(Sumter) July 5, 2005 - Following the case of Shasta Groene, many are wondering if the sex offender registry system works.

In Sumter County, investigators say several sex offenders are breaking the law again by failing to register their current whereabouts on the state site, and those sex offenders' pictures aren't on the registry either.

Linda McCreary is the Sumter Registry Coordinator, "I mean there are several who have fallen through the cracks and I wish I had an answer to know how to get them out there."

When it comes to sex offenders who are not currently registered, Florence County rounds out the top five with 27. Climbing the ladder to the worst in the state, Richland County comes in second with 60 convicted sex offenders who failed to register. Charleston County is number one with 66.

Part of the problem is, in order for the registry to work, the offender is supposed to check in every year. But if they don't, Linda says not much is being done to track them down, "Everybody is swamped, and I've heard that from every county. We don't have enough personnel to devote to the way it should be done."

A pile of files in Linda's office account for sex offenders who are supposed to check with her this month. In addition to them, she got a call about a sex offender from California who's been living in Sumter for 12 years "We had no idea he was even here."

She's trying to track him down too.

McCreary says the state sex offender registry is still a good resource. She not only encourages parents to see who is living in their neighborhood, but says employers should check the site before they make a hire.

Reported by Kara Gormley

Posted 7:20pm by Chantelle Janelle