By Sean Webby
swebby@mercurynews.com
Posted: 05/27/2011 03:39:59 PM PDT
Updated: 05/27/2011 03:57:48 PM PDT
Despite growing budgetary constraints and the unintended consequences of Jessica's Law, Santa Clara County law enforcement agencies are "diligently and successfully" monitoring the whereabouts of thousands of registered sex offenders in the county, according to a Santa Clara County Civil Grand Jury report released Friday.
The report concludes that four major agencies in the county -- San Jose police, the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office, the District Attorney's Office and the state parole division -- were well-organized with programs to make sure sex felons are living where they say they are living.
Under Megan's Law, registered sex offenders must tell local law enforcement agencies where they reside. In many cases, an offender's name, crimes and exact address is then published on the Megan's Law website managed by the state attorney general's office.
The sheriffs' department, for example, reported a 95 percent compliance rate.
"We believe the high compliance rate is due to the coordinated efforts by all law enforcement agencies in Santa Clara County," said sheriff's Lt. Dianne Camarda. "Some of our effective tools are utilizing focused enforcement and sharing resources to save personnel costs and to accomplish our common goal, which is to protect the community in which we live."
However, Jessica's Law, the controversial law passed in 2006 that prohibits sex offenders from living near schools, parks and other areas, has also forced many offenders into homelessness, the report notes. As of now, at least half the county's sex offenders are homeless. Although they are required to check in with law enforcement more frequently, their whereabouts cannot be confirmed and they are difficult to track.
The report quoted an interviewee as saying "law enforcement can only do so much. Parents have the responsibility to monitor their children's activity and know what is going on in their neighborhood.''
Contact Sean Webby at 408-920-5003.
http://www.mercurynews.com/crime-courts/ci_18156808
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