A state lawmaker is making good on a promise to repair a flawed system that permits aging and ailing convicted sex offenders to quietly enter long-term care facilities — often unbeknownst to patients and staff — where some easily are finding their next victims.
A bill set to be introduced next week by state Rep. Rob Matzie, D-Ambridge, comes in response to a Tribune-Review investigation published last month detailing what experts termed a simmering crisis involving more than 900,000 sex offenders on Megan’s Law registries across the nation.
After learning the details of the newspaper’s investigation, an outraged Matzie vowed to take action on the matter as soon as the General Assembly reconvened at the start of the year.
On Friday, Matzie said his measure — which has drawn widespread, bipartisan support — calls for nursing homes, adult daycare centers and personal care homes to vet new admissions through the state’s Megan’s Law registry, create patient safety plans to protect others from the offenders, and notify staff and residents when convicted sex offenders are admitted.
“The facilities will also report this information to the (state) Department of Health to create and maintain a statewide registry — a Megan’s Law for nursing homes, if you will,” Matzie wrote in a memo to House members seeking co-sponsors for the bill.
Megan’s Law for nursing homes gaining traction in Harrisburg
F*g lunacy. Sue, sue and continue to sue.
George Carlin sure has proved his point about dumb Americans.
He admits the majority of registrants don’t reoffend, yet one incident occurred he must do something. Here’s an idea start with true reform and back the hell off. If only we were saved by one person with reason.
Although there are many defects in the original article, the ending caught my eye. The article quoted a victims’ rights activist. Ms. Storm made two false statements, which I’m suspect were never verified by the authors. All studies show that sex offenders do indeed “age out”, and the recidivism statistics are waaaay over the top. More irresponsible yellow journalism.
Jennifer Storm, a victims’ rights activist and former Pennsylvania Victim Advocate, said sex offenders are different from other criminals.
“With some crimes like murder or theft, offenders tend to age out, but not with sexual offenses,” she said.
Justice Department statistics show that even after 15 years, 24% of convicted sex offenders will commit another sex crime.
Another solution in search of a problem. Just how many sex offenses have been committed in old age homes by rso’s?
Karl Hanson (author of Static 99, etc.) and others have published several studies that conclusively indicate that the older one gets, the less likely one is to offend sexually. And those over the age of 70 are no more likely to offend than those who have no history of sexually offending.
These small local “news” outlets are cockroaches hiding under the fridge and multiplying. It’s Sunday again and here we are.
@SG:
“Another solution in search of a problem. Just how many sex offenses have been committed in old age homes by rso’s?”
I agree and you are correct in saying this. I would be willing to bet that there were more reports of incidents of staff/employees/nurses etc committing crimes against residents of these homes like murder, over medication (on purpose) etc.
If it saves one senior citizen.
“This legislation will not, in any way, ban or bar them from getting the care they will need.”
This is what they said when the register was first instituted. That it was for information only. It was said with a wink and nod, knowing it was false, knowing the elected judges would be too cowardly to uphold the Constitution. Knowing their malicious intent would destroy an untold number of families. I say we hold this Mr Matzie accountable to his word. If any registrant is denied care due to his legislation, they should smash their way into his home and take shelter there. This has gone too far. DIRECT ACTION is needed.
Let’s be brutally honest. No facility will accept any registrants after this bill is passed. Keep in mind that the actual danger is never addressed, just the narrative. I cynically believe that this is the INTENTION of the bill, to create havoc, and with Covid crazies now wanting to throw unvaxxed people into camps permanently, the next step is obvious: Throw all registrants into such facilities as well. “First, they came for the sex offenders…”
I don’t recall this article being posted late last month, but here is the referenced article which started the entire movement (with others ref’d at the bottom of it): Registered sex offenders often go undetected in care homes, sometimes at an unspeakable cost
The PA house member in question can be found here if interested in sharing your thoughts on the matter. Remember, be polite, short, and succinct. I personally would like to know how they’ll guarantee this won’t prevent people from being denied elder care if they have to also register…perhaps put it in the bill that this fact can’t be used against them.