A survey a couple of years ago by the Associated Press revealed
that California had lost track of more than 33,000 convicted sex
offenders
– despite a law requiring rapists and child molesters to
register their whereabouts.
A survey a couple of years ago by the Associated Press revealed that California had lost track of more than 33,000 convicted sex offenders – despite a law requiring rapists and child molesters to register their whereabouts.
That number represents 44 percent of the state’s approximately 76,000 registered sex offenders. It’s frightening to think that so many could have simply disappeared and that they are now living undetected and unsupervised in the neighborhoods of our cities and towns, including Hollister.
Locally, we seem to be doing a better job of keeping track of registered sex offenders. Last Friday, the Hollister Police Department conducted a citywide sweep to check the whereabouts of the 49 sex offenders registered with the department. Thirteen of the 49 sex offenders – or 26.5 percent – could not be found at the addresses they had given to the police department. While we’re doing better than the rest of California, that number is still too high.
That’s why we support San Benito County’s decision to spend $7,500 to purchase a program called OffenderWatch, which will not only help local authorities track the whereabouts of registered sex offenders but will also keep residents informed when an offender moves into their neighborhood.
The program will provide more up-to-date information about the status of sex offenders in San Benito County than is now available on the statewide Megan’s Law site. Photos and other information about individual offenders on the Web site can be kept current. It’s still up to law enforcement to make the checks regularly enough to prevent offenders from falling through the cracks of the system, but as Sheriff Curtis Hill said, “This is another arrow in the quiver to help us do our job.”
Better informing the public about sex offenders in the community is also important. This is information the people should have. And by enlisting the public’s participation, law enforcement gains extra eyes for keeping watch on offenders. For example, if you know that a registered sex offender is living in your neighborhood and then you notice that you haven’t seen him or his car for a few days, a quick call to authorities can alert them to a possible problem.
In a noteworthy bit of collaboration that serves both the overall interests of public safety and the interests of taxpayers, the Sheriff’s Office will also manage the OffenderWatch system for the Hollister Police Department at no cost to the city.
The OffenderWatch system won’t magically solve the problems inherent in tracking sex offenders. But it does provide local law enforcement agencies with a cost-effective tool for doing their job and keeping our us all a little safer.
