Forkin' Crazy
09-15-2005, 10:57 PM
Sex offenders slip radar
La. loses track of predators in stream of evacuations
By T.J. Scott
tjscott@thenewsstar.com
and Barry Johnson
bjohnson@thenewsstar.com
The evacuation and relocation of people from Louisiana parishes that Hurricane Katrina hit the hardest have potentially put as many as 3,000 registered sex offenders and sexual predators in new places.
In addition, an unknown number of the state's 62,606 adult probationers and parolees are now unsupervised as a result of the hurricane.
The actual number of individuals under community supervision in parishes affected by the storm was unavailable, and there was some confusion about who kept track of those numbers with the Orleans and Jefferson Parish Probation and Parole offices.
The Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement Web site states the commission is charged with maintaining statistical data on probationers and parolees, but in repeated calls The News-Star was told they do not have that information.
The seven parishes with the most damage and displaced people from the hurricane and flooding have 3,080 registered sex offenders and sexual predators, including 1,405 in Orleans Parish, according to the Louisiana State Police sex offender registry.
Florida has a hurricane policy that requires certain registered sex offenders to ride out a storm in jail, but Louisiana has no policy in regard to sex offenders during hurricanes or evacuations. That means those registered in the system could end up in shelters or communities across Louisiana and in other states.
"There's no statute in Louisiana to require them to be reincarcerated," said Capt. Jerry Patrick of the Louisiana State Police.
The sex offender registry is as close to real time as possible, Patrick said. That means that shelters and communities that take in evacuees have the ability to check people's names against the state or national sex offender registry. Those officials should use available state and national resources if they have concerns, Patrick said.
"Anyone who has concerns or needs any information that we can legally give them, we will certainly provide it," said Patrick, who added that he was unaware of any concerns since evacuations began.
Monroe District Probation and Parole administrator Arlena Zeigler said at present there is no way of knowing how many probationers and parolees may have evacuated to the Ouachita Parish area.
A plan was expected this week from the Division of Probation and Parole that would outline the shift in supervision for displaced probationers and parolees to other districts, but no such plan had been released on Thursday.
In the meantime, the Monroe office of Probation
and Parole has posted fliers advising evacuees under community supervision to call in so that they can be supervised by Monroe District probation officers until they are relocated.
Those who have reported are being supervised under the same conditions they were subject to previously and have been told not to change residence and not to leave the area until they have permission.
Monroe Police Capt. Evelyn Robinson said there is no reason to believe that a flood of probationers and parolees have evacuated to Ouachita Parish. Robinson said that Monroe police officers routinely run checks on individuals they come into contact with, which would reveal probationary or parole status, and their awareness of the need for checks is higher now since the city has absorbed such a large number of people.
The consequences of not reporting are serious. According to Zeigler, probationers and parolees who do not report will be considered non-compliant and will have their probation or parole revoked.
Originally published September 9, 2005
http://www.thenewsstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050909/NEWS05/509090319/1060
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La. loses track of predators in stream of evacuations
By T.J. Scott
tjscott@thenewsstar.com
and Barry Johnson
bjohnson@thenewsstar.com
The evacuation and relocation of people from Louisiana parishes that Hurricane Katrina hit the hardest have potentially put as many as 3,000 registered sex offenders and sexual predators in new places.
In addition, an unknown number of the state's 62,606 adult probationers and parolees are now unsupervised as a result of the hurricane.
The actual number of individuals under community supervision in parishes affected by the storm was unavailable, and there was some confusion about who kept track of those numbers with the Orleans and Jefferson Parish Probation and Parole offices.
The Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement Web site states the commission is charged with maintaining statistical data on probationers and parolees, but in repeated calls The News-Star was told they do not have that information.
The seven parishes with the most damage and displaced people from the hurricane and flooding have 3,080 registered sex offenders and sexual predators, including 1,405 in Orleans Parish, according to the Louisiana State Police sex offender registry.
Florida has a hurricane policy that requires certain registered sex offenders to ride out a storm in jail, but Louisiana has no policy in regard to sex offenders during hurricanes or evacuations. That means those registered in the system could end up in shelters or communities across Louisiana and in other states.
"There's no statute in Louisiana to require them to be reincarcerated," said Capt. Jerry Patrick of the Louisiana State Police.
The sex offender registry is as close to real time as possible, Patrick said. That means that shelters and communities that take in evacuees have the ability to check people's names against the state or national sex offender registry. Those officials should use available state and national resources if they have concerns, Patrick said.
"Anyone who has concerns or needs any information that we can legally give them, we will certainly provide it," said Patrick, who added that he was unaware of any concerns since evacuations began.
Monroe District Probation and Parole administrator Arlena Zeigler said at present there is no way of knowing how many probationers and parolees may have evacuated to the Ouachita Parish area.
A plan was expected this week from the Division of Probation and Parole that would outline the shift in supervision for displaced probationers and parolees to other districts, but no such plan had been released on Thursday.
In the meantime, the Monroe office of Probation
and Parole has posted fliers advising evacuees under community supervision to call in so that they can be supervised by Monroe District probation officers until they are relocated.
Those who have reported are being supervised under the same conditions they were subject to previously and have been told not to change residence and not to leave the area until they have permission.
Monroe Police Capt. Evelyn Robinson said there is no reason to believe that a flood of probationers and parolees have evacuated to Ouachita Parish. Robinson said that Monroe police officers routinely run checks on individuals they come into contact with, which would reveal probationary or parole status, and their awareness of the need for checks is higher now since the city has absorbed such a large number of people.
The consequences of not reporting are serious. According to Zeigler, probationers and parolees who do not report will be considered non-compliant and will have their probation or parole revoked.
Originally published September 9, 2005
http://www.thenewsstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050909/NEWS05/509090319/1060
:burningm: :burningm: :burningm: :burningm: :burningm: :burningm: