Megan's and Jessica's Laws!!!

Listening to the news in the last few weeks, a subject very near and dear to my heart has been going round in my mind.

In view of the Teri Hatcher story as well as a child rapist in Massachusetts that only got three years, I have heard that there are only a few states that have passed Megan's Law.

I've started drafting a letter to the governor of my state and to the legislators demanding that they pass Megan's Law in my state.

I'd like to encourage everyone here that was sexually abused as a child or raped to write their own State legislators and tell them to pass this law in Your State! Stiffer sentences for these perverts also need to be instituted!

These sex offenders Will Never Change! We need to put them behind bars for a very long time so that they can't hurt children any more. Life would be a good sentence to serve!

There are/were two sex offenders in my Mobile Home Park. We're down to one because the oldest of the two, an 80 yr old man, has been put away. They never get too old!

Let's get these perverts behind bars where they belong by getting our legislators to pass Megan's Law and to pass stiffer sentences!

I agree that so much more needs to be done. I found a great resource site about Megan's Law in all 50 states. However, all counties might not have the resources to do what needs to be done. I think protecting our children, as you said, should be TOP priority!.

If I read this right, there isn't a state that hasn't adopted Megan's Law and most have websites available to the public regarding offenders. How awesome is this?! However, if that's on a state level, but not county level, how much information are we getting into the communities?

This map, and site could help anyone who wants to know more. I hope you don't mind my adding it, September. You've prompted me to get more active and I did some research.

Great post!

information on states using Megan's Law

I wonder if local law enforcement have to abide if the law is adopted by the state? I know for a fact that there's not notification here. Well, I should say, if there is not all offenders qualify for notification, then. I just wonder if local government is required to follow what the state has adopted...

I'm going to find out more.

Thanks, Sept!

kd

Here's the site for those in the UK:

Sarah's Law

KD, although Clinton singed it into law on the Federal level, many states haven't adopted it. Many states don't even require their sex criminals to register.

I'll be doing more research tomorrow including how to make the punishment for these perverts much more stringent!

The Massachussets man that eventually got three years, was initially given ONLY 30 days by the judge so that the man could receive therapy. These people don't change!! And how many criminals really get the treatment that the court imposes on them? Few to none!

PS KD, any and ALL information, motivation and action is most welcome!!

Yep, my child's offender got NOTHING. Sure, he got the sentence...suspended.

So much needs to be done...much more than what is.

kd

Yep, Sept, you're right.

I found this at parents for megans law

Parents nationwide have been under the false impression that they, too, would be notified of a resident sexual predator, because of the false assumption that New Jersey's state law is the same as each individual state's law. The federal version of Megan's Law is drastically different than New Jersey's version of Megan's Law. The federal law required all 50 states to release information to the public about known convicted sex offenders when it was necessary to protect their safety but did not mandate active notification. If a state failed to comply with minimal release of information standards established by the federal government, then that state risked losing federal crime-fighting funding. The federal mandate to release information to the public is often mistakenly referred to as community notification when, in actuality, the federal mandate requires just the release of information to the public - not active notification. There is a significant difference between simply releasing information (making it available for the public to access on its own) and active community notification, where law enforcement officers go door to door to inform neighbors and schools. The federal Megan's Law does not require all 50 states to enact active notification laws, whereas New Jersey's state Megan's Law has specific requirements for active community notification.

Community, active notification is a MUST.

kd

You know, Sept, I'm amazed how that site shows a map and one can look at it and say, "Cool, our state is really doing a great job." Then you look at the deeper facts that you pointed out and see it for real...

kd

A clarification:

Megan's Law is the one that provides for registration of all sex offenders AND notification to the public when one is moving into any given neighborhood.

Most if not all states have a website posted but you have to look up the information for yourself. Very few communities notify.

Jessica's Law (link) is the one that provides for a minimum of TWENTY FIVE YEARS behind bars for the rape of an underage child. Very few states have adopted this law!

This would have mandated that the man that raped and killed the little girl in Vermont, Mass to get 25 yrs, not 60 days and then 3 yrs!

This is great information, September, that I just didn't know.

We need to have local law enforcement notify! Just requiring a database out there somewhere doesn't help alot. The public would have to go and look for a name to check. At the very least, we should be able to check by community (as opposed to name) would be a step in the right direction? For instance, I should be able to go to my local registry, type in my address and they list the addresses of all registered offenders in the area.

As it is here, I would have to go and get the names, first and last, of all of my neighbors then submit them one by one. NUTS.

I want to get active in my community on this...as the adult survivor, as well as the mother of a survivor.

kd

KD, you don't need to get names. Here is a link to the National Registry.

National Registry of Sex Offenders

For me to find out those in my immediate neighborhood, I had to "agree and click the button." I'm not sure to what I agreed since I was only checking for information.

I was able to zone in to my mobile home park and the names of the streets where the perps live. This registry shows THREE. And we're all grandparents here!!!

Why don't you give it a try and see what you get.

With all the survivors on this site, I'm amazed that only you and I have posted! My perps were my grandmother and my dad. If they were still alive you can bet your sweet bippy I would turn them in!

Thanks for your help and your interest.

Really???? I'm on my way there!

I'll brb and reply...

kd

That's an AWESOME site, September! Thank you so much. We have three offenders within a one mile radius. Wouldn't you know that the person convicted regarding my child isn't one of them. It's because it was 12 years ago, I'm sure. I so wish this "pillar of the community" was on there. I do know that the county clerk's office shows it to anyone who would search his name. UGH.

Thank you so much again. Oh, I did speak with hubby about this and he told me that there is a notification here as well because he knows people on the street where one offender lives and they'd told him that they'd received a letter.

I appreciate all of this information.

kd

Well, know you know where they live. Cruise by and see what they look like... or better yet, go down to your local police station and tell them you want to see what they look like!

A woman here in my park found a site where they actually have the pictures of these vermin. I'll have to ask her what the site was.

On my opinion, IF they really need to let them out of prison, they should live in a leper colony away from society!

September, there were pictures with the names on the site that you gave me. It just be the state who provides the pics maybe?

kd

Could be, KD. Every state is different, I'm sure. Glad that your state has the pictures along with it.

What I got was a map that had little blue squares representing the house where they live on that particular street.

Yep, I got that map, then below the map (bottom of the page) was a list of names and you could click "details" to the left of the names and viola. Did you scroll all the way down below the map? If you see the names, the details may be available to you. It gives the addy, pic, and crime here.

I hope your state offers that somewhere.

kd

Tomi, thanks for this information. I didn't know what "Megan's Law" was specifically, but I have known that the names and addresses of sex offenders were required to be made available to the public. And I hope that people remember that knowing where the registered sex offenders are in their area isn't enough. Kids need to be taught what is appropriate and how to decide who they can trust, and how to get help if they need it, because there are so many more people out there who have the potential to hurt them than just the ones on the registry. Looking it up and finding out that there are sex offenders in your neighborhood can be a wakeup call. We had some right directly across the street from us, but they moved.

My state has that law and we had an offender here that didn't register, when ppl found out who he was the police arrested him immediatly

Teaching your kids to stay safe and what to do in case of an emergency like that goes without saying! At least, I would think so. My kids and I had several talks about it as they grew up.

Just because it's required by law that sex offenders register, though, doesn't mean that each state of community enforces that law. Just the other day on the news, there was a group of people busted, parole officers I believe, because they continously moved these sex offenders so that no one knew who or where they were! Unbelievable!!

Do you know if this person was made to register, Angie? I sure hope so!

Sounds like the law isn't being enforced too well to me! They didn't notify you! Maybe because you don't have little kids?? Hmmm...

Does anyone here watch Oprah? She's giving away quite a large sum of money for anyone that sees any of the eight most wanted sex offenders and turns them in to the FBI. FOUR have been caught and truned in already. Four in four different countries!

Weird that they should re-run that show tonight!

That's cool, no I never watch TV during the day hours, but that is a cool idea. What burns me up, the offender's defenders, whining on that the offender's privacy invaded, duh? It is alright this monster(s) can prey on kids,molest and even kill, but we must "respect" such demon's privacy, that is a real joke, such a monster should'nt be given any rights, he or she took the rights and life(either physically or emotionally) of a person, that's okay? These monsters NEVER Change, rehabs eventually go onto to their previous perversions,etc. Turning them back out on the streets, registered or not, shouldn't be allowed. That's how strong I feel, after seeing the repeat performances these monsters carry out over time. I come from an era, when you commit a crime you do the time, if you murder,you'd get the chair. I best stop here, I do not want to carry over into politics, ha!ha! But this is a good topic, you have posted, and I hope laws will change. Where I live Megan's law is enforced, but I personally feel things need to be stricter and more closely watched. I watch all the Law and Order shows, a lot of the shows are based on stuff that have occured in the real world. Perhaps I watch the shows too much,eh?
Good topic, very good one.

Roe

(((((((( everyone ))))))))))))
(((((((((( all our children in the world )))))))))))

may they always be safe

I know a man, knew him and his family for many years before the oldest girl, then 19 revealed the Daddy secret. He ........... 3 daughters from infancy, spent a whopping 18 months in prison and is not registered. I sent an email to the state asking why not? I am really boiling. 18 months when the now adult girls have health and mental health issues because of this moron. YIKES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Roe, if you think stricter laws should be in place, it's Jessica's Law that does that. That's how you take care of these people for longer periods of time. Minimum time would be 25 years!

ALL OF US need to let our Local and State legistlators know that we want them to pass these laws and ENFORCE THEM!

It's going to take survivors as well as victims to get these laws passed for our protection and that of our children and grandchildren. We know what it did to us. We speak from experience and know that these people can't be allowed out in society!

My own grandmother had 14 grandchildren. I know for sure of three that she raped and molested. My dad had 7 kids but I've never stopped to count the grandchilden. One of my half-sisters went after him with a hammer. I was never given the reason, but I can well imagine from my own experiences!

Unfortunately, by the time I realized what had happened to me, they were both dead. They'll have their come upance in another life. But no one stopped them in this life!

OOOFF!! Getting off my soapbox now.