Do Offender Registries Protect the Public? Jun 27, 2009
Vermont and every other state now offer online sex offender registries that include photos and other information about convicted sex offenders. The effectiveness of the sites as public protection depends on whom you ask. (WCAX.com, VT)
Who cares: Rehabilitation, not registration Jun 25, 2009
Sexual predators rank high on the list of undesirable neighbors, which is why we have sex offender registries that allow us to find out if the worst of that ilk are living among us ... Demetrius Atsalis, D-Hyannis, has taken steps to correct that oversight by filing legislation calling for a narcotics offender registry, modeled after the three-tiered sex offender registries. (Upper Cape Codder, MA)
Mich. man scoffs at son's suspicion he was taken Jun 19, 2009
jadedcynic wrote on Jun 18, 2009 12:37 PM:" Zeva - Not much has changed except back then except the population and technology. Things such as molestation were often kept hush-hush so as not to make waves or stigmatize the child, family, or molester. It still happened (it happened to my family member in the 1940's and there was little his parents could do), there just wasn't 24-hour news coverage of it, nor were there sex offender registries or Amber Alerts or rape kits. ". Rivers wrote on Jun... (The Pantagraph newspaper)
Man charged for solicitation Apr 28, 2009
Michael G. wrote on Apr 24, 2009 2:57 PM:" To the mother of the little girl: I think we are all thankful that your child did the right thing, and that she is safe. As this happens numerous times each hour all over the United States with children, and some are never found. The sadness this brings to my heart is heavy, as I have lost a child of my own. Although I knew what happened to my child, and know that he is in a safer place now, I could not imagine not knowing where my child was at in any... (Bismarck Tribune, ND)
Many seek sex crime data Mar 15, 2009
Law-enforcement officials and many crime victim advocates argue sex offender registries help improve public safety, although studies on recidivism have failed to show whether there is any deterrent effect. It s not just a gimmick, said Kevin Mannix, a former state lawmaker and author of the Oregon mandatory sentencing law. (Ontario Argus Observer, OR)
Sex offenders: are they always a threat to society? Feb 8, 2009
Criminologists, sociologists, lawyers and psychologists have pondered the legality and effectiveness of sex offender registries since the 1996 implementation of Megan's Law, named for a 7-year-old New Jersey girl who was raped and murdered by a repeat offender living across the street from her family. Some experts believe registries are the only safe option for families; others say sex offenders, unlike all other criminals, can never just serve their time and move on with their lives. (Chetek Alert, WI)
Tracking sex criminals for life is test of law, state Feb 2, 2008
Like the sex offender registries that began in the 1990s, Global Positioning System tracking programs aim to keep law enforcement agencies in constant contact with convicted criminals who often backslide. Registries can tell officers and the public where sex offenders live; GPS anklets can show where they are every second of every day. (News & Observer)
Young, but 'predators' for life Jan 7, 2008
For example: A 14-year-old boy found guilty of fondling a 13-year-old girl one time will have his photograph posted on national public Internet sex offender registries for at least 25 years ... Yet under the new laws, his photograph and address would likely appear on Internet sex offender registries. (Las Vegas Sun)
Officials plan to weed out sex offenders during evacuations Dec 16, 2007
Officials will check names against sex offender registries and other criminal databases, Colley said. They are interested in identifying sex offenders, people with outstanding warrants and parolees. (KHOU.com, TX)
House focuses on Internet sex predators Nov 16, 2007
Social networking sites are permitted to check sex offender registries to prevent offender access. The bill sponsored by Rep. (Yahoo News -- Technology)
Critics decry states teen sex laws Oct 30, 2007
And the rising popularity of sex offender registries can often mean that a teen nabbed for nonviolent contact with someone a year or two younger might face the same public stigma as a dangerous sexual predator. advertisement. (MSNBC -- Crime)
Thousands of teachers cited for sex misconduct Oct 21, 2007
Their secondary sources included court, police and prison records and state sex offender registries, as well as various news accounts on the cases, including the AP's. The reporters were then asked to input their findings into a database. (USA Today)
Paterson Police Search For Alleged Serial Rapist Sep 21, 2007
Police said they are reviewing sex offender registries and increasing patrols to help find the man before he strikes again. Until he is locked up, women in the area said they learning to be more cautious. (WNBC.com, NY)
Lawyer for the dog Sep 10, 2007
And some prosecutors are pushing for a nationwide animal abuser database modeled on the sex offender registries most states maintain. Law enforcement officials and prosecutors describe their concern about animal cruelty in terms that are partly instrumental. (Boston Globe)
Texas Nabs Predators On MySpace Jun 15, 2007
Blevins was one of seven sex offenders caught after MySpace, the world's largest online social network and especially popular with teens agreed last month to start cross-referencing its user information with sex offender registries. None of those arrested in Texas is known to have committed any new crimes, but investigators are still working with MySpace to identify possible victims. (CBS News)
'Relentless' Search for Kansas Teen Jun 6, 2007
Douglas said police have searched her car and the move theater where she worked in addition to checking sex offender registries and examining her computer. He said a team of 50 investigators is working on the case. (Fox News)
MySpace to turn over sex offenders' info May 22, 2007
MySpace, however, issued a news release today, pledging to release information about the sex offenders it has identified through a program called "Sentinel SAFE." The program uses information from state sex offender registries to find offenders. A MySpace spokeswoman said the site is deleting the profiles of 7,000 sex offenders who have been identified on MySpace. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Metro)
Unlocking information Mar 12, 2007
Sex offender registries Who s living in your neighborhood. How to request public information. (Winona Daily News, MN)
Flashers As Sex Offenders? NYC Lawmaker Urges Yes Feb 24, 2007
Sex offender registries vary by state -- some include crimes like flashing and pimping, while others are more limited. Vallone also introduced legislation in the Council to change the classification of public lewdness from a B misdemeanor to an A, which increases the maximum jail time from 90 days to one year. (WNBC.com, NY)
Technology and the erosion of community Feb 22, 2007
Whether there are more perverts and violent criminals per capita now than there ever have been, or whether sex offender registries, the growth of agencies like the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and television programs like Americas Most Wanted have merely escalated our awareness of depraved individuals, we cant really be certain, but modern communication technologies have brought into our living rooms and laptops the worst that criminal and defective minds have to... (Seacoast New Hampshire)
MySpace donates tools to block predators Feb 3, 2007
Sentinel Safe contains information on the estimated 600,000 registered sex offenders in the United States and is designed to receive updates from state sex offender registries. The tool is used by MySpace security officials who monitor profiles on the site and match identities against the database, then remove suspect profiles. (MSNBC -- Crime)
New branding campaign Jan 31, 2007
Richardson, a Democrat who recently announced he is running for his party's nomination for president, wants New Mexico to create a registry of convicted drug dealers and manufacturers who have finished serving their sentences, a plan modeled on sex offender registries. The notion that if you commit a crime, you serve your time and are then considered to have paid your debt to society is on its way out in this country and the notion of pillorying convicts long after they've served their time is... (Fresno Bee -- Opinion)
Investigation reveals criminal pasts of those toting guns Jan 28, 2007
The South Florida Sun-Sentinel examined the state's concealed weapons program, comparing the identities of 443,425 license holders, past and present, with databases of felony convictions, domestic violence injunctions, arrests, warrants, clemency proceedings, jail bookings and sex offender registries. Reporters also analyzed 21,180 disciplinary actions the Florida Division of Licensing has taken against permit holders. (Sun-Sentinel.com)
Registry lists former meth lab homes Jan 21, 2007
Randy from Oklahoma wrote on January 21, 2007 7:09 AM:"This is whole thing is a real joke. The link is wrong in the article - try: http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/seizures/ What good is a registry that only lists a small percentage of the addresses? The conditions of use on the website verify that it is of little use. It appears to have caused more problems than good. I hope the local sex offender registries are more accurate. ". Name. (Waterloo Courier, IO)
Bloggers Help Unearth Clues Jan 16, 2007
They searched sex offender registries across the nation for the suspect's name, Michael Devlin, and gathered all sorts of news articles and other information off the Web. By late that afternoon, a blog operated by Steve Huff, , was linked to the of a "Shawn Devlin" of Kirkwood and a comment written on the guest book of in December 2005. (Fox News)
Cybersleuths dig up dirt as high-profile crimes unfold Jan 16, 2007
They searched sex offender registries across the nation for the suspect's name, Michael Devlin, and gathered all sorts of news articles and other information off the Web. By late that afternoon, a blog operated by Steve Huff, CrimeBlog. (Jefferson City News Tribune, MO)
