PORTLAND, Ore. (KATU) — Courtney Gelbrich and Jane Mendoza have spent a lot of time at soccer fields, watching their daughters play competitive soccer.
Little did they know, their common connection would lead them on an unpredictable journey into Oregon’s public sex offender database, in a fight to protect their children.
It started with a phone call a couple of years ago.
“My husband – who is a head coach of a youth competitive soccer team – received a phone call from our registrar one night saying, ‘Hey, did you know that there is a sex offender parent on your team?’ We did not,” Gelbrich said.
It took a national database to confirm the tip was true. To Gelbrich and Mendoza’s surprise, the parent in question did not show up on Oregon’s database, despite a conviction for possessing child pornography.
Turns out, the parent is one of more than 30,000 registered sex offenders who doesn’t fit the criteria to show up on the Oregon State Police Public Registry.
In fact, out of the state’s roughly 34,000 registered offenders, fewer than 2,000, are on the public database, or just 5%. State law only permits Oregon State Police to publish Level Three registrants – the group with the highest risk of committing a new sex crime.
Information on other registrants must be requested through Oregon State Police, with a reason for that request. However, some offender information is only releasable if requested by the offender themselves.
“What did that make you think of the Oregon database?” KATU asked the women.
“It startled me because every time I’ve moved, I’ve looked on the Oregon database,” Mendoza said.
She said she realized she wasn’t getting the full picture whenever she leaned on the map to inform her.
“No longer having your community easily identify that you may be a harm to children is just unacceptable,” Mendoza said.
The flip side of the registry:
But, as a KATU investigation learned, not every expert agrees that knowledge is power. Katie Gotch–a certified clinical sexual offense therapist–claimed that if anything, Oregon’s public database goes too far.
“It provides a false sense of security,” Gotch said.
Gotch argued that parents rely too …
So as I understand it, the complainants’ daughters have a teammate whose father is a registrant for CP possession. No indication that the registrant was ever at any practice or game (and odds are better than average he wasn’t, especially if on paper), yet his mere existence is still somehow dangerous?
Even if he were present, exactly what do they think he would do? Stumble around and grope every player and bystander there, while everyone else just stood around and watched in horror? Not to mention the sad fact that if – God forbid – either of their daughters were to be sexually assaulted, it is far more likely to be by the coach than the registrant they’re in such a twist over.
Simply attending their daughters’ practice is a thousand times more effective than anything they think the registry can do. Which, historically, is absolutely nothing. After 30 years of Megan’s Law, no one can provide an example of a sex crime that the registry prevented, solved, or provided anything to an investigation that was unavailable anywhere else.
I wonder what the wife of the soccer coach would do if her husband was sexually abusing a player, which could be more likely than a PFR either dropping off or picking up his daughter. What would the mothers do if their daughter went to a neighbors’ or a friends house and was sexually abused? Tired of the public seeing evidence that the registry is useless and never prevented or solved a case in 30 years, but they still consider it a good back up tool. A better back up tool is common sense, critical thinking parental instincts and knowing that people are capable of change including those with a sex offense.
Remember: Love your neighbor as yourself, unless they seem a little strange.
The ladies in the piece are ignorant at best considering the info they want to put out there and what will happen with it. The legislator is ignorant at best as well while only thinking of his next election by spouting what he is.
The station should do a follow up piece to understand how tiering happens in more depth and the impact the assessments have on it at the outset and then over time (if any is done).
From the article, “95% of suspects had no prior sex conviction.”
Rather than rely on facts, the public would rather perpetuate fear mongering and not look into their family-friend interactions for potential, unwanted sexual encounters.
I seriously considered moving to Oregon when I got off parole in the Badger State, because I have very fond memories of spending the summer of 1990 in Salem. Things were so much different back then in Oregon. Groceries were dirt cheap, rent was next to nothing. I basically walked into town and on the same day, rented a room for $150mo in the attic of a house. No background check, no registry check, just a handshake and a deposit. The family wasn’t even concerned about their 13 year-old boy. The owner was from San Jose, so I think he saw himself trying to help out a fellow Californian. Not having a public profile is one of the attractions of Oregon, but they’ll still list you until they can determine your status, and that could take months. Meanwhile, I don’t have the stomach do be harassed by neighborhood watch & soccer moms. Plus, there’s other issues like needing a car, rainy winters, and the state’s high cost of living. I mean, it’s expensive as hell and the weather also sucks here in Mass. But at least it’s compact, transportation is excellent, great healthcare & social programs, and access to legal help. FYI, I still plan on suing those cheeseheads for making me register in a state where I no longer live 😬
Just great…. People clamoring to expand the OR registry now? That State was going to be my new home if CA doesn’t adopt CASOMB recommendations by the time I retire in 4 years. CA PC 288.2 (a)(2) against a minor over the age of 16, isn’t registerable at all in OR. It’s Tier 3 in CA. What a mess.
Can anyone guess what happened at the Marion county DA office when the tough on crime politician who authored minimum mandatory sentences laws (including for underage people who committed an offense) was accused of sexual assault.