11-16-2008 Colorado:
Low revenue forecasts and the state’s economic decline could hamstring a push by Western Slope Republican politicians to institute tougher minimum sentences and more oversight of sex offenders.
Lawmakers on the Joint Budget Committee said legislation supported by incoming Senate Minority Leader Josh Penry, R-Grand Junction, and other Republican lawmakers to implement mandatory minimum sentences for child molesters from Jessica’s Law probably will command a steep price tag.
Sen.-elect Al White, R-Hayden, said the merits of implementing Jessica’s Law aside, the measure’s sponsors can expect a “hugely expensive” price tag to accompany their legislation.
White said any bill that increases mandatory prison sentences is sure to drive a multimillion-dollar price tag for the costs of building new prison beds as well as the ongoing expenses of housing and guarding inmates.
Under state law, anyone convicted of sexually assaulting a child could face anywhere from two years up to life in prison.
Under Jessica’s Law, someone convicted of sexually assaulting a child 16 years old or younger would have a mandatory minimum 25-year prison term, according to the Colorado Legislative Council.
Penry and Rep. Frank McNulty, R-Highlands Ranch, pushed during the 2007 legislative session to implement mandatory 15-year minimum sentences for sex offenders, but the bill failed to clear the House Judiciary Committee.
McNulty said the bill’s price tag of more than $13 million in its first year contributed to the bill’s defeat.
Rep. Jack Pommer, D-Boulder, said he likes the idea of cracking down on sex offenders, but the lawmakers behind bringing Jessica’s Law to Colorado need to figure out a way to fund their proposal.
“A lot of people have great ideas for spending money, but they don’t come up with ideas for what you cut,” said Pommer, who sits on the budget panel. “I hope if somebody is going to pitch this, they come and say, ‘This is what we want to cut.’ ”
He said lawmakers finding a funding stream is especially important with the economic downturn sapping the state’s tax revenue.
Colorado is one of eight states, including Wyoming, that have not implemented some form of Jessica’s Law.
Penry said if he and his colleagues encounter a fiscal stumbling block, they plan to push to implement Jessica’s Law, even if it takes more than one session.
“The fight to enact Jessica’s Law will be a marathon and not a sprint. … I don’t have any illusion that it will happen quickly or immediately,” Penry said. “It will probably be a multiyear fight to get it enacted, but it’s an issue we have to keep pushing because it’s the right thing to do.”
Penry said having public sentiment on the side of enacting tougher sanctions for sex offenders will help.
Rep.-elect Laura Bradford, R-Collbran, who made bringing Jessica’s Law to Colorado an issue during her campaign this year, said she plans to support the coalition in any way she can. ..News Source.. by MIKE SACCONE
Showing posts with label (Jessicas Law - Costs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label (Jessicas Law - Costs. Show all posts
November 16, 2008
CO- State's economic decline creates roadblock for lawmakers pushing to pass Jessica's Law
March 18, 2008
CA- State spends $24 million to classify sex offenders
3-18-2008 California:
SACRAMENTO – Jessica's Law is requiring the state to spend an extra $24 million this year evaluating sex offenders for the sexually violent predator program, which confines offenders to a mental hospital after their prison terms.
But so far, the 2,000 additional evaluations have resulted in just a small increase in those identified as sexually violent predators, or SVPs.
Amy Phenix, a forensic psychologist who evaluates sex offenders, said few of the newly eligible offenders are diagnosed with the mental condition that qualifies them for the program.
“We conduct many more evaluations, but we don't find many more SVPs,” Phenix said.
To be labeled a sexually violent predator, an offender has to be diagnosed with a mental disorder that makes the person likely to re-offend. Then a judge and a jury must approve.
In the past, the state evaluated offenders who had harmed two victims and had been convicted of one of nine sex crimes.
Back then, Phenix said, 40 percent to 50 percent were diagnosed as a sexually violent predator.
“It turned out that that was a pretty good screening tool,” she said.
Jessica's Law, approved by voters in 2006 as Proposition 83, sought to improve public safety by increasing the number of people eligible to be confined as a sexually violent predator. Now it requires evaluations of those who have harmed one victim and been convicted of any of 35 crimes.
Under the new guidelines, 7 percent to 10 percent of those evaluated are diagnosed with the mental disorder. This includes offenders who have harmed two victims.
The state had to raise the fee from $100 to $200 an hour to find the trained psychiatrists and psychologists needed to conduct the thousands of evaluations required by the law, said Stephen Mayberg, the head of the state Department of Mental Health, which oversees the evaluations.
The state pays outside professionals a total of $7,000 to evaluate each offender.
Suzanne Brown-McBride, chairwoman of the state Sex Offender Management Board, said she is surprised that the thousands of extra evaluations are not identifying more sexually violent predators.
Brown-McBride said her board will continue to study the results of the extra evaluations.
“We want to make sure that these evaluations are being targeted appropriately,” she said. “When you have limited resources, you need to make sure you are using them in an effective way.”
State Sen. George Runner, R-Lancaster, who wrote the law, said he believes the number of sexually violent predators will steadily increase. Runner said the money spent on evaluations is a bargain.
“We think it's worth a few million dollars to prevent someone from going out and raping women and children,” he said. ..more.. by Bill Ainsworth
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