DISHEARTENED’ ON LI
Newsday/David M. Schwartz
2/18/15
Long Island officials called for strengthening state laws for monitoring convicted sexoffenders after a court ruling yesterday that struck down Nassau County's restrictions on whereoffenders can live. The State Court of Appeals, New York's highest court, ruled that localgovernments cannot impose their own conditions on where offenders may live. The court saidNassau overstepped its authority in passing legislation prohibiting Level 1 offenders, consideredlow risk of a repeat offense, from living within 1,000 feet of a school. The decisioneffectively invalidated more than 100 municipal ordinances across the state, including SuffolkCounty's. Laura Ahearn, executive director of Parents for Megan's Law, said state lawmakersshould enact legislation that includes further restrictions.
THE COUNT
Registered sex offenders by county:*
LEVEL 1
Nassau – 309
Suffolk – 536
LEVEL 2
Nassau – 169
Suffolk – 304
LEVEL 3
Nassau – 70
Suffolk – 168
LEVEL P
Nassau – 6
Suffolk – 12
Total
Nassau – 554
Suffolk – 1020
Level 1 = Low risk of repeat offense
Level 2 = Moderate risk of repeat offense
Level 3 = High risk of repeat offense
Level P = Offender is registered but risk of repeat offense has not yet been determined
*As of yesterday
(Source: New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services)
Message from Executive Director Laura A. Ahearn: Please visit our website atwww.parentsformeganslaw.org for news, information and resources in yourcommunity.