Senator demands action on gap in sex offender oversight

O'[Connor Ives] told the News Service it is a "severe problem that deserves a fast response in return." Four child care center licenses were revoked by the Department of Early Education and Care (EEC), including one in Methuen - part of the senator's district - along with two in...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inSun (Plainfield, Ill. : Homer Township, Lockport, Lemont ed.)
Main Author Quinn, Colleen
Format Newspaper Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Lowell, Mass The Lowell Sun 12.04.2013
Subjects
Ives, Connor
Weber, Thomas
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Summary:O'[Connor Ives] told the News Service it is a "severe problem that deserves a fast response in return." Four child care center licenses were revoked by the Department of Early Education and Care (EEC), including one in Methuen - part of the senator's district - along with two in Springfield and one in Leominster. Last month [Suzanne Bump]'s office released details of a department audit that found 119 initial address matches between registered sex offenders and child care locations. EEC officials then investigated and discovered 54 sex offenders' addresses overlapped with child care providers, according to EEC. The auditor's office also faulted the department for not conducting annual unannounced visits at residential child care facilities, which is required by law. O'Connor Ives said if the department was not able to conduct inspections because it was short-staffed, "then that's an emergency situation that requires an emergency response, and I don't think anyone was aware of that."