A Formidable Tracking Job

The public’s understandable outrage over its vulnerability to sexual predators has inspired a rash of laws around the nation, particularly in California. Small wonder, given that calm barely takes hold after the last loathsome crime before the next one occurs.

It’s the same lump of anger and fear that led to California’s three-strikes law on convicted felons, its one-strike law for violent sex offenders, its 900 phone number for public information on child molesters, its violent sexual predator law, which took effect this year. Most recently came California’s version of the so-called “Megan’s Law,” legislation that has been adopted by a number of states and is now required by federal law.

“Megan’s Law” was named for 7-year-old Megan Kanka of New Jersey, who was sexually assaulted and murdered, allegedly by a twice-convicted sex offender living in her neighborhood. Sadly, several other well-known names--Polly Klaas, for instance--could have been used in the legislation’s title.

Primarily, the laws allow citizen access, at local police stations, to the photos, physical descriptions and known locations of child molesters released from prisons. California’s law goes further, giving people who go to a police station the right to see information on all registered sex offenders in their area.

The fact that the Megan’s laws--and the violent sexual predator law in California--face ongoing legal challenges on constitutional grounds cannot be ignored. The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule next year on a Kansas law very similar to California’s sexual predator law. It seeks to keep sexual predators deemed still dangerous in custody, even after they have served their prison sentences.

In the meantime, however, there is the important matter of implementation of the Megan’s laws. California’s is due to take effect next summer.

In Los Angeles, City Councilwoman Laura Chick appropriately has asked the Police Department to report back this month on whether it has the proper equipment to keep track of convicted predators and how it plans to implement the program. Similar questions can rightly be asked of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

There are at least 17,000 registered sex offenders currently living in the 4,070 square miles of Los Angeles County. That works out to more than four for every square mile. It’s one thing to have a plan on paper for keeping track of that small army and quite another to actually do it.