NEW YORK FORUM ABOUT MEGAN'S LAW Good PR, But Not Good Policy CITY Edition

• Published in: Newsday
• Main Author: By Franz S. Leichter. Franz S. Leichter, a state senator representing Manhattan and the Bronx, is the ranking minority member of the Judiciary Committee
• Format: Newspaper Article
• Language: English
• Published: Long Island, N.Y Newsday LLC 05.06.1995
• Edition: Combined editions

TWO WEEKS AGO, I cast the lone vote in the State Senate against New York's version of Megan's Law. One may ask why anyone would vote against a bill that purports to protect children. But upon close examination, it is evident that the measure that passed the Senate is seriously flawed. With studies suggesting that some convicted sex offenders are likely to commit similar crimes in the future, it is important for the state to take affirmative steps to make communities safer for children and their families. The Senate's bill, which is based on a law that passed in New Jersey last year, and named after 7-year-old Megan Kanka, who was raped and killed by a convicted sex offender living in her neighborhood, creates a central registry of convicted sexual offenders and informs local law enforcement officials of their whereabouts. As it is currently written, the bill establishes a 900 number that New York residents could call to find out if another community member was on a state list of formerly convicted sex offenders. Moreover, this central registry doesn't distinguish between the 18 different sexual offenses set up by the bill; so, for example, someone convicted of public exposure would have to adhere to the same stringent reporting requirements as convicted rapists and molesters. A person convicted of a misdemeanor with very little risk of violence would still be subject to public identification as a sex offender for at least 10 years.