|
|
|
|
             
|
|
News & Press Releases SJC RULING ALLOWS STATE TO POST LEVEL 3 SEX OFFENDER INFORMATION On Tuesday August 3, 2004 The Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts cleared the way for the State to post the names, addresses, and photos of the most dangerous known sex offenders on the Internet. Officials expect to have the list completed by Friday August 6th, and will post it on http://www.mass.gov/sorb/. The unanimous decision allows Massachusetts to join the 42 other states that list information about sex offenders on their websites. Massachusetts will limit its registry to Level 3 offenders, those the state Sex Offender Registry Board considers most likely to commit a crime again. According to the SJC, ''The registration information of Level 3 sex offenders, lawfully determined to pose a high risk of danger to others, may be posted on the Internet to protect society, and in authorizing the posting, with careful safeguards, the Legislature has acted reasonably to promote a proper public objective." SORB website users must be at least 18 years old, must use the site only to protect themselves or children under their care, and believe they are likely to encounter an offender who may be posted on the site. The site shall not be used to commit a crime or to engage in illegal discrimination or harassments of any offender. Brookline residents who wish to receive information about sex offenders who live or work in Brookline or who committed their crimes in Brookline may come to the Public Safety Building to complete a "request for sex offender information" form. This form will be forwarded to the Detective Division's Identification Unit. The resident will then be contacted when the information is ready to be picked up. In addition, The Brookline Police Department's Community Service Division periodically distributes information on local Level 3 sex offenders to local newspapers, schools, public buildings, and day care centers.
|
|