State to Start Tracking Sex
Offenders
Thursday, Jul 06, 2006 - 06:21 PM
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Printer FriendlyState parole agents demonstrated Thursday
their new tool for protecting your children from sex offenders. It’s
an electronic ankle bracelet and separate transmitter, which some
sex offenders will have to wear for the rest of their
lives.
Agents will be able to track offenders wherever they go, using either the agent’s office computer or with laptops with wireless access.
Randy Raybon, agent in charge of the Lexington County office of the state Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services, says, "It's basically our eyes in the sky. Whereas before, we had to rely on telephone calls or actually going out to the offender's residence, now we can see where they're at. And it helps us tremendously to be able to provide more protection and safety to our communities."
The monitoring program is part of Jessica’s Law, which state lawmakers passed this year and went into effect July 1st. It’s named after Jessica Lunsford, a 9-year-old Florida girl who was kidnapped, raped and murdered last year. A convicted sex offender who lived nearby has been charged.
The new law says that offenders convicted of first degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor and those guilty of lewd act on a child will have to wear the electronic monitor for life. Other sex offenders can be forced to wear a monitor at the discretion of a judge.
There are two parts to the monitor: the ankle bracelet, which is not removed; and a larger, rectangular pack worn on the belt, which can be removed for recharging. The belt pack includes a cellular transmitter and a global positioning system tracking device. The ankle monitor will send an alert to agents if it’s tampered with or removed.
Agents have computer-tracking software that lets them know where an offender is at any time. The system also lets agents set up “exclusion zones” where offenders aren’t allowed to be, like near victims’ homes or near schools. If an offender does enter an exclusion zone, agents are alerted.
Raybon says, "The other good thing about it is we can actually track sex offenders to ensure they're going to treatment.”
Scott Norton, director of field programs for SCDPPPS, says the agency is now supervising about 1,000 sex offenders. "Of those 1,000 sex offenders on our caseloads now, approximately 400 of them have committed an offense that would qualify them for mandatory GPS supervision, if they were presented back to the court for a violation of supervision."
The agency estimates that 300 new cases a year will qualify for the electronic monitoring.
It’s being paid for with $2.7 million that state lawmakers earmarked for the system, but the state will try to recoup as much of the cost as possible from the offenders themselves. Using a sliding scale based on ability to pay, offenders will have to pick up some, or all, of the $9.50 per day cost of leasing the equipment.
Agents will be able to track offenders wherever they go, using either the agent’s office computer or with laptops with wireless access.
Randy Raybon, agent in charge of the Lexington County office of the state Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services, says, "It's basically our eyes in the sky. Whereas before, we had to rely on telephone calls or actually going out to the offender's residence, now we can see where they're at. And it helps us tremendously to be able to provide more protection and safety to our communities."
The monitoring program is part of Jessica’s Law, which state lawmakers passed this year and went into effect July 1st. It’s named after Jessica Lunsford, a 9-year-old Florida girl who was kidnapped, raped and murdered last year. A convicted sex offender who lived nearby has been charged.
The new law says that offenders convicted of first degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor and those guilty of lewd act on a child will have to wear the electronic monitor for life. Other sex offenders can be forced to wear a monitor at the discretion of a judge.
There are two parts to the monitor: the ankle bracelet, which is not removed; and a larger, rectangular pack worn on the belt, which can be removed for recharging. The belt pack includes a cellular transmitter and a global positioning system tracking device. The ankle monitor will send an alert to agents if it’s tampered with or removed.
Agents have computer-tracking software that lets them know where an offender is at any time. The system also lets agents set up “exclusion zones” where offenders aren’t allowed to be, like near victims’ homes or near schools. If an offender does enter an exclusion zone, agents are alerted.
Raybon says, "The other good thing about it is we can actually track sex offenders to ensure they're going to treatment.”
Scott Norton, director of field programs for SCDPPPS, says the agency is now supervising about 1,000 sex offenders. "Of those 1,000 sex offenders on our caseloads now, approximately 400 of them have committed an offense that would qualify them for mandatory GPS supervision, if they were presented back to the court for a violation of supervision."
The agency estimates that 300 new cases a year will qualify for the electronic monitoring.
It’s being paid for with $2.7 million that state lawmakers earmarked for the system, but the state will try to recoup as much of the cost as possible from the offenders themselves. Using a sliding scale based on ability to pay, offenders will have to pick up some, or all, of the $9.50 per day cost of leasing the equipment.
