sexual predator and offender awareness
DESCRIPTION
Sexual Predator and Offender Awareness. With Funding from: Department of Justice, COPS Office. The Beginning of Sex Offender Laws. Washington State 1987- Earl Shriner, career criminal, released from 10 year sentence for raping two teenage girls - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
http://cop.spcollege.edu
Sexual Predator and Offender Awareness
With Funding from: Department of Justice, COPS Office
http://cop.spcollege.edu
http://cop.spcollege.edu
The Beginning of Sex Offender Laws
• Washington State
• 1987- Earl Shriner, career criminal, released from 10 year sentence for raping two teenage girls
• 1989 - Shriner rapes, strangles 7 year old boy, severs penis, leaves him to die
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Washington State
• 1989 - Gene Raymond Kane, serving 13 year sentence for attacking two women
• On prison work release
• Murders a young Seattle businesswoman
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Washington State Con’t
• 1989 - Wesley Allen Dodd arrested during attempted abduction of 6 year old boy
• Following investigation, Dodd confesses to killing two young boys riding bikes
• He also confesses to the kidnapping and murder of 4 year old boy he found playing in a playground
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Washington State Con’t
• July 1989 - Police Chief in Mountlake Terrace Washington receives notice of sex offenders release
• Offender reportedly threatened to harm children once released
• Chief Turner conducts first known sex offender community notification
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Minnesota
• October - 1989• 11 year old Jacob Wetterling
abducted at gunpoint near his home• Prompted the formation of The Jacob
Wetterling Foundation by his mother, Patty
• Pushed the first national legislation on sex offender registration
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Jacob Wetterling
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Federal Legislation
• The Jacob Wetterling Crimes Against Children and Sexually Violent Offender Act provided states with an outline to create sex offender registration programs.
• Became law in 1994• State compliance deadline 1997• Set minimum guidelines
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Megan Kanka
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New Jersey
• 1994 - seven year old Megan Kanka raped and murdered
• Twice convicted sex offender Jesse Timmendequas is arrested
• In 1979 - Timmendequas had pled guilty to the attempted aggravated sexual assault of a 5-year-old girl in New Jersey. Was given a suspended sentence, but failed to go to counseling and spent 9 months in custody
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Timmendequas Verdict
• In 1981, he pled guilty in regards to the sexual assault of a 7-year-old girl and was imprisoned for 6 years
• Lived two blocks from Megan’s home
• No community notification in NJ
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Timmendequas Verdict Con’t
• 1997 Convicted of Megan’s murder
• Sentenced to death
• Currently on New Jersey’s death row
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Megan’s Law
• Passed May 17, 1996
• Federal legislation on sex offender community notification
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Megan’s Law Con’t
• Amends the Wetterling Act regarding release of registration information in two ways
• First – eliminates requirements that registration information be treated as private data
• Second – makes release of relevant information to the public mandatory
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Pam Lynchner Act
• Second amendment to Wetterling Act
• Requires FBI to create a national sex offender database registry
• Passed October 1996• Set three year time frame for state
compliance
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Final Wetterling Amendment
• 1998 Departments of Commerce, Justice, State, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (CJSA)
• Increased requirements for sexually violent predators
• Requires registry of federal, military, & non-resident students and workers
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CJSA Con’t
• Finally, CJSA requires that states participate in the national sex offender registry (NSOR)
• Purpose is that state registry information is tracked between jurisdictions
• NSOR launched in July 1999, part of NCIC 2000
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Campus Sex Crimes Prevention Act
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Act Effective October 28, 2002
• Another amendment to Wetterling Act.
• Requires state compliance for grant funding
• Provides for tracking of convicted sex offenders enrolled or employed by institutions of higher education
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• Requires sex offenders to provide:– Name, location and county of each institution
– Each campus attended
– Enrollment and/or employment status and,
– Each change in enrollment or employment status, including a change in location of either
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Reporting Requirements
• If on Probation, sex offender must notify probation officer within 48 hours of any changes
• If off Probation, sex offender must provide all changes to Sheriff within 48 hours of the change
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Florida State Laws
• Sexual Predator Act• Public Safety Information Act –
1997• Both Acts amended in 1998
Legislative Session• 1999 Language shifted in
responsibility for verification
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Amended Language
• 1998 amendments to sexual predator acts
– Address registration requirements in FL
– Outlined community notification requirements
– Requires sex offenders to submit DNA samples
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Jimmy Ryce Act
• Effective January 1, 1999
• Outlines civil commitment for sexually violent offenders
• Chapter 916 of Florida Statutes
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Jessica Lundsford Act
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Jessica’s Story
• Jessica was taken from her home during the night allegedly by convicted sex offender John Couey
• It is reported that she was raped and then buried alive just steps from her home.
• Couey was living at an unreported address with family members.
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http://cop.spcollege.edu
Lundsford Act Brief Overview
• Signed by Governor Bush May 2, 2005
• Widespread changes to sexual predator/offender laws
• Effective 09/01/2005– Re-Registration begins 12/01/2005
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Lundsford Act - Highlights
• Sex predators/offenders required to re-register in person at Sheriff’s Office twice a year
• Extends sexual predator waiting period for petition of removal of designation from 20 to 30 years (for those sexual predators designated after 09/01/05).
• 3rd degree felony for failure to respond to address verification letters
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Lundsford Act cont.
• 3rd degree felony for those who assist, harbor, or conceal a sexual predator or offender in eluding law enforcement to provide false information– No immunity for husbands, wives etc.
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Lundsford Act cont.
• Provides a criminal offense for a person who alters, tampers, damages, or destroys any court-ordered electric monitoring equipment.
• Lewd or lascivious molestation on a child under 12 when the offender is 18 or older f.s 800.04(5)(b)
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Lundsford Act cont.
• Lewd and lascivious molestation committed, convicted of a life felony on or after 09/01/05:– If not life imprisonment, split sentence to
include electronic monitoring for the duration of the defendant’s natural life
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Lundsford Act cont.
• Registered sexual offender/predator probationers:– Requires court finding regarding danger
of subject to public, prior to release on bail.
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Lundsford Act cont.
• Mandatory electronic monitoring for conditional releasees:
1. Offense date on or after 9/1/05, for 2. Specified offenses, and3. Victim 15 yrs. or under, offender over
18 yrs. old
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Lundsford Act cont.
• Requires background screening for contractual personnel permitted access on school grounds when students present or if in direct contact with students.
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Re-Registration
• Begins December 1, 2005• Requires offenders to check-in at the
Sheriff’s Office twice a year (birth month and 6 months thereafter)
• Requires info to be electronically submitted to FDLE within 48 hours
• Employment and Vehicle information now required.
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Notification to Offenders of New Laws
• FDLE has sent notices to offenders/predators beginning the week of July 25th
– Through postcards– Multiple mailouts, at least one requiring
signature
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Sexual Predators
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Sexual Predators
• The designation of a person as a sexual predator requires a written finding by the court
• Qualifying offense must have occurred on or after October 1, 1993.
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Sexual Predator Criteria
• The “one is enough” sexual predator offense• Any Capital, Life, First Degree Felony, or
attempted violation of:– Chapter 794 – Sexual battery– 847.0145 Selling/buying of minors– 800.04 Lewd/Lascivious offense committed upon or in the
presence of person under 16– 787.01* - Kidnapping– 787.05* - False imprisonment or– 787.025* - Luring or enticing a child
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Sexual Predator Criteria cont.
• * Where the victim is a minor and the defendant is not the victims parent.
• Any Violation of a similar law in another jurisdiction
• Offense must have occurred on or after October 1, 1993
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Sexual Predator Criteria cont.The “second offense” sexual predator offense
• Any felony or attempted felony violation of:– Chapter 794 Sexual battery– 847.0145 selling or buying of minors…– 827.071 sexual performance by a child (child porn)– 825.1025(2)(b) lewd/lascivious offense on elderly– 800.04 lewd/lascivious offense committed upon or in the
presence of person under 16– 793.03 procuring person under 18 for prostitution– 787.01* kidnapping
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Sexual Predator Criteria cont.The “second offense” sexual predator offense
– 787.02* false imprisonment or
– 787.025* luring or enticing of a minor:• Where the victim is a minor and the defendant is not the
victim’s parent
• Any Violation of a similar law in another jurisdiction
• Offense must have occurred on or after October 1, 1993
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Sexual Predator Designation
• An offender who has been determined to be a sexual violent predator pursuant to civil commitment proceedings under Chapter 394 (Jimmy Ryce Act) shall be designated as a sexual predator.
• Those committed on or after July 1, 2004
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Sexual Offenders
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Sexual Offenders
• Convicted of certain sex offensesAND
• Be in custody or control of, or under supervision by Department of Corrections on or after October 1, 1997OR
• On or after October 1, 1997 be released from sanctions
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Sexual Offenders cont.
• This also includes any person living in Florida who has been required to register or be subject to community or public notification in any other state as a sex offender.
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Qualifying Offenses for Sex Offenders
• Kidnapping - Where the victim is a minor and the defendant is not the victim’s parent
• False imprisonment - Where the victim is a minor and the defendant is not the victim’s parent
• Luring or enticing a child - Where the victim is a minor and the defendant is not the victim’s parent
• Sexual Battery - *Excluding subsections 794.011(10) and 794.0235
• Procuring a person under the age of 18 for prostitution
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Qualifying Offenses for Sexual Offenders
• Lewd/lascivious offenses committed upon or in the presence of persons less than 16 years of age
• Lewd/lascivious offenses committed upon or in the presence of an elderly person or disabled adult
• Sexual performance by a child • Protection of minors; prohibition of certain acts in connection with
obscenity • Computer pornography • Transmission of child pornography by electronic device/equipment • Transmission of material harmful to minors to a minor by electronic
device/equipment • Selling or buying of minors
(for portrayal in a visual depiction engaging in sexually explicit conduct)
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Sexual Predator/Offender Registration
• If under the supervision of Department of Corrections (probation)– DOC registers the predator/offender– DOC provides FDLE with all registration
information– Predators/Offenders are still required to report
to DHSMV within 48-hours to obtain or update FL driver’s license or ID card.
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If Released from Probation:
• Register with the Sheriff of the county within 48-hours of establishing their residence.
• The Sheriff’s Office then forwards fingerprints, photographs, and registration paperwork to FDLE.
• Still required to report to DHSMV within 48-hours
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FDLE Registration Form
• Indicate Predator or Offender• Check Warrants• Check Criminal History• See DL or ID card• Employment Information• Scars, mark and/or tattoos• Victim was adult or minor?• Offender and Witness sign form
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Failure to register within 48 hours or maintain an
address is a 3rd degree felony
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Change of Address
• All predators/offenders who intend to establish residence in another state must notify the Sheriff within 48 hours before leaving this state (moving to another state).
– Failure to notify of move is a 3rd degree felony
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Change of address cont.
• FDLE will notify the state where the predator/offender reports he is moving too
• If the predator/offender decides to remain in this state, they must report to the Sheriff within 48-hours after their intended date of leaving– Failure to report is a 2nd degree felony.
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Permanent Addresses
• “Permanent residence”: a place where the person abides, lodges, or resides for 14 or more consecutive days
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Temporary Address
• Temporary residence”: a place where the person abides, lodges, or resides for a period of 14 or more days in the aggregate during any calendar year and which is not the person's permanent address; for a person whose permanent residence is not in this state, a place where the person is employed, practices a vocation, or is enrolled as a student for any period of time in this state; or a place where the person routinely abides, lodges, or resides for a period of 4 or more consecutive or nonconsecutive days in any month and which is not the person's permanent residence, including any out-of-state address.
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How is Law Enforcement Notified?
• FDLE notifies local agency by fax or teletype
• Inmate release information is sent by the Department of Corrections
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Additional Information Access
• FDLE maintains the state’s internet website
• www.fdle.state.fl.us
• Toll free number 1-888-357-7332
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Address Verification
• FDLE conducts verifications by mail to sexual predators and offenders not under DOC supervision – Predators are verified by mail quarterly– Offenders are verified by mail annually– Predators/Offenders not under
supervision for original qualifying offense.
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Address Verification
• Statutory responsibility lies primarily with FDLE
• Sheer numbers of offenders in Florida make task difficult
• Local agencies can fill in the gaps• Responsibility to citizens in our
jurisdiction
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FDLE primary source of data
0102030405060708090
1st Qtr 2nd Qtr 3rd Qtr 4th Qtr
EastWestNorth
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Agency Roles in Process
• Department of Corrections– Registration information on incarcerated
offenders to FDLE– Fingerprints, alias, crime information,
photo– Electronically sends registration on
released inmates to FDLE
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Agency Roles cont.
• DHSMV - Images - Address Information (temp/perm)
• Sheriff’s Offices and FDLE Offices– Images– Fingerprints– Indentifiers/Aliases– Crime Information– Address Verification
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Agency Roles cont.
• Clerk of the court– Fingerprints– Probation Restrictions– Court Findings of Predator Status– Disposition Information
• Out of State Registries– Incoming Offender/Predator Notifications
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Local Agency Responsibility
• Law Enforcement agencies must notify probation when arresting sex offender under supervision.
• Sheriff’s Office responsible for twice a year re-registration
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Local Sources of Information
• Does your agency gather information on sex offenders and predators?
• If yes, what type?• Information gained by proactive
methods vs. reliance on state agencies.
• Local Probation Offices• Sheriff’s Offices
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Local Input
• FDLE – local agencies input field intelligence/address verification to FDLE database
• Updated information and photo electronically submitted at time of re-registration.
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Community Notification
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Sexual Predator Act Language
• Sheriff or Chief of jurisdiction must notify the community of the presence of a sexual predator.
• Authorizes notification of offenders as deemed appropriate
• Must notify all licensed day cares and schools within 1 mile radius and within 48 hours.
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Notification Requirements cont.
• There is NO specific manner spelled out to notify the community
• Can be completed “in any manner deemed appropriate”
• Methods vary from agency to agency and county to county
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Required Information
• Community notification information must include:– Name– Address– Photograph– Description– Whether victim was a minor or adult– Circumstances of the event
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Sexual Offender Notification
• Liability Issues:– Limited immunity from liability for law
enforcement, schools, people acting at the discretion of those agencies.
– Citizens can provide information to community that is listed on FDLE website.
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How do we do it?
• Provide FDLE public internet address• Provide FDLE toll-free number• Mail out flyers ?
– To whom and how far?
• Reverse 911• Deliver flyers in person?• Can you think of other options?