| |
Amended sex offender
sentencing bill doesn't go far enough
Legislation aimed at
increasing penalties for child molesters does not do nearly enough to
protect communities, according to a victim support group.
Reps.
Bill Hinkle and Janéa Holmquist say the measure focuses too much
on alternatives to incarceration and not enough on justice and
protection of victims.
Substitute House Bill 2400
was passed 93-2 late Thursday by the House of Representatives, but GOP
lawmakers say the Republican-sponsored measure was watered down by a
Democrat amendment before it passed the House. They say the bill does
not deal strongly enough with child molesters and still allows many to
avoid lengthy prison sentences by opting for treatment under the state
Special Sex Offender Sentencing Alternative (SSOSA).
“There is no evidence that the treatment programs work. Child rapists
will continue to re-offend,” said Holmquist, R-Moses Lake. “In the
meantime we’re endangering communities by offering early release to sex
offenders who opt for treatment, home monitoring systems, and other
alternatives to prison that put them back on the streets where they can
begin the cycle of abuse all over again. We’re gambling with the safety
of our children, and that’s not acceptable.”
SHB 2400 has mobilized the Children’s Tennis Shoe Brigade, a child
victims’ advocacy group that fought successfully in 1990 for stronger
penalties for sex offenders. Earlier this week the group delivered
hundreds of children’s shoes to the office of the House Speaker to
protest an effort to weaken the bill and apply pressure to hear and pass
the bill in its tougher form.
“We’ve heard sad and convincing testimony from the victims of child
molestation and their families, saying the system is failing them and
they aren't getting justice,” said Hinkle, R-Cle Elum. “The bill's
stronger version would have locked up these offenders. The watered-down
version, which is what we ended up voting on, leaves a loophole for them
to avoid lengthy prison sentences. Still, the amended bill does get
tougher in how we deal with these criminals. Voting for what ended up on
the table was still a step in the right direction to protect children
and their families."
With a week left in the 2004 legislative session, Holmquist and Hinkle
say they remain hopeful the measure can be improved in the Senate and a
more acceptable version sent on to the governor.
# # #
For more information, contact:
John Handy, Assistant
Communications Director - (360) 786-5758
|
|