Keeping the Internet Devoid of Sexual Predators Act of 2007

6-7-2011 National:

Folks may remember this bill (HR 719 Title above) which ultimately became part of The Kid's Act (S-431) in 2008.

Well, Rep Weiner, Anthony D. [NY-9] - 1/30/2007 was one of the 75 co-sponsors of the Kid's Act House version. From his website is this 2007 press release:

Protecting Children On the Internet:

In early 2007 my office did a study that found that over 85% of registered sex offenders in New York City live less than five blocks from schools, and 670 sex offenders live within just two blocks. Some offenders are even closer, permanently residing less than 500 feet away from unwitting parents, educators and children.

Along with several colleagues in Congress, we introduced & passed the KIDS (Keeping the Internet Devoid of Sexual Predators) Act of 2007, a bill to require sex offenders to register their e-mail and instant message addresses with the National Sex Offender Registry. The “Kids Act’ implemented one of my six recommendations to keep a closer eye on sex offenders both near school grounds and online. I also proposed stricter GPS tracking of sex offenders, tougher enforcement of registration laws and more public disclosure of sex offender data.

Sadly, the Internet is the predator's venue of choice today. We need to update our strategies and our laws to stop these offenders who are a mere click away from our children. ..Source.. by Rep Anthony Weiner

Read More of Article...

Article Summary only...

Montana Tribes must track sex offenders by end of July

6-6-2011 Montana:

The U.S. Marshals Service is working with Montana's tribes to ensure they meet a quickly-approaching July 26 federal deadline to establish their own sex offender tracking and registration programs.

The Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act requires convicted sex offenders to register where they live, work and attend school at least once a year - or more depending on where they place within a three-tiered threat system - and within three days of moving across state or tribal lines.

Tribal authorities on Montana's reservations were given the choice of setting up their own registries or adopting those already in place within the state, and they chose to implement their own.

The Marshals Service has been helping the reservations get set up since 2007 with varying results and officials said they're on hand to help until the deadline.

"We're going to support them as best we can," said Marshal Darrell Bell, who has driven more than 8,000 miles in his pickup since being sworn in this January. "We've done a lot of traveling, but it's all been very positive and we've gone beyond, 'Hey, we're just coming here to arrest one of your tribal members.'"

The basic needs to set up a sex offender registry include hiring a compliance officer to check on and track registered offenders and a computer system for data entry.

The Fort Peck and Northern Cheyenne reservations have already set up their programs with the help of $59,022 and $91,454 federal grants, respectively, received in 2008.

Chief Deputy Marshal Rod Ostermiller said the Fort Peck program is a good example of how it can work because tribal authorities work closely with county, state and federal agencies.

The Crow Reservation near Billings is in the process of setting its system up while the Rocky Boy and Fort Belknap reservations have told marshals they'll have theirs ready for the deadline.

One reservation, the Blackfeet in northwestern Montana, has already said it will hand authority over to the Glacier County Sheriff's Office.

Ostermiller said a deputy has been assigned to each reservation to help facilitate the process and it's something his office is taking seriously.

There are 2,024 registered sex offenders in the state and 1,099 living in counties that contain at least a small portion of a reservation.

It should be noted, however, that 641 of those offenders live in Yellowstone and Missoula counties, which contain small parts of the Crow and Flathead reservations as well as Billings and Missoula, the state's two most populous cities.

Bell said that, in the past, some offenders on the run have been able to hide out on reservations because of the conflicting jurisdictions but that the Adam Walsh Act has given tribes and authorities the tools to work together.

"One of the biggest things is that they have the resources available to help, so we're trying to build a better relationship between our agency and theirs," Bell said.

He added that a strong victim advocate program also goes hand in hand with the registry because the help give victims a sense of security.

The Marshals Service will help if somebody goes on the run.

"If one person's out of compliance, it's one too many," Bell said. "It's frightening."

Much of the money over the last few years for the programs has come from federal grants. While those funds can be tough to come by due to money-saving measures at the federal level, officials say it's an important program.

"We feel that the task of basically monitoring registered sex offenders is too important to put a price tag on," Ostermiller said. ..Source.. by ZACH BENOIT

Read More of Article...

Article Summary only...

Sheriff’s office works on police transition

6-5-2011 Maryland:

Training is continuing for deputies in the Carroll County Sheriff's Office as they prepare to take over services that have been performed by the Maryland State Police in Westminster.

Starting July 1, the state police will hand over some of the reins to the sheriff's office, making it the primary law enforcement provider in the county. The Carroll County Board of Commissioners recently voted to give the sheriff's office the primary law enforcement designation so that it can begin taking over two crucial state police services.

The sheriff's office is now preparing to take over the sex offender registry and the pawnbrokers and secondhand dealers database in time for the early-July transition.

Westminster barrack commander Lt. Andrew Winner said a state police trooper is in charge of the sex offender registry for Carroll. The trooper ensures all 160 sex offenders in Carroll are accounted for and are abiding by their parole or probation requirements.

"The importance of maintaining that registry and keeping those registered sex offenders in compliance is paramount," Winner said.

Capt. Clarence Lust, of the sheriff's office, said three deputies have been trained to take over the sex offender registry. One deputy, a sergeant, will handle the registry full time with an administrative assistant. Two deputies, Lust said, will serve as backup if the sergeant is gone due to illness, vacation or transfer.

The three deputies have been training with the state police since January, following the board of commissioners' decision for the law enforcement transition. The deputies, Lust said, have already been out in the field with their state police counterpart.

Lust said the sheriff's office is also preparing to take over the pawnbrokers and secondhand dealers database.

Cpl. Todd Liddick, with the state police, maintains and investigates cases involved with the database. Aside from his other investigative duties, Liddick said he spends between 15 and 20 hours a week working with the database.

The database keeps track of transactions made by every pawnbroker, secondhand dealer and junk dealer, and all scrap metal processors in Carroll, Liddick said. When something is reported stolen, Liddick said the database can be checked to see if anything was brought to a local secondhand dealer.

Lust said two deputies are being trained at the Maryland Police and Correctional Training Commission in Sykesville on the ins and outs of the database. One deputy will maintain the database as part of his responsibilities and another will serve as the backup, Lust said.

Aside from the training, Lust said the sheriff's office must also develop its own policies associated with the maintenance of the database. Lust said they have consulted with other agencies and sheriff's offices to find which policies they want to use.

The plan is for the sheriff's office to become the primary law enforcement agency in the county by replacing 45 Maryland State Police troopers with 42 new deputies over the next three years. Lust said he is confident that the sheriff's office will be ready to become the primary law enforcement provider in the county beginning on July 1. ..Source.. by Christian Alexandersen, Times Staff Write

Read More of Article...

Article Summary only...

Sex offender binder receives mixed review

Its time for Chatham County to elect a new Sheriff, one who does not waste taxpayer's money. The law DOES NOT MANDATE these binders, instead the law says "(3) Maintain and provide a list, manually or electronically, of every sexual offender residing in each county so that it may be available for inspection:" There is no doubt the public ONLINE registry accomplishes that.

Any court would construe that by saying, if you cannot do it electronically, then do it manually. That would cover places where there are no computer access. Certainly in this day and age, libraries have computers...and likely every other place he is doing this for does as well. The Bonnie and Clyde days are over, computers are available in virtually every public entity. Computers replaced the manual systems because the manual systems were inefficient and misinformed the public. Time for a new Sheriff's election.

6-3-2011 Georgia:

Wednesday the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office distributed 54 binders with the pictures and convictions of sex offenders in the Savannah area. Some citizens feel the move will be beneficial to the community while others think it is a waste of time.

The binder is the result of months of work by the sex offender registration and tracking unit.

Michelle Gavin, public information officer for the sheriff’s office, sees the binder as means for the office to perform its job more efficiently.

“It is just another tool we have to educate citizens about the sex offenders in the neighborhood,” Gavin said. “Citizens can also go to chathamsherriff.org and sign up to receive email alerts every time a sex offender moves into their zip code.”

This comes as welcome relief to 35-year-old child care provider and mother, Katrina Mack.

Mack is the owner of Angels Childcare. She has two locations in Savannah.

Mack says the binders will help citizens put a name to the face and will allow them to be more aware. Although Mack thinks the binders are a good idea, she says they are effective to an extent.

“People are still going to do what they want, when you are dealing with a pedophile it is no different than an addict,” Mack said. “They will do what is necessary to do what they want.”

Others say not only will the binders be effective to some extent, but also they have the potential to unfairly label people.

Isaac McCaslin, 21, a third year SCAD student majoring in painting, says Americans are too quick to judge people.

“I don’t like it; this is just another superficial labeling device,” McCaslin said. “I am sure there is no real information in these binders.”

McCaslin’s main argument is that not everyone in the binder is a valid sex offender. He sites cases of statutory rape for examples.

Natalia Mercado, 21, also a SCAD student majoring in animation, agrees with McCaslin that the binders are unnecessary.

“It is already public knowledge and it will not make much of a difference,” Mercado said. It will just foster more paranoia.” ..Source.. by Whitney Hunter

Read More of Article...

Article Summary only...

Bill to tighten Ala. sex offender registration heads to Bentley

Homelessness registration weekly, and of course extra fess for that. This knowing where registrants SLEEP for a few hours of the day/night makes no sense whatsoever. Politicians and police call this monitoring, but in reality, they see them for a few minutes when they register in person, so how can this be monitoring? This is but a cruel joke perpetrated by cruel minded politicians who have no proof that this reduces sex offenses or recidivism whatsoever.

6-3-2011 Alabama:

The bill would require weekly registration from homeless offenders.

The Alabama Senate unanimously passed measures to tighten the state's existing sex offender registration law Thursday. The bill is now headed to Governor Robert Bentley's desk for approval.

The new requirements would prohibit a sex offender who abused a sibling from living under the same roof as the person they abused. Homeless offenders would have to register weekly with law enforcement until they secure a permanent address. All offenders would have to supply extra information to be made public, under the proposed law.

But the measure that Lee County Sheriff Jay Jones says is long overdue: the $250 offender registration payment.

"Every time an individual moves, we have to notify the area where they're moving, and there's an expense involved each time."

Federal law mandates the sheriff's office track sex offenders, an endeavor that involves software and fees.

"The public wants to know, and they need to know in regard to these individuals in their neighborhoods, but it can be an expensive proposition at some point," Jones said. ..Source.. by Alison Flowers

Read More of Article...

Article Summary only...

Sex offenders get parole without participating in treatment programs

6-3-2011 New Hampshire:

CONCORD — Sex offenders who have been unwilling to participate in treatment programs were released by the state Adult Parole Board Thursday, but not by its choice.

“Here’s this guy trading ‘favors’ in prison for chocolate bars, and we’ve got to release him — and they (legislators) are still waffling on the bill,” said Alan Coburn, who served as chairman of the Adult Parole Board Thursday.

He referred to revisions to last year’s Senate Bill 500, an overhaul of the state parole system.

Senate Bill 53, which would return more latitude to the board in such cases, is the subject of a committee of conference between the House and Senate versions.

Under last year’s provisions, Senate Bill 500 requires inmates to be released to supervision nine months in advance of their maximum parole date. It also limits the board to returning parolees to no more than 90 days behind bars.

Phillip Emil Patch Jr., 74, of Concord, a convicted child sex offender who has taken no treatment, will be on the street Aug. 6.

Sentenced to two to four years in August 2009, he was advised to complete intensive sex offender treatment.

His corrections counselor has written: “Patch appears to have done as little as possible during his stay here, however disturbingly, he did trade sexual favors for candy bars with younger inmates. I believe that inmate Patch is an extremely dangerous predator who should be civilly committed.”

In his explanation of why he should be released, Patch simply wrote “SB 500.”

The board also released Darin Linn Schroyer, 45, of Lake Oswego, Ore., convicted of two counts of second-degree assault.

The indictment accused him of raping a female under age 13 in Portsmouth from 1997 to 2001, but he was convicted of lesser charges and received two concurrent terms of 1 1/2 to 3 years.

His minimum parole date was Nov. 28, 2010, but he was denied parole because of his failure to take sex offender training.

He insisted he is not a sex offender.

He will be released to live in Hampton Aug. 30.

Schroyer said he has not done sex offender training but explained he had “complied with all of the terms of my sentence.”

Also released because of SB 500 Thursday was John D. Polito, 49 of Manchester. He will be released Aug. 2. He is eligible for Social Security benefits of $674 a month.

Polito was convicted with four counts of burglary.

He recently received a “write-up” or report of bad behavior from the halfway house he was living in when he allegedly told someone to “burn this house down.”

Polito was, however, paroled because of SB 500.

Coburn urged Polito, “Don’t blow this. I know you are not going to get all that you want. ... Get out Aug. 2, get straightened out, go to your meetings, stay on your medication” and pay restitution of $15,400. ..Source.. by PAULA TRACY, New Hampshire Union Leader

Read More of Article...

Article Summary only...

New Binders Used to Identity Sex Offenders

Unbelievable, now they have come up with a way to UPDATE the binders, but who is going to check on whether or not that is being done? I know, hire another officer to check binders. Look at what they spent to print these useless binders: $15,000 and no funding from the State, is there any truth to the claim that, the state requires these binders. We can find NONE this is a local yokel interpretation.

Note how the article closes, one can check the website, well what are the binders for? This is absolute proof that all squirrels are not in trees, someone needs their head examined. I am going to guess that, someone in this Sheriff's office does not understand the purpose of COMPUTERS, s/he is technology challenged. Oh yes, what happens when someone takes a handful of the pages? i.e., steals them.. Who fixes the binder...how does one spell STUPID IDEA?

6-2-2011 Georgia:

(Savannah,GA) It's not something most people would want to look at, but it is another tool now available for people to learn if a sex offender may live in their neighborhood. Today, Chatham County Sheriff deputies began delivering 110 binders filled with the names, pictures and addresses of area registered sex offenders.

Sheriff Al St. Lawrence says the collection of information for the binders along with their delivery fulfills a new state law. The binders will be available for view at all public and private schools, as well as local colleges, City Halls and public libraries. "Particularly the public libraries if people want to go there and go through the books they can do so. And the board of education as well as private schools, and they will be able to keep up with what's going on as far as sex offenders are concerned," said St. Lawrence.

While the information is currently available online, St. Lawrence says the binders should help make citizens more aware. Yet he does say that awareness comes at a cost. While state mandated, he says the state provided no funding for the project, which cost about $15,000. He says updating the binders will also be a local expenses.

Each binder is up to 400 pages. Each page shows a picture, name and address of an area registered sex offender. Officials say if an offender is added to the registry or a registered offender's address changes, they have a process in place to update the binders pretty easily. "We'll send an actual emaiI and then the contact person (at the school or library) will actually replace the old page with the new information," says Deputy Rhonda Bryant Elelby, who worked on lining up all the contacts who would receive the binders. "When someone gets an email update, they can just take the old page out and insert it with the new page," she says.

"Not everyone has access to a computer so they now actually have the website per se at their fingertips where they can go and flip through the books," says Bryant Elelby.

The community can also access photos of the sex offenders in Chatham County and received e-mail alerts about sex offenders who move into their neighborhood by visiting the CCSO website. ..Source.. by JoAnn Merrigan

Read More of Article...

Article Summary only...

Senate Passes Runner's Bill To Require Sex Offenders To Give Up Social Networking Addresses

These lawmakers do not have an ounce of proof that ALL registrants seek children when on a social network, its more bolder-dash and the rest of the lawmakers simply go along with them. Its time for the ACLU to take a stand showing the falsehood of lawmaker claims.

6-2-2011 California:

Convicted sex offenders may soon have to give their Facebook, MySpace and any other social network accounts to law enforcement officials along with their residential address each year.

The California Senate today passed legislation to make this a requirement with a vote of 32-2 in favor.

“Social networks have become a central part of our children’s lives and sex offenders are going there to lure them,” said Senator Sharon Runner. “Just as they have to register their physical whereabouts, it follows that they must also make known where they go in cyber space.”

Senate Bill 57, introduced by Runner, will require all registered sex offenders to disclose their online social network addresses as part of their annual registration requirement.

This measure is based on New York State’s E-STOP Law. Illinois has also adopted a similar law.

SB 57 simply adds a data field to the sex offender registration form which already requires sex offenders to annually register their residence, workplace, and vehicle information.

Under this measure, no one will be denied access to social networking websites.

Runner believes that her legislation will give sex offenders reason to think before engaging in predatory practices on the Internet.

In presenting her bill, Runner reminded her colleagues that John Albert Gardner, who confessed last year to the rape and murders of teenagers Chelsea King and Amber Dubois, had a MySpace page with graphic descriptions of sex acts.

The last time Gardner accessed this website was the day before Chelsea’s murder.

Senate Bill 57 now moves to the Assembly for its consideration. ..Source.. by KHTS 1220.com

Read More of Article...

Article Summary only...

House passed sex offender bill clears Senate committee

6-1-2011 Louisiana:

Certain sex offenders would be banned from social networking websites and chat rooms under a bill approved Tuesday by a state Senate committee.

The measure, House Bill 55, cleared the Senate Judiciary C Committee without objection and next faces a vote on the Senate floor.

It has already passed the Louisiana House.

The legislation would apply to registered sex offenders convicted of indecent behavior with a juvenile, pornography involving juveniles and other offenses.

Violators would face fines of up to $10,000 and 10 years in prison.

The same committee approved another bill that would force convicted sex offenders who are 60 and older to pay $18 for an annual state identification card. The state now provides such cards free to those 60 and older.

The state has 685 registered sex offenders who fit that profile, said state Rep. Bobby Ba-don, D-Carencro and sponsor of the bill.

The measure is House Bill 187. ..Source.. by Will Sentell

Read More of Article...

Article Summary only...

Law officers to begin delivery of binders containing photos of local sex offenders

What lame-brain came up with this interpretation, this is nothing but a complete waste of taxpayer money. My guess is, someone owns a company that is getting paid to do this. Further, schools and everyone else already has a picture of all registered offenders; its called the Public Registry, no one is denied access to it.

In reality a printed copy violates the principle behind the public registry. ie. Current information. How easy is it to get a hair cut, dye hair, put makeup on, etc. Such makes the printed book obsolete before it is even distributed. How do the people making these lame-brain decisions get elected?

6-1-2011 Georgia:

SAVANNAH, Ga. — Authorities in the Savannah area are preparing to deliver binders with photos of the nearly 400 sex offenders living in Chatham County to area public and private schools, libraries and some other public buildings.

WTOC-TV reports that the Chatham County Sheriff's Office Sex Offender Registration and Tracking Unit deputies will start delivering the binders on Wednesday.

The state now requires every sheriff's office to provide printed photographs of every sex offender to all schools, libraries, police stations and public buildings. ..Source.. by Daily Reporter

Read More of Article...

Article Summary only...