Fixes Sought for State's Registry of Sex Offenders

Virginia's Sex Offender Registry relies on the honesty of those convicted of sex crimes to keep authorities notified of their whereabouts following their release from prison.

That's a system that the Virginia State Crime Commission says needs to be adjusted, to ensure that the registry is accurate. Sometimes, apparently, it's not good enough to take an ex-convict's word for his address.

"What has alarmed me is that the compliance rates seem to be getting worse instead of better," said state Sen. Kenneth W. Stolle (R-Virginia Beach), chairman of the crime commission. Ex-convicts are not providing their correct addresses, nor are they providing all required information, such as photos, he said. "The central registry is not performing at the level we would like."

Next month, a Sex Offender Task Force organized by the commission will meet in Richmond to explore how the registry is working and how to improve it. Task force members will be looking at whether to provide more funds and personnel, as well as whether to impose tougher penalties for those who don't abide by the registry's rules.

State police said that 8 percent to 14 percent of the violent sex offenders required to register are out of compliance on any given day. For example, their photos may not be online, or they may have failed to provide a current address.

Virginia has two registry classifications. "Violent sex offenders" have been convicted of serious crimes or are repeat offenders. Their names and photos are posted online for life. "Other" sex offenders have been convicted of lesser crimes. Their names are not posted online but are part of a state database -- available to others only under certain circumstances -- for a decade.

There are about 11,000 violent sex offenders listed online and another 2,000 "other" sex offenders in the state's database.

The commission began looking at ways to improve the state's registry after the kidnapping and slaying of 9-year-old Jessica Lunsford in Homosassa, Fla. The girl's body was found March 19 near the home of a registered Florida sex offender who had failed to provide police with his correct address.

Since Jessica's death, Florida has strengthened its sex offender laws. With the Florida tragedy in mind, bills were introduced in Congress last week that would require sex offenders nationwide to adhere to stricter registration requirements and be equipped with monitoring devices. The Justice Department also recently announced plans for a national registry of sex offenders to be fully operational by the fall.

"I think many states are trying to determine how aggressive they're going to be with their registry," Stolle said. "There are a number of enhancements that we can make."

When the 20-member task force meets June 7, it will split into two committees. One group will address current laws and the financing and structure of the registry. The second group will examine what might be done to monitor the most violent sex offenders, such as through civil commitment, a law that allows state authorities to institutionalize sex offenders after their release from prison, and monitoring devices that would enhance law enforcement's ability to track and supervise offenders, Stolle said.

The Virginia State Police, the law enforcement agency in charge of the registry, is not to blame for the holes in the system, Stolle said.

"The state police are doing the best that they can do with the resources they've been given," Stolle said.

State police Lt. T.W. Turner, who oversees the registry, said that violent sex offenders are required to update their addresses every 90 days. The agency sends each a certified letter, which must be signed and returned with a thumbprint. Other sex offenders are required to register once a year.

Turner said he would like to be able to conduct spot-checks to make sure registrants' addresses are legitimate.

Despite tight resources and a staff of 10, Turner said that state police actively pursue those who break the law by not registering.

A violent sex offender who fails to register could be sentenced to an additional five years in prison. Other sex offenders could spend an additional 12 months in jail, Turner said.

Arlington County Commonwealth's Attorney Richard E. Trodden, who will serve on the task force, said he wants to enhance the system so that it's a reliable source of information for the public.

"We want to make sure that it's as user-friendly as possible," Trodden said. "We are also interested in seeing that we prevent and protect."