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Beware of sex perverts on HalloweenBY TONIA N. CIMINOParents who live in certain zip codes may want to think twice before bringing their children trick-or-treating this Halloween. Currently, there are 11,428 level 2-3 sex offenders on New York State's Sex Offender Registry, which classifies them according to their risk of re-offending: low-risk (Level 1), moderate risk (Level 2) and high-risk (Level 3). According to the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS), Queens is home to 1,132 registered sex offenders, with Far Rockaway leading the way with 63. In descending order after it are Jamaica 11434 (61 registered sex offenders); Saint Albans 11412 (55); Ridgewood 11385 (54); Corona 11368 (42); Springfield Gardens 11413 (40); Jamaica 11435 (39); Jamaica 11433 (36); Jackson Heights 11372 (35); and South Ozone Park 11420 (33). However, a new law, signed by Governor David Paterson last month, will create a statewide email notification system of registered sex offenders. “Parents can now learn in real-time when a sex offender moves into their neighborhood, and armed with this information, they can take steps necessary to protect their children,” said Assemblymember Rory Lancman. “Ultimately, this is why we develop new technology such as emergency alert systems – to keep our families safe.” Thanks to the statewide emergency communication system, NY Alert, which is managed by the Department of Homeland Security, it will now be easy for New Yorkers to register for instant email notifications that will allow them to keep tabs on a specific geographic area, such as where they live or where their children attend school. “Currently, as a parent of children in the public school I am notified by my children’s school. However, my neighbors who may not have children in the public school system also deserve to be notified so that they can protect themselves,” said Jo Ann Berger with the Beacon Parents Forum. Members of the public can access the sex offender database at local police precincts. Level 2 and Level 3 offenders are also listed on an Internet subdirectory at the DCJS web site, http://criminaljustice.state.ny.us/. |
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Reader Comments
The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of queenscourier.com.
Rudy101 wrote on Oct 28, 2009 7:21 AM:
" Okay, so a person gets an email alert. How do they protect themselves after they get the alert? Does everybody avoid any contact with that person? Does labeling a person an outcast actually protect anyone? What if labeling that person doesn't protect the community? What if forcing a person to the fringes of society actually makes a person MORE dangerous? What if labeling a person makes it dangerous for him to live in the community? When an email is sent out, is there any balancing of the information sent, such as, how is the offender making his way in the community? Can an offender put out mitigating information about anything?
See, the problem is, the registry has not been shown to protect anyone. What it has been shown to do is set off a cascade of events that then make it MORE likely for offenders to re offend. If that is true, then community notification is only a tool to punish, and if that is true, it is then governed by the ex-post facto, double jeapardy and cruel and unusual punishments clauses of the U.S. Constitution. These laws are illegal, as they are applied. There is no research based evidence to show they do anything but cause harm. That being true, nobody has to follow registration laws that puts any person into harms way. "
See, the problem is, the registry has not been shown to protect anyone. What it has been shown to do is set off a cascade of events that then make it MORE likely for offenders to re offend. If that is true, then community notification is only a tool to punish, and if that is true, it is then governed by the ex-post facto, double jeapardy and cruel and unusual punishments clauses of the U.S. Constitution. These laws are illegal, as they are applied. There is no research based evidence to show they do anything but cause harm. That being true, nobody has to follow registration laws that puts any person into harms way. "
Lovely11 wrote on Nov 25, 2009 10:34 AM:
" My issue with the sex offender registry is that many people think this is the be-alll-end-all of protecting their children. The most dangerous sex offenders are the ones that aren't on the registry - the registry only represents the offenders that got caught. Also, there are more crimes (guns, drugs, gangs) that put children in harm's way that aren't sex offenses yet there's no registry for those acts. "
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