PA Supreme Court Ruling Alters Some Sex Offender Registration

A Pennsylvania supreme court ruling soon will alter the registration requirements, for some types of convicted sex offenders.

First-time offenders convicted of a tier one sex crime, such as possession of child pornography do not need to register for life with the Pennsylvania State Police. An offender will get either 15 or 25 years on the registry depending on the severity. The offender would have to commit an additional sex crime after the first conviction to be required to register for the life-time term.

“I think that it is a good thing for first time offenders in the sense that it offers them an opportunity towards reform without having to report for the rest of their lives,” John Carlson, an Erie attorney said.

Others at the crime victim center believe the change in ruling may cause concern for some victims, however they are encouraging victims of crimes to still come forward.

Anybody coming forward wants justice to be done and if they feel in anyway by this law or other things, that’s going to be obstructed, they may not be willing to come forward,” Paul Lukach, executive director of Erie Crime Victim Center said. “We really want to stress that we are here and available for people affected  by crimes.”

Carlson believes the biggest impact from this ruling will be the plea bargains. He says it there could be a two-sided part of the change.

“It will be beneficial to the prosecution in that it will afford them the opportunity to offer plea bargains, which a defendant may be subject to lifetime requirements any longer and therefore might be more inclined to accept,” Carlson said. “The counter argument to that is the defendant might be more inclined to go to trial now because win or lose he’s not subject to lifetime requirements if they lose.

Carlson said that this ruling may also change the potential for appeals of previously convicted lifetime offenders.