders was much lower.

"I am not going to respond to what anyone says for political gain or for some type of advantage," Schatzman said. "What I will tell you is the facts. And the facts are that about three percent of our current registered sex offender program are out of pocket -- three percent."

He added that upon further investigation, only one of the two "possible red flag addresses" turned out to be an out-of-compliance offender, meaning 20 percent of the addresses WXII checked were wrong.

But Griffith, who was Shatzman's chief deputy until 2006, said he believes the statistic is closer to 40 percent.

Both agree that more deputies need to be assigned to sex offender unit. Griffith wouldn't say how many people he would assign to the unit if elected, but did say his No. 1 platform issue is sex offenders.

Schatzman said his main issue is drugs and gangs. ..Source.. WXII.com