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Thursday, August 27, 2009
Ind. Gov't. - "Sex Registry Costs Increasing But Can't Be Cut "
That is the headline to this August 26th story by Patrick Fazio, available via MyWabashValley.com:
As local governments work to balance next year's budget, there's one part that's actually illegal to cut. This program only gets more expensive each year with no money to pay for it.Those increasing costs have Valley law enforcement worried.
"It's an unfunded mandate. That's a position we've caught ourself in many times that laws come down without the finances to enforce them." Vigo County Sheriff Jon Marvel says it costs a lot to maintain the Sex Offender Registry. "It started out first as a sexual registry. Anyone convicted of a sexual crime in nature against children."
But the website has expanded to included all sex offenders and violent criminals. They stay on there from 10 years to life.
"If somebody's convicted of a violent sexual offense, we have to check on that individual six times during the year to make sure he says he's where he's registered to be," says Marvel who points out that the sex offender laws don't give counties any money to hire someone to check on the criminals and update the registry. "Prior to the registry, that officer that we have assigned to it now was assigned solely to the Drug Task Force."
Not only does the registry take time away from other duties, but it only gets busier as more offenders get released from prison.
"That particular officer then has to go out to the house, knock on the door and make sure he lives there. And that's just one individual that registered on that registry," Marvel says.
Posted by Marcia Oddi on August 27, 2009 02:39 PM
Posted to Indiana Government