COLUMBUS – Senator Nina Turner (D-Cleveland) today urged members of the Senate Judiciary and Criminal Justice Committee to support stronger monitoring of sex offenders. Senator Turner testified on behalf of Senate Bill 217, a bill she introduced in the General Assembly to enable law enforcement to keep better track of Tier III sex offenders, the most serious category of sex offenders under Ohio law. Senator Turner proposed the legislation to address concerns raised by her constituents following the Imperial Avenue slayings in Cleveland.
“The fact of the matter is that cracks exist within our system of monitoring sexual offenders; cracks which criminals are able to manipulate every day,” said Senator Turner. “This legislation will do much to provide law enforcement agencies the tools they need to ensure that tragedies such as what happened on Imperial Avenue do not happen again.”
Senate Bill 217 has five key elements that will apply to sex offenders within the State of Ohio, regardless of when they were originally registered. These mandates are as follows:
· Will increase the frequency of address verification by Tier III offenders from every 90 days to every 30 days.
· Requires law enforcement personnel to confirm the addresses of Tier III offenders every 90 days through face-to-face personal contact at the offender’s place of residence and track the outcomes of such visits.
· Upon initial registration as a Tier III sex offender, law enforcement personnel must confirm this person’s address through personal contact at the offender’s place of residence.
· Institute mandatory community notification of the presence of a Tier III offender once per year, on the anniversary date of their original address registration.
· For all sex offenders, address verification and registration would require demonstration of proof of residency, the same as is found in Ohio Election Law.
Senator Turner has offered to work with County Sheriffs across the state to address their concerns about the cost of implementing these necessary changes. “The aim of this legislation is to protect the innocent from known predators, a goal that is beyond financial considerations, and one we cannot cease working towards,” Senator Turner said.
“The fact of the matter is that cracks exist within our system of monitoring sexual offenders; cracks which criminals are able to manipulate every day,” said Senator Turner. “This legislation will do much to provide law enforcement agencies the tools they need to ensure that tragedies such as what happened on Imperial Avenue do not happen again.”
Senate Bill 217 has five key elements that will apply to sex offenders within the State of Ohio, regardless of when they were originally registered. These mandates are as follows:
· Will increase the frequency of address verification by Tier III offenders from every 90 days to every 30 days.
· Requires law enforcement personnel to confirm the addresses of Tier III offenders every 90 days through face-to-face personal contact at the offender’s place of residence and track the outcomes of such visits.
· Upon initial registration as a Tier III sex offender, law enforcement personnel must confirm this person’s address through personal contact at the offender’s place of residence.
· Institute mandatory community notification of the presence of a Tier III offender once per year, on the anniversary date of their original address registration.
· For all sex offenders, address verification and registration would require demonstration of proof of residency, the same as is found in Ohio Election Law.
Senator Turner has offered to work with County Sheriffs across the state to address their concerns about the cost of implementing these necessary changes. “The aim of this legislation is to protect the innocent from known predators, a goal that is beyond financial considerations, and one we cannot cease working towards,” Senator Turner said.
