It is altogether understandable that Nassau County residents are frightened by sex offenders. They don’t want a person who has been convicted of molesting a child living near a playground, a park or a school. And they want to know when a sex offender is living one of the motels that now provide housing for the homeless.
However, at a time when Nassau County is on the brink of bankruptcy, it does not make sense for the county legislators to spend money duplicating work already being done by the state. At a recent meeting a Westbury couple asked the county legislature to put a resolution on the 2011 calendar requiring motels to put up a sign if a sex offender is living in their facility.
It seems to us that such a sign would paint a scarlet letter on every person living in or even working at that motel while making only a minimal contribution to public safety. The sign might also frighten families living nearby who would have no idea which resident was the sex offender.
At this meeting one speaker said she gets frustrated when she calls the police asking for information about sex offenders living in the county. “It is disappointing,” she said. “I get transferred from department to department with nobody addressing the issue … We need to make the Nassau County police department more accountable to follow the law.”
Fortunately the state already has a solution for her problem. On its website the state Division of Criminal Justice Services provides detailed information on every registered sex offender living in New York State. Anyone wanting to know if a sex offender lives nearby can go to www.criminaljustice.state.ny.us/. Under the Sex Offender Management heading there is a button that allows people to “Search the Sex Offender Registry.” In one of the options the concerned party can put in a zip code and get a list of every registered sex offender living in that zip code. The site lists the offender’s name, a recent photograph, his/her address and the nature of the crime, including the age of the victim.
Level 1 sex offenders, those considered at lowest risk of a repeat offense, are required to register with the state for 20 years. Level 2 and 3 sex offenders must register for the rest of their lives.
The state’s Sex Offender Registration Act is a thorough piece of legislation. Sex offenders who fail to comply with SORA face stiff penalties. Offenders that don’t notify the state that they have changed their address, even if they are no longer on probation or parole, can be sent to prison. The law also sets strict limits where sex offenders can live.
It is unfortunate that none of the county legislators at the meeting explained the services already provided by the state. We assume that they are aware of SORA and the efforts already being made by the Division of Criminal Justice Services. We don’t take lightly the danger presented by sex offenders living in Nassau County and the concerns that were expressed at this meeting. In many cases sex offenders are sick individuals with a high risk of reoffending. If the county police learn that a sex offender is not complying with the regulations of the SORA act, they should move quickly to arrest that person.
What we don’t see is a need for the county to reinvent the wheel.
Blank Slate Media Editorial
