PA - Forum to address sex offender registration laws

Original Article

09/20/2012

By Jennifer Harr

A forum on Wednesday will address Megan’s Law and the Adam Walsh Act, both of which deal with sex offenders, in an attempt to educate the public about how both work.

“This forum is a time for our community to ask questions,” Jacquie Fritts, executive director of the Crime Victims’ Center of Fayette County (CVC), said. “I’m a firm believer that the community needs to be eyes and ears and a protector for our neighbors. It only can be done as a community, and you can’t do it if you don’t have the information and the knowledge.”

The CVC and Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus, are co-hosting the forum in advance of the Adam Walsh Act, which goes into effect in January. The forum will be held at Penn State Fayette starting at 6 p.m.

Fritts said many people aren’t sure how Megan’s Law, the current law under which released sex offenders can be mandated to register addresses, works. And when the Adam Walsh Act goes into effect, there will be additional changes to registration requirements, including an increased length of time that a sex offender will be required to register.

The act also divides sex offenses into tiers, based on their severity, said Herbert Hays, a longtime member of the state’s Sexual Offenders Assessment Board. That board, established as part of Megan’s Law, sends examiners to interview people convicted of most sex crimes to determine if they fit into the category of sexually violent predators.

Such a designation, made by a judge following a hearing, leads to even more stringent reporting requirements for sex offenders.

The biggest change under the Adam Walsh Act, Hays said, is that it holds juvenile offenders more accountable by also requiring them to register as sex offenders.
- Juveniles should NOT be on a sex offender registry, especially one that is public, and the public registry, in our opinion, should be taken offline and used by police only.  It's becoming an online hit-list for vigilantes to use to target ex-offenders.

That act is much more strict than the Megan’s Law provisions, Hays said.

“From a professional standpoint, we as adults have a responsibility to protect our children from sexual offenders and sexual predators. The Adam Walsh Act, in my opinion, strengthens the law to protect children,” Hays said.

Hays will present information about Megan’s Law and the Adam Walsh Act from 6 until 7 p.m. The second hour will be a panel-type discussion that includes representatives from local law enforcement, the district attorney’s office, Children and Youth Services and Penn State faculty.
- What about experts who have treated ex-sex offenders?

Susan Brimo-Cox, spokeswoman for Penn State, said the university is hopeful that partnering with CVC to present the forums will give the public a chance to become educated on important topics such as the laws that govern sexual offenders.

“Penn State Fayette is pleased to be able to provide a forum for community discussion again this year. This is an important topic and has far-reaching importance throughout the community,” Brimo-Cox said. “We want people in this community to get involved and learn about different kinds of abuse, how to prevent it and what to do if they encounter it.”

Over the next year, CVC and Penn State are going to host other panel discussions.

“We’re going to hit everything that effects our community,” Fritts said. “We’re really hoping to get community members at these discussions so they can get educated to find out who they need to talk to and what they need to do to keep our children, our neighbors, our seniors — everyone — safe.”

Fritts lauded Penn State Fayette for partnering with CVC to present the forum.

“Penn State has been real instrumental in working with us on educating people in general about child sexual violence and sexual violence. Our Fayette campus works well with the community, and always has,” Fritts said.