SUFFOLK BILL BARS SEX OFFENDERS FROM LIVING NEAR VICTIMS

PFMLIT ABOUT SEX OFFENDERS, ABOUT SEX OFFENDERS AND OTHERS, General, LAURA AHEARN AND PARENTS FOR MEGANS LAW, LEGISLATION, LOCAL SUFFOLK COUNTY, LONG ISLAND NEWS, PFML, REGISTERED SEX OFFENDERS AND OTHERS GENERAL, REGISTERED SEX OFFENDERS GENERAL, SEX OFFENDER AND OTHERS RESTRICTIONS, SEX OFFENDER RESTRICTIONS

Newsday.com/Rick Brand

The Suffolk Legislature approved a local bill barring sex offenders from livingwithin a quarter-mile of their victims, in an effort to spare victims of the trauma of facing theirpredators.  The measure passed unanimously Tuesday but some legislators questioned how the lawwould work since offenders may not know where their victims live.  The law, however, would notaffect the offenders who already may live near a victim.  Suffolk County Executive Steve Levystill has to sign the bill before it becomes law.  Laura Ahearn, executive director of Parentsfor Megan's Law and the Crime Victims Center, said she supports the measure.  She mentionedtwo instances when offenders moved near their victims, including one who rented a home right behindthe backyard of his victim.  Passage of this law will provide a mechanism to preventregistered sex offenders from exercising any degree of control by having the power to furtherre-victimize and traumatize those they raped or sexually abused, Ahearn said.
(New York)