Posted on 07/25/2005 12:27:37 AM PDT by WKB
LUCEDALE -- Effective July 1, the Mississippi Legislature put additional teeth into a law requiring convicted sex offenders to register with local authorities.
The importance of the new law was amplified by the stories this summer of Florida's Jessica Lundsford and Shasta and Dylan Groene from Idaho. In both recent cases, children died because convicted sex offenders allegedly repeated their crimes.
Under Mississippi's new law, a convicted sex offender is required to register with local authorities and report any change of address or job. Advertisement
Sex offenders are the only criminals required to register and maintain contact with authorities, even after they have served their sentences. The reason for this continued contact, according to George County Sheriff Garry Welford, is the high rate of recidivism by sex offenders.
People also want to know if a sex offender is living in their neighborhoods, he added. For these reasons, both state and national sex offender registries have been created.
Even though these registries were in place, they did not help in either the Lundsford or Groene cases.
Suspect John Couey, who is accused of kidnapping, molesting and murdering Jessica Lundsford, is a convicted sex offender. He was not registered in the jurisdiction where he was living.
Joseph E. Duncan, the man held in the kidnappings, molestations and murders in the Groene case had traveled from North Dakota to Idaho, where he allegedly attacked the Groene family.
The problem, Welford said, is that sex offenders are required to register and can then drop out of sight. The recent case of Bobby Crawford, 48, who was arrested earlier this week by George County deputies, is a prime example.
Crawford was convicted of first degree sexual abuse in Mobile County, Ala. He was sentenced to three years probation and served his sentence. He was then registered as a sex offender in Mobile County. At some point he moved from Alabama to Mississippi, where he lived for about seven years, but did not report the move to either state's authorities.
Welford said that it is physically impossible for departments in small, mostly rural counties to track sex offenders.
The problem exists everywhere. For example, George County has 22 registered sex offenders. Two are not in compliance with registration requirements according to the Department of Public Safety Sex Offender website. Jackson County has 145 registered offenders. Thirty one are non-compliant. Greene County has 25 offenders, three not in compliance.
The alarming statistic is the unknown number of sex offenders that have moved into the area without registering, like Crawford, Welford said. Mississippi's new law is an attempt to help law enforcement officials keep track of sex offenders. The bill was sponsored by State Rep. Warner F. McBride, (D-Courtland).
"Before this law, sex offenders did not have to physically report. The Jessica Lundsford case heightened this situation for everyone. We do not want the same kind of thing to happen in Mississippi," said McBride. The new law, McBride explained, requires sex offenders to re-register in person with the Department of Public Safety every 90 days. Those that do not will be actively sought by law enforcement.
McBride, who has spent time with victims and their families, said the law is needed to protect the innocent from sexual predators
"If you spend any time with the families of victims, it touches your heart to find out what they have to go through and you want to take action. No child should have to go through being subjected to one of these predators. I spent some time recently with the grandmother of two young children that were molested and your heart really goes out to the entire family when you learn what they have had to experience."
Tammy Goff, the director of the Salvation Army in George County, is well aware of the problem.
"We have children at risk in this county, especially young children of drug addicted parents. These children are especially vulnerable to sexual predation," Goff, who also works with child advocacy groups, said. She gave the new statute high marks.
"I think this law is an excellent step," Goff said. "We should hold these people accountable and keep them aware that they have given up some privacy. We should let them know that they are being tracked. It is an excellent move on the part of the Legislature."
The new law also requires sex offenders to report and register with law enforcement officials within three days of their release from jail.
An individual moving into the area must notify authorities 10 days prior to moving and then register within 10 days of moving into the county. The individual must also report to a Department of Public Safety Driver's License Facility and register. The person must then report back, in person, to the Driver's License Facility every 90 days and re-register. "Crawford failed to register," Welford continued, "which is a crime. In fact, under Mississippi law, the penalty he faces for not registering may be more than the one he received for his sex offense . The penalty for not registering includes fines up to $5,000 and up to five years in jail. "The new law will make it more difficult for sex offenders such as Crawford to drop out of sight," Welford said.
Mississippi Ping
Meanwhile, back at the gov't schools, faggothood is pushed at the kids. Nuther literal truth there, case anyone has noticed.
FYI ping
Even though these registries were in place, they did not help in either the Lundsford or Groene cases.
I haven't heard of any times that they did help.
It's a costly system so I'm wondering if the value is there. It would seem if you took the same resources and effort to increase LE supervision of the more risky perps, more value might result.
I can see one only one possible benefit of the law. If an offender goes off the map/list, then you have a crime committed and can incarcerate again without any other offense required.
I personally do not believe these scum can be let back into society, but if we must one suggestion. They must report every week and if they do not bounty hunters will be sent out for them. $500.00 dead or alive, will result in the government finally not wasting our money.
Thank you for the PING
"Sex offenders"
IMO, the most destructive emotion of all is hate.
That is one thing I try never to do.
However, I'll make an exception in their cases.
"You know it seems no matter what you do
there is always somebody to find a downside."
I don't like those types, either.
But, I don't hate them. ;o)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.