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Newsletter - Winter 2006

ORGANIZATION ACTIVITIES

Stop Child Predators Proposes Model Legislation

Stop Child Predators has drafted model legislation designed as a guiding template for the legislatures of the fifty states. The model legislation: defines, in clear terms, what constitutes a sexual offense; imposes mandatory minimum sentences for sexually based offenses against children and stringent consequences for recidivism;creates stronger registration, reporting, monitoring, and community notification requirements for released offenders; and provides for basic victim's rights in the prosecution of sexual offense cases.

In August, SCP introduced its model legislation to the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). ALEC is a bipartisan membership association for state lawmakers, which holds annual meetings and policy summits to review model policies and provide frameworks for developing effective policy ideas and implementation at the state level. ALEC's Criminal Justice Task Force, and specifically its Subcommittee on Sexual Predators, debated and discussed SCP's model legislation,both in August and again in December. ALEC's extensive feedback has resulted in an amended and improved model, expected to be endorsed in ALEC's April 2006 session.

To view the model legislation, visit http://www.stopchildpredators.org/resources/model.htm.

Stop Child Predators Partners with National Law Center for Children and Families

In November 2005, Stop Child Predators secured the partnership of the National Law Center for Children and Families (NLC). Led by Executive Director and Senior Counsel Richard R. Whidden Jr., NLC is an organization that serves as a resource to those who enforce state and federal obscenity and child exploitation laws. The group counsels federal, state, and local legislators on the constitutionality and effectiveness of amendments to existing criminal and civil codes and provides a training and information clearinghouse on the specialized issues involved in illegal pornography and First Amendment related cases. The resources and expertise at NLCadd to the breadth of knowledge contained within the SCP Coalition; SCP and NLCare currently exploring the possibility of a collaborative project designed to bring greater clarity and detail to what is known about existing legislation concerning sexual offenses against children. For more information about NLC, visit their website at http://www.nationallawcenter.org/.

Stop Child Predators To Expand Advisory Board

Stop Child Predators is currently undergoing an expansion of its Advisory Board,in an effort to incorporate more individuals who have a concerted passion for issues of child predation into the realm of legislative progress. Advisory Board members are meant to be influential national figures who, through their public image and spokesmanship, help to guide SCP's work and assist in bringing about real change. Each member is appointed for a one-year term, which may be renewed for additional terms.

The Advisory Board is currently led by Mr. Mark Brenner, who is Vice Chairman of the Board and Executive Officer of the College Loan Corporation (CLC). As CLC's chief spokesperson, responsible for overseeing government and investor relations, and in his previous roles working as General Counsel and Director of Legislative Affairs at the Education Finance Council and working with the U.S. House of Representatives Education and the Workforce Committee, Mr. Brenner has accumulated a breadth of experience in the fields of law,government, and education.

The presence of the Advisory Board serves to buttress the initiatives managed by SCP's Board of Directors. Its role is essentially supportive; members' mere presence brings increased public awareness to the important legislative issues at hand. If you are interested in finding out more about Advisory Board positions,or submitting a name for the Board, please contact SCP.

Stop Child Predators Gains Special Status

On June 2, 2005, the Stop Child Predators Partnership incorporated as a 501(c)(3) entity. This IRS-designated status — which is reserved for charities, educational institutions, and foundations — verifies the Partnership as a non-profit organization and confers certain tax benefits upon the organization and its donors. The Partnership will be exempt from federal income taxes and donations to the Partnership will be tax-deductible for the donors. These exemption and deductibility benefits are expected to be finalized by mid-year 2006.

In addition, the Stop Child Predators Coalition is seeking 501(c)(4) status. Traditionally granted to grassroots,lobbying, and issue membership organizations, this status verifies the Coalition as a social welfare organization. It further enables the Coalition to conduct grassroots and lobbying activities for public education on policy issues — in particular to our mission — concerning sex offenders and child predation.

FEDERAL ACTIVITIES

Child Abduction Response Teams Formed

The U.S. Department of Justice has launched a new program to create federal Child Abduction Response Teams (CART), modeled after the highly specialized teams used by Florida law enforcement. Each CART will consist of approximately 50 members with a collective expertise ranging from victim advocacy to criminal investigation. With one phone call, a law enforcement department will be able to access the entire conglomerate contained within the CART — nonprofit organizations, social workers and counselors, parole and probation representatives, crime tip line operators, legal advisors, state investigators, etc. — significantly reducing the time and increasing the quality of response to child abductions. Mr. Viet Dinh, SCP Founding Executive Director, endorsed the CART program in a recent radio interview with Colorado-based Family News in Focus: "It is a good immediate-response technique in order to get as many people in the community and relevant expertise together in getting a child that has been violently abducted."

The CART program is backed by $1.5 million in federal funds and is run out of the Department's Office of Justice Programs. The Justice Department plans to create 10 nationwide response teams. Training begins in January 2006, with the first team based in San Diego. The program is scheduled to be completed by the end of the year.

Congress Moves to Protect Children's Safety

There are currently two bills under consideration in the U.S. Congress that include provisions for the protection of children from sex offenders. Both have been introduced by Representative James Sensenbrenner (R-WI), Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.

The Children's Safety Act of 2005 (H.R. 3132) was introduced in June 2005 and has enjoyed bipartisan support for implementing a number of necessary measures. Among these, the bill: implements mandatory minimum sentences for certain severe sexual offenses committed against children, creates a grant program for states in order to initiate GPS monitoring of sex offenders, increases registration and reporting requirements for sex offenders and increases the penalties for failing to comply with such requirements, and improves information sharing among states for sex offenders on the move. On September 14,2005, the bill passed the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 371-52. The bill was then referred to the Senate, where it currently sits with the Senate Judiciary Committee.

The Children's Safety and Violent Crime Reduction Act of 2005 (H.R. 4472), introduced in December 2005, includes the original measures of the first Children's Safety Act while also incorporating measures to more forcefully punish and reduce gang violence. The bill has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee as well as the House Committee on Ways and Means, where it is currently pending.

It is anticipated that at least one of these bills will pass out of Congress for the President's approval in 2006.

Justice Department Activates National Sex Offender Public Registry

In July 2005, the U.S. Department of Justice activated its National Sex Offender Public Registry (NSOPR),and its accompanying website. NSOPR provides real-time access to public sex offender data nationwide, giving users the ability to access existing state and territory registration information through a single Internet portal. NSOPR currently includes registry information from 48 states, the District of Columbia, and Guam. The two remaining states, Oregon and South Dakota, are expected to be included in 2006. To access NSOPR, visit http://www.nsopr.gov/.

STATE ACTIVITIES

Stop Child Predators Helps in California

Upon request from the Office of the Governor of California, SCP provided technical assistance in the drafting of new legislation to combat sexual predators in California. The legislation, announced by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in August 2005 as the Sexual Predator Punishment and Control Act, has been introduced in both the State Senate (SB 588) and Assembly (AB 231), with the support of Senator George Runner (R - Antelope Valley) and Assemblywoman Sharon Runner (R - Antelope Valley). The Act is California's version of Florida's "Jessica's Law", implementing the measures recommended in SCP's model legislation. The Act: requires life-time GPS tracking of registered sex offenders, establishes Predator Free Zones of 2,000 feet from parks and schools, increases penalties for the possession of child pornography, provides for the hospitalization of sexually violent predators, expands parole terms, and strengthens basic punishment statutes to include mandatory minimums. The legislation is expected to qualify for a ballot initiative in June 2006. SCP will continue to work with the Governor's Office and state legislators to provide assistance and offer supporting testimony.

Stop Child Predators Helps in Wisconsin

SCP worked with Representative Scott Suder (R-Abbotsford) of Wisconsin to provide technical and drafting assistance, as well as supporting testimony, for a bill (AB591) requiring the GPS monitoring of sex offenders upon release. The bill passed Wisconsin's State Assembly on November 9,2005 by a vote of 96-1, and is currently awaiting action on the Senate floor. SCP will continue to work with Rep. Suder to support the bill and to create more comprehensive legislation for the state of Wisconsin that will include mandatory minimum sentences for sex offenders.

Stop Child Predators Looks Ahead

The January legislative session holds much promise for strengthening sex offender legislation in the states. Several states have well-developed, comprehensive proposals mimicking SCP's model legislation, while others remain in the process of honing imperfect propositions. States with legislative initiatives looming include: California, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland,New Hampshire, New Mexico, Rhode Island,and West Virginia.

National Conference of State Legislators Lists Sex Offender Tracking as #7 Legislative Issue

In their 2006 Legislative Forecast, the National Conference of State Legislators (NCSL) ranked "GPS for Sex Offenders" as number seven in their top ten legislative issues for the year. NCSL is a research and advocacy organization that provides technical assistance to state policymakers and encourages the exchange of ideas among states. Their annual "top ten" list anticipates the most salient issues to face the states in a given year.

In highlighting the importance of sex offender legislation, NCSL cited the murders of Jessica Lundsford and Sarah Lunde as turning points for legislative activity. "States passed more than 100 bills last session imposing longer sentences, banning 'sex trafficking,' requiring sex offenders to disclose more information when they register, and further restricting their activities," the organization stated in a press release. Looking forward to new aspects of legislation, NCSL identified GPS tracking as an emerging area of concern. GPS,or Global Positioning Satellite, technology enables law enforcement officials to pinpoint the location of a registered sex offender at any time, and active versions of the system trigger alerts when such a sex offender enters into restricted zones likes schools and daycare centers. The sex offender is required to wear an ankle bracelet under the system. Nine states have employed GPS technology in order to track released sex offenders with greater accuracy and vigilance. More states are expected to follow suit in 2006. For more information on NCSL, visit http://www.ncsl.org.

For more information concerning the initiatives in your state, or if you would like SCP's help in drafting, testifying for, or supporting legislation in your state, please visit our website, http://www.stopchildpredators.org, and/or contact us at 202-234-0090.

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