The Suffolk County Legislature yesterday afternoon passed a bill sponsored by Legis. Kate Browning that prevents sex offenders from accessing general public emergency shelters in the case of a disaster.
Instead, registered sex offenders will be directed to shelters for fellow convicts.
Browning has said the bill was created in response to the sex attacks that happened in New Orleans in 2005, when city residents packed into the public shelters because of damage caused by Hurricane Katrina.
Any thoughts?
From the county’s statement:
When entering an emergency shelter this local law requires registered sex offenders to notify a shelter manager, a shelter employee, or a shelter volunteer of their sex offender status. The shelter operator shall notify the Department of Fire, Rescue, and Emergency Services that a registered sex offender has checked into the shelter. In cooperation with the Department of Probation, FRES will establish and maintain a shelter that is used solely for housing sex offenders during a public emergency. FRES will be authorized to have the sex offender moved to the designated shelter, where the Department of Probation will be in charge of monitoring them. In cases where an offender cannot be moved, a law enforcement officer will be assigned to monitor them. In addition, shelter providers will post a sign advising sex offenders they must identify themselves, or failure to do so can lead to their arrest.
“I have made a commitment to protect the residents of the 3rd Legislative District and all of Suffolk County. By removing these dangerous individuals to a designated site, women, children and their families will be offered the same protections they receive at home,” said Legislator Browning. “The lessons of Hurricane Katrina should not be ignored. The weeks following Katrina over 50 sexual assaults occurred in general population shelters. Today we passed a law that will protect Suffolk County residents, who in the event of an emergency depend on County government to provide a safe place to go,” stated Browning. Laura Ahearn said, “In the weeks following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita there were a large number of sexual assaults reported that had occurred in general population emergency shelters. I worked closely with Legislator Browning to address this issue in Suffolk County. I.R. 1977 will protect children, women and their families from registered sexual predators at a time when they are most vulnerable. I applaud Legislator Browning’s efforts to protect Suffolk County residents.” Legislator Kate Browning finished by saying, “Thank you to my colleagues for their support”.
Yes, because we all know that sex offenders are law-abiding citizens and will reveal to the shelter, in an emergency, no less, that they are sex offenders. While I realize why this law was proposed, it is ridiculous and how the heck are they going to enforce it???
Denise, I agree and am laughing at the bill’s asburdity as I write this response.
The bill is just more evidense that we have too many local legislators with too much time on their hands. Let’s get rid of villages and towns so that our county legislators can focus on what is important and a legitimate role of Government.
If you were in danger of dying in a situation like that, do you think for one moment you would let an asinine law allow someone to shut the door in your face. Puh-leze.
As I understand it this law treats all sex offenders the same, whether they are considered low risk or high risk. Many former offenders have become solid citizens with families. What if a sex offender father comes to a shelter with his young children? Are the children going to be separated from the father? In the alternative, are they going to go to the sex offender shelter with the father? This is terrible!
This is just so much hype about a placebo law!
The bill addresses offenders who have to remain at the shelter they come to. Law enforcement is at every shelter already and can be made aware of the sex offender because of this law. No law is perfect, but to ignore a problem that was real during Katrina and Rita would be stupid. If you had to go to a shelter with your wife and children maybe you would have a different opinion.
This doesn’t push sex offenders out of a shleter, it provides one for them, and protects citizens that are in shelters. Sex offenders coming with children can stay at that shelter, but they will be monitored. Rightfully so. These individuals cannot be cured and shouldn’t even be in society.
Of course what they did not tell you about the 50 sexual assaults that took place; is that they do not even know if the sexual assaults were commited by a person on the sex offender registry? They can be sure that not all of them were as if you look at the US Dept. Of Justice web sight you will find that sex offenders are one of the lowest groups to re-offend. With only 3.5% of them being reconvicted within 3 years of release from prison. This makes them the lowest recidivism groups. But of course they do not want to say that, it would hurt them using this concept to get more votes when the time comes to be re-elected. And of course the fact that over 90% of sexual assaults (and rapes) are commited by a person well known and trusted by the victime with over 50% of those being a family member, also that over 95% of all sexual assaults and rapes are commited by a person with no prior criminal arrest record. Come on just anouther feel good law that does nothing to protect anyone. Tim P.