Measures aim to retool Megan's Law

4-7-2013 New Jersey:

TRENTON — Newly proposed legislation would increase supervision of convicted sex offenders across New Jersey while ensuring teens charged with sexting aren’t classified as sex offenders.

The legislation, introduced Friday, also would provide advanced training for parole officers who supervise sex offenders as well as reduce their caseloads.

The measures would retool Megan’s Law, which was put into effect 19 years ago.

The bill sponsors are Senate President Stephen Sweeney, D-Gloucester; Sen. Linda Greenstein, D-Middlesex; and Sen. Kevin O’Toole, R-Essex.

With the advance of digital technologies since Megan’s Law was enacted, Greenstein noted, there is a need for better training and tools to monitor those convicted of sex crimes.

“With these technological advances come new concerns for our children’s safety,” she said. “Parents must now be vigilant against sexual predators both when their children are outside and inside the home, because luring and sexual advances can happen on computers and phones in living rooms and bedrooms.”

Aside from providing training, the legislation would cap a parole officer’s caseload at 40 offenders. The current state ratio is 100 to 1, according to the senators.

“Hopefully, with more manageable caseloads, parole officers can prevent another terrible crime from occurring,” Sweeney said.

The law also would require registered sex offenders pay the state $30 a month. The money would help pay the cost of monitoring the state’s 45,000 sex offenders.

The legislation also addresses the relatively recent issue of teen sexting, defined as sending nude photographs through a cellphone or email messages. State laws have undergone changes related to sexting as police and legislative leaders grapple with whether the act is criminal or simply bad judgment.

Gov. Chris Christie signed a law in 2011 that allows juveniles caught sexting illicit photos of themselves to complete an educational program rather than face criminal charges.

“Often teenagers—without thinking through the consequences of their actions – take an inappropriate photo and forward it onto friends,” Greenstein said. “While we need to educate kids of the effects—both legal and psychological—that can occur from sexting, labeling them as pedophiles for the rest of their lives is not going to correct the situation.” ..Source.. by George Mast