Like all states Vermont has a sex offense registry and there’s a website to make the information available worldwide, 24/7.   “Community notification” is the official purpose but extreme ‘naming and shaming’ a more honest take.  The typical registry website has a great deal of personal information about registrants including name, age, photo, home address, details about the offense and victim, and more.   Vermont does it a little different, the town or city is included but not the street address – apparently out of concern for  accuracy and that address information can facilitate harassment or even vigilante attacks.  There’s pressure to add the addresses for some categories of registrants.  Have a look at this Burlington Free Press story which takes a surprising turn at the end — don’t miss Karen Tronsgard-Scott’s perspective, she’s the director of Vermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence.  –Bill Dobbs, The Dobbs Wire 

Burlington Free Press | March 17, 2017

Years later, Vermont sex offender registry lacks addresses

By April McCullum

Vermont families are unable to find out whether a high-risk sex offender lives in their neighborhood, years after the public sex offender registry was directed to include those details.  After more than eight years of discussion, the online Vermont Sex Offender Registry still lacks detailed information about where high-risk offenders live.

Members of the public can view photos, names and towns of residence for people on the online registry, but not to the level of street addresses. Sex offender registries in other states, including New Hampshire and New York, include offenders’ last known street addresses.

Vermont lawmakers requested that the online sex offender registry include street addresses for high-risk or non-compliant offenders in a 2009 law, and again in 2015. The Vermont Department of Public Safety was told to ensure that the data were free of errors and that the registry had fixed problems identified by the State Auditor’s Office before they were allowed to post addresses.  MORE:

http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/news/politics/government/2017/03/17/years-later-vt-sex-offender-registry-lacks-addresses/99215736/

 

 

 

Share This

Let's Spread Truth

Share this post!