Protecting Kids from Sexual Predators

Click here to read my Protecting Kids from Predators Plan

Child Playing Click here to print this page as a handout (Adobe .pdf)

The statistics on sex crimes against children are staggering:

  • Montana ranks 2nd in the nation in the number of sexual offenders per capita.
  • The typical sexual predator will assault 117 times before being caught.
  • One in 10 child molesters and 1 in 5 rapists commit another sexual offense
    within five years of release.
  • One in five children has been sexually solicited online.

(Source: Family Watchdog, www.familywatchdog.us; and, Center for Sex Offender Management, www.csom.org)

The Attorney General's office is required by law to maintain an online Sexual and Violent Offender Registry and that registry by law is to include photographs of registered sexual offenders.  I conducted a study in January to determine how well the data is maintained and was shocked to find that in some counties as many as 75% of the sexual offender profiles did not include a photograph.

After the results of my study were initially brought to light, it took the current Attorney General several months to finally bring the Registry up to code.  It obviously hasn't been a priority for him, but it will be for me. I pledge to maintain the Sex Offender Registry so that it never gets as unacceptably out of date as it has been under this administration.

I'm going to improve the online Sex Offender Registry and I'll do it within six months of taking office.

The Sexual Offender Registry is the best tool that parents have to protect their children against sexual abuse.  But I think we can do even better.  My plan calls for implementing an email notification system where Montanans can sign up to receive email notifications when a registered sexual offender moves into their neighborhood or near any other designated location, like a school.  Citizens will also be able to track address changes reported by selected registered offenders or predators, and I’ll add a neighborhood search function that will pinpoint any sexual offenders living within a designated radius of a specific address.  I’ll also increase accessibility to the Registry by working with other state and local government agencies, local law enforcement, and businesses as part of a publicity campaign aimed at raising awareness of this important tool.

The Internet has spawned an entirely new threat to children—one in five kids has been sexually solicited online.  Part of my prevention plan is to seek legislation to require sexual offenders report all email addresses and instant message screen names to authorities as part of the Sexual Offender Registry.  We also need to increase the manpower dedicated to tracking online predators and seek new legislation that gets tougher on predators who solicit children online.

Protecting kids from predators:

  • Increased Penalties
    • Make "grooming" a crime, which is the practice of misrepresenting your age in order to gain the confidence of a child.
    • Make it a crime to communicate with a child online and then travel to meet that child for the specific purpose of abusing him or her.
    • Require sexual offenders to report all Internet screen names and email addresses as part of the Sexual Offender Registry.
  • Education & Prevention
    • Amend the Registry statutes to require sexual offenders to report all e-mail addresses and instant message screen names to authorities.
    • Add Internet website links for the Montana Violent Sexual Offender Registry on all other State of Montana maintained web sites, other Federal and local government web sites, and on private business web sites, so that anyone visiting one of those web sites may simply click on a link to access the Registry.  This will help provide the greatest exposure possible for the Registry, providing access and information not otherwise noticeable to Montana citizens.
    • Provide educators and parents with education materials on what to watch for online.
  • Enforcement
    • Increase available resources for cyber-crimes in the Department of Justice in order to better track down Internet predators.
    • Properly maintain the Violent and Sexual Offender Registry.
    • Institute an e-mail notification system where Montanans can sign up to receive email alerts when a registered sexual offender moves into their neighborhood or within a radius of any other designated location.  Citizens can also opt to track address changes reported by selected registered offenders.
    • Increase resources in the Department of Justice dedicated to addressing the sexual offender issue, and add an additional investigator and resources to strengthen Montana's defense against sexual offenders.
    • Utilize Department of Justice resources and personnel to assist local law enforcement with sexual offender protection training, with public education, and with verifying sexual offender's compliance with reporting requirements, and the accuracy of reported information such as addresses.
    • Prosecute those sex offenders who fail to comply with reporting requirements.