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Hawley urges passage of violent criminal registry

By Howard B. Owens

Press release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) today called on Assembly Democrats to pass Brittany’s Law, which would establish a statewide registry of violent offenders. The legislation provides the public with crucial information about criminals with histories of violence to prevent future victimization. The Senate version, S.513, was passed on Monday and championed as a method to combat domestic violence and preserve the safety of New York’s communities and families.

“Every day this legislation sits dormant in the Assembly is another day that New York’s women are at risk of becoming victims,” Hawley said. “Unfortunately, many victims do not know that their assailant has a violent history or has been incarcerated. This bill would make information of that nature accessible and help law enforcement track convicted felons to ensure the safety of the neighborhood or community in which they live. I am once again calling on Assembly Democrats to stop playing politics with women’s safety and passBrittany’s Law immediately.”

Christopher Putnam

Probably going to catch some flak for this but, yeah great idea, however that sex offender registry didnt work so good. The offender just moves, and doesnt report it like they are supposed to. Oh yeah,of course, they get in more trouble when they are caught because they didnt report change of address like they were supposed to. When you design the system around the fact that criminals must be COMPLIANT its going to fail. Criminals are not compliant, criminals do not care that you made another law. They will ignore it, like they ignored the one that made them a criminal. Imposing more penalties DOES NOT prevent future infractions. Imposing more penalties DOES NOT save the victims. In the old days they would brand or maim a violent person, so you could tell them by sight from the burn on their face or the tattoo on their face, or their missing hand. Lets start tattoo ing the conviction numbers on their cheeks. You commit a burglary and hurt some people, you get BURGLAR tattooed on your face, as well as prison time.
In Canada If you get a convicted of a DWI, for the rest of your life, you get a license plate that is a different color than everyone else's, so everyone else knows your a drunk driver and to give you a wide berth on the roadway. Same principal. That way when a man asks you out, you can be assured he is not a felon by the simple fact that it doesnt say "Robber" on his cheek. He might still be a wanker, but at least you know he isnt likely to beat/rape/kill you.

May 19, 2015, 5:33pm Permalink
david spaulding

"help law enforcement track convicted felons to ensure the safety of the neighborhood" ....... so with out this LAW the police can't track felons? why would the police want to track felons anyways?
this is just another feel good bill that will do nothing to make women or any one else safer, all it will do is create more government jobs and with more government jobs comes higher taxes for working slobs like me to pay. Thanks anyways steve ..

May 19, 2015, 5:39pm Permalink
Peter O'Brien

Once a sentence has been fulfilled, the convicted person should be able to put it past them. This is just more garbage that will cost us more money and send more undeserving people to jail.

May 19, 2015, 5:58pm Permalink
david spaulding

why do they always have to put somebody's name on a bill? could it be they want to shame you if you don't agree with them? I imagine Brittany is a victim of some kind of felon and if I don't agree with this bill, then I am condoning whatever happened to her.
Hey steve how is the repeal of the SAFE-ACT going?

May 19, 2015, 6:43pm Permalink
John Roach

I agree with Peter. When the maximum time on the sentence is up, that should be the end of it. If you want to keep track of them, keep them in jail longer. But the principle that once you did your time, you had paid your debt and got to start over clean.

May 19, 2015, 7:14pm Permalink
Frank Bartholomew

So if someone is convicted of domestic violence, regardless of what type, he/she could end up on this registry? What if the conviction was based on lies,and the victim wasn't really a victim?

May 19, 2015, 9:07pm Permalink
Raymond Richardson

Just more "feel good legislation" for the law makers to show they're doing something.

I agree that the sex offender registry has been a failure for the most part since those who are listed in the registry don't always abide by their conditions of registering, i.e. change of address, staying away from locations frequented by children, etc.

Case in point: A rapist, paroled not even an entire week, raped a teen girl in broad daylight at the Liberty Pole in downtown Rochester last year. How well did the sex offender registry protect that girl?

May 20, 2015, 8:22am Permalink

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