State enacts sex-offender buffer zone law
By Hector Flores
October 13, 2005New York state Sen. Dean Skelos, a Republican of Rockville Centre, announced last week that Gov. George Pataki has signed a law banning all registered sex offenders from coming within 1,000 feet of schools, day-care centers and other places where children are cared for.
Skelos made the announcement at Long Beach City Hall and was joined by state Assemblyman Harvey Weisenberg, a Democrat of Long Beach, and Long Beach City Councilwoman Mona Goodman.Skelos said, "More and more often, we've read news articles about dangerous sex offenders living across the street from schools and day-care centers or stalking children in these seemingly safe places. This new law will create a 'safety zone' of 1,000 feet around these facilities and further prevent dangerous sexual predators from preying on our kids."Weisenberg added that creation of the "safe zones" around schools and day-care centers is a common-sense step that will provide parents with a greater security.To further enhance the new state law, Goodman said she would seek an appropriation from the Long Beach City Council to post "Child Safety Zone" signs at various points throughout the city. Goodman also proposed that the city's Web site include a link to www.mapsexoffenders.com, which is a free Web site that allows users to pinpoint the location of Level III sex offenders in their communities.According to Skelos, since 2000, sex offenders convicted of an offense involving children under the age of 18 were prevented from entering the immediate grounds of any school or other facility used primarily for the care or treatment of minors. The new law recognizes the danger posed by all sex offenders, regardless of the age of their victim, and creates a 1,000-foot buffer zone that all offenders may not enter.Skelos hopes to also pass the following legislation, which he says would provide greater protection against sex offenders of all levels: €Mandatory community notification.€Lifetime registration.€An online sex-offender database. €Global Position System tracking of Level III sex offenders.€Civil confinement, which would require the most dangerous Level III sex offenders to be held in mental institutions after they are released from prison, but only after they are found in court to still pose a threat to society.Comments about this story? HFlores@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 236.
©Herald Community 2006
October 13, 2005New York state Sen. Dean Skelos, a Republican of Rockville Centre, announced last week that Gov. George Pataki has signed a law banning all registered sex offenders from coming within 1,000 feet of schools, day-care centers and other places where children are cared for.
Skelos made the announcement at Long Beach City Hall and was joined by state Assemblyman Harvey Weisenberg, a Democrat of Long Beach, and Long Beach City Councilwoman Mona Goodman.Skelos said, "More and more often, we've read news articles about dangerous sex offenders living across the street from schools and day-care centers or stalking children in these seemingly safe places. This new law will create a 'safety zone' of 1,000 feet around these facilities and further prevent dangerous sexual predators from preying on our kids."Weisenberg added that creation of the "safe zones" around schools and day-care centers is a common-sense step that will provide parents with a greater security.To further enhance the new state law, Goodman said she would seek an appropriation from the Long Beach City Council to post "Child Safety Zone" signs at various points throughout the city. Goodman also proposed that the city's Web site include a link to www.mapsexoffenders.com, which is a free Web site that allows users to pinpoint the location of Level III sex offenders in their communities.According to Skelos, since 2000, sex offenders convicted of an offense involving children under the age of 18 were prevented from entering the immediate grounds of any school or other facility used primarily for the care or treatment of minors. The new law recognizes the danger posed by all sex offenders, regardless of the age of their victim, and creates a 1,000-foot buffer zone that all offenders may not enter.Skelos hopes to also pass the following legislation, which he says would provide greater protection against sex offenders of all levels: €Mandatory community notification.€Lifetime registration.€An online sex-offender database. €Global Position System tracking of Level III sex offenders.€Civil confinement, which would require the most dangerous Level III sex offenders to be held in mental institutions after they are released from prison, but only after they are found in court to still pose a threat to society.Comments about this story? HFlores@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 236.
©Herald Community 2006
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