NEWS
Legislators introduce Jessica’s Law
Looking for a print version?
Simply choose ‘Print’ on your computer and a printer-friendly document will be generated.
Also by Ann Babe:
- Legislators introduce Jessica's Law (October 20, 2005)
- Parisi seeks prison releases (October 21, 2005)
- Doyle approves funeral protest ban (February 21, 2006)
- Proposal to limit UW salaries fails (March 8, 2006)
- Doyle amends tribe contract (October 5, 2005)
Related Stories:
- 'Jessica's Law' passes Assembly (November 9, 2005)
- Proposal aims to relocate sexual offenders (May 4, 2005)
- Legislators seek elimination of age cap (December 3, 2007)
- Past convictions now valid in sex offense trials (April 12, 2006)
- Legislators press for tree's name change (December 12, 2005)
by Ann Babe
Thursday, October 20, 2005
Wisconsin laws dealing with child sex offenders may toughen up, as state legislators unveiled Wisconsin's version of "Jessica's Law" in a press conference at the state Capitol Wednesday.
The bill, authored by Rep. Scott Suder, R-Abbotsford; Rep. Mark Honadel, R-South Milwaukee; Sen. Alberta Darling, R-River Hills; and Sen. Dave Zien, R-Eau Claire, would set a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years for first-time sex offenders of children ages 13 and younger. The legislation is named after Jessica Lunsford, a 9-year-old Florida girl who, in February 2005, was found near her parents' home after being kidnapped, raped and murdered by convicted sex offender John Couey.
In response to the tragedy, a number of states have taken steps to reform their sex-offender laws. Three states — Arizona, Louisiana and Jessica's native Florida — have already passed their own versions of Jessica's Law.
"Wisconsin is proud to join this effort [to pass mandatory minimum sentences] to make certain that we begin protecting the children of our communities, to make our communities safer and to make absolutely certain that proper punishment is exacted for these monsters," Suder said.
Currently, Wisconsin law does not include mandatory minimum sentences for child sex offenders, as the courts hold extensive discretionary rights in structuring penalties. Such undefined and indeterminate punishments did not suffice for legislators, who recognized the necessity for more stringent regulations.
Furthermore, lawmakers defended the need for mandatory minimum sentences by blaming plea-bargaining practices for inadequate predator penalties and the resulting repeat offenses.
"Studies have shown that 7 percent of sex offenders will recommit a crime within four years of being released from prison," Suder said. "We cannot allow them to re-offend against our children."
The nonprofit organization Citizens for a Safe Wisconsin also made an appearance at the conference, voicing their support of the law.
"It's time to put a halt to these predators' reign on fear and terror," CFSW spokesperson Sandy Maher-Johnson said. "No more chances; therefore, no more victims."
And while the risk of repeat offenders is disconcerting in itself, Jessica's Law creators identified another alarming possibility.
"For a sex offender that has one convicted crime, there is generally eight to 10 more people out there that this person has touched," Honadel said. "That's why it's so imperative that we get these guys put away."
Though just announced Wednesday, Wisconsin's Jessica's Law has been placed on the "fast-track," according to Suder, and was put before the Assembly Criminal Justice and Homeland Security Committee later that day in an effort to lead the nation by example.
While most of the country, according to Suder, either has "not begun the effort [to pass equivalent legislation]" or is "moving in the wrong direction" by passing more lenient legislation, Wisconsin lawmakers hope to encourage all states to adopt versions of Jessica's Law.
"We are trying to get a national network to be in place so these predators are going to know there's no safe place [in the country]," Darling said.
