Speaker to Revisit Bill to Publicize Sex Offenders
If passed, the law would allow the public to access information about Level 1 sex offenders.
Photos
In the wake of last week's horrific news of a Wakefield man arrested on charges that he raped infants and toddlers, House Speaker Robert DeLeo said he will take another look at legislation to publicize names of low-level sex offenders, according to a Boston Herald report.
The proposed law, filed by Gov. Deval Patrick last year but stalled in the Legislature, would add Massachusetts to the federal Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act and allow the public to see which Level 1 offenders, deemed the least likely to reoffend by the Sex Offender Registry Board, live or work in their neighborhoods. Currently, the police are required to publicize the names of Level 3 offenders, who are consider the most likely to reoffend.
The issue is being revisited in light of the fact that John Burbine of Wakefield, the man who was charged last week with 100 child sex abuse charges involving 13 infants and toddlers, was a Level 1 sex offender. Burbine was convicted in 1989 of indecent assault and battery on a child.
The proposed bill would have made information of Burbine's previous conviction public.
“In the coming days, Speaker DeLeo will meet with law enforcement from the affected communities and give serious consideration to the bill in question as well as other options to address these types of sickening crimes,” DeLeo spokesman Seth Gitell told the Herald.
Braintree currently has a law on its books regarding restrictions for Level 3 sex offenders. More info here: http://braintree.patch.com/articles/councilor-puts-in-hard-work-on-sex-offender-law.
BarT
5:40 pm on Saturday, December 15, 2012
Punish EVERY level one for the stupidity of one. Makes sense to me. How come that doesn't happen with gun control when an idiot kills 20 kids?
Shana Rowan
2:41 pm on Sunday, December 16, 2012
Anyone interested in learning about the reasons why this bill is a proven failure should peruse this study, just released a month ago: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/240099.pdf
In the wake of a horrific event such as this, "putting them all online" might sound like a good fix. It's not. The entire problem is that Burbine wasn't classified correctly. This bill would replace current risk assessment tools with ones that have been proven to fail at accurately predicting recidivism.
Mr. Burbine's atrocious re-offenses don't change the fact that 96% of sex crimes are committed by someone not on the registry. This isn't about defending sex offenders or their crimes, it's about being smart and enacting the most effective policy possible - and PREVENT these crimes in the first place. Let's choose children over revenge.
Those interested in getting the truth out please join us: www.usafair.org.
Shana Rowan, Executive Director