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A tool to fight sex offenders
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U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Rep. Pete King (R-Seaford) have introduced legislation that will grant Parents for Megan's Law in Stony Brook access to important federal criminal background information.
Joined by PFML Executive Director Laura Ahearn, the legislators announced May 11 that access to the National Crime Information Center is necessary for PFML — a nonprofit organization dedicated to the prevention and treatment of sexual abuse — to evaluate the veracity of tips received, proactively research noncompliant sex offender registrants and provide law enforcement with accurate information for follow-up action. The bill, which would authorize $1 million in grants for the fiscal years 2010 to 2014, also supports the creation of a Sex Offender Registration Tips program through the existing Megan's Law help line.
"Sex offenders are good at what they do," Ahearn said, "and SORT will make us even better at what we do." Applauding Schumer's "unwavering confidence" in the organization's efforts to prevent sexual abuse, the executive director added, "When no one would listen to us, he raised the volume."
"There's no more important issue on Long Island than the safety of our children," Sen. Schumer said. "There are too many people who wish to do harm to our children." The SORT Program will serve as a "powerful national tool" by providing up-to-date sex offender registry information to federal, state and local law enforcement entities, the senator explained, adding he is "very optimistic that this will become law shortly."
A national Sex Offender Registration Compliance survey conducted by PFML in 2003 indicated that 24 percent of registered sex offenders were not complying with sex offender registration laws, according to information provided by Schumer, who said granting access to NCIC data will level the playing field between predators and parents. The SORT program will maximize law enforcement's already strained resources by screening anonymous tips promptly and effectively through the use of trained investigators with access to public, private and law enforcement databases, the senator said. NCIC access also provides SORT analysts with the capability to conduct immediate national criminal history searches on noncompliant and absconded sex offenders to develop viable leads and submit complete offender case packages to law enforcement agencies to assist in the timely apprehension of offenders.
Rep. King, who also expressed his support for the legislation, said, "I can't imagine any crime worse than sexual abuse." The congressman applauded Ahearn and her organization for their dedication and said he will "fight for the passage of this bill so that they may have the tools and funding they need to support victims and stop sexual abuse."
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