CA: Bill offers needed reform for sex offender registry
California’s cluttered sex offender registry is too large to be effective and must be reformed if it is to be of any use to law enforcement.
One of only four states to require universal lifetime registration for all sex offenders regardless of their offense or risk of re-offending, California now has more than 100,000 people on its sex offender registry. Created in 1947 to help police monitor high-risk offenders, the registry of today lumps together high- and low-risk offenders, making it harder for law enforcement and the public to discern who is truly a threat.
Due to the size of the registry, law enforcement agencies now spend two-thirds of sex offender supervision resources on registration paperwork rather than actually monitoring sex offenders, according to the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office.
Recognizing the registry has grown “burdensome and ineffective,” the California Sex Offender Management Board has called on the state to adopt a tiered system, in which offenders register for varying periods of time depending on their offense, history and risk of re-offending. Together with the California Police Chiefs Association and the California Coalition Against Sexual Assault, CSOMB is backing a credible proposal to restore the effectiveness of the registry.
Senate Bill 421, introduced by Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, proposes a tiered system requiring registration for 10 years, 20 years or life, depending on several factors to differentiate higher- and lower-risk offenders. Tier 1 requires a minimum 10 years registration and is reserved for those convicted of misdemeanors or nonviolent felonies, like indecent exposure. Tiers 2 and 3, respectively, require registration for 20 years and life, and are for those convicted of serious and violent sex offenses.
SB421 retains lifetime registration for sexually violent predators, repeat offenders, habitual sexual offenders, a litany of specified serious and violent offenses and offenders deemed at high-risk of re-offending. The bill also requires Tier 1 and 2 registrants to petition a court for removal from the registry after 10 and 20 years and allows district attorneys to challenge removals.
With SB421, California can maintain accountability for lower-risk and nonviolent offenders, while freeing up resources to monitor those at highest risk of creating new victims. It’s an overdue reform which will do more to protect the public than our unworkable, outdated registry.
Such common sense one does not expect to come out of California.
Or They could just do away with the registry which has no factual evidence of promoting any public safety.
Or they could keep the current system and just make it just available to the police. Is that better? I don’t think so.
It is not going away but it can be made more “fair” with reforms such as the tier rating system if applied on an individual case by case basis.
That at least allows for the potential of relief and light at the end of the tunnel instead of just failing down a bottomless black hole.
It will also bring to light FACTS which will allow more reforms as those FACTS are accepted as reality (something the government fears) instead of FEAR. That alone would be a 100% improvement.
I am so happy for those folks that will get some relief!
Now if only Florida will use some of that common sense to reform it’s pathetic “system” so that if NOTHING ELSE it will actually do what it falsely claims which is to allow Florida citizens to check for dangerous criminals LIVING NEAR THEM and not the THOUSANDS STILL LISTED who no longer even live in the state!
1. Remove those off the list immediately as they are no longer even remotely relevant to the purpose of the registry.
2. Adopt a tiered system to allow the systematic removal of those who have “paid the debt to society” and have been model citizens. Allow they to reenter the world and move forward.
3, Stop the unconstitutional cruel lifetime punishment – which lifetime surveillance and public shaming certainly both are. Prevent Florida from abusing the rights of American citizens.
Florida needs to be sued into change. Common sense will not work as those in the Florida government do not have it. We must force them to use FACTS and not FEAR!
Lee, I was sentenced to 5 years probation and 20 years of registration in 1996, now they say it’s for life even though the judge said 20 and my sentencing paperwork said 20. I now have a job where it is difficult to get off to reregister twice a year so when it’s time to again I’ll probably lose a job I love.
I caught a case in 1999 and been registering since then even though it was a one time mistake I’m still being punished 17 years later and for life according to the law, its not fair to be punished because of the continued actions of others.