Legal News

Report finds Jessica's Law may increase reoffense

By Jason Siegel

Jessica's Law may make sex offenders more likely to re-offend, finds a report by the state's Sex Offender Management Board.

One of the failings of the law is its restriction of sex offenders from living within 2,000 feet of a park or school, creating an ever increasing number of homeless sex offenders. Homeless sex offenders are less likely to reintegrate into a community - finding a job, seeking treatment or support from relatives, according to the report.

There aren't any good studies linking homelessness to an increased recidivism rate of sex offenders, the vice chair of the management board, Tom Tobin, told National Public Radio (LISTEN). But research shows that some of the factors related to re-offending are the failure of individual support systems, emotional breakdowns and increased substance abuse, the vice chair of the management board, said Tobin.

Jessica's Law wasn't carefully crafted, Los Angeles District Attorney Steve Cooley told the San Diego Union-Tribune. Cooley was a critic of the Proposition 83 during its 2006 campaign.

The report also recognized that California is one of the few states that doesn't treat sex offenders while they are in prison.

Full post as published by Legal Pad | LA on February 26, 2008 (boomark / email).