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Light Rain Keeping tabs on sexual predators
Proposed county law would require that some offenders wear GPS tracking device
Nassau County officials have long attempted to monitor the whereabouts of convicted sex offenders, making sure they are not near their victims' residences, schools or workplaces. Now, county probation officials are seeking to expand that oversight by requiring Level 3 offenders to wear a GPS device so that their location will be known at all times.
On Monday, Legislator Joe Scannell (D-Baldwin) and Legislator Dave Denenberg (D-Merrick) introduced the "Dissemination of Information Concerning, Residency Restrictions and the Monitoring of Sex Offenders," bill, which, in addition to requiring that many sex offenders wear the GPS ankle bracelet, adds a provision to current county law, stating that such offenders cannot reside within 2,000 feet of where their victims live or work. The current law maintains that a sex offender cannot live within 500 feet of a playground and within 1,000 feet of a school.
"This law is all about protecting people in Nassau County," Scannell said. The Baldwin lawmaker cited statistics from the Parents for Megan's Law Web site, which show that many sex offenders are found to repeat their crimes even after being arrested, convicted and going through therapy. "Our kids, our families and these types of crimes are our priority. We need to be as proactive as we can."
Denenberg said that the proposed law is important because not only would sex offenders be monitored where they live and what they are doing online, but they would be monitored in what he called "real space."
"The probation department is using technology to protect children," Denenberg said,"just as sex offenders use modern technology to stalk our children."
According to probation officials, they would recommend to the county Supreme Court whether a particular Level 3 sex offender should be required to wear the GPS device. That individual's location would then be monitored 24 hours a day. Officials explained that all local police precincts have photos and information on each sex offender living in that area, and would be called if a sex offender is found to have violated their probation.
The bill is scheduled to be reviewed at the Legislature's Oct. 5 meeting.
Comments about this story? MRusso@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 283.
