State sees 5-year increase in registered sex offenders

BY JANIE TAYLOR

STAFF WRITER

Editors Note: As a service to the community, the Appalachian News-Express will be publisihing the names and addresses of registered sex offenders in Pike County in the coming editions.

Currently, 4,819 registered sex offenders are living throughout Kentucky communities, authorities say. Sixty-three of those are living in Pike County and the numbers continue to rise.

According to Kentucky State Police Cpt. Brad Bates, the total number of state sex offenders registered in 2000 was 1,750, and within five years has increased by over 3,000.

"The numbers are growing," Bates said. "And some of the 10-year registrants have moved off the registry since 2000."

The Kentucky Sex Offender Registry, Bates said, became available to the public in April, 2000 and is intended for the safety and awareness of possible victims.

"It's a tool to let people be informed, it really doesn't protect anybody," Bates said. "Sex offenders have always lived in the communities, now laws have been passed that require them to register with authorities."

Bates said the registry contains two types of convicted sex offenders, lifetime and 10-year, depending on the types and degrees of crimes committed. Some photos of the offenders are available, but not required.

"The 10-year registrants must verify their address every year," Bates said. "The lifetime registrants have to verify every 90 days. They're notified by registered mail and have 10 days to comply. If they don't, we issue a notice of non-compliance to Probation and Parole. They forward it to the county attorney and they contact local law enforcement."

Bates said the offender must immediately report an address change.

According to Bates, sex offenders failing to comply with the Kentucky Sex Offender Registry are committing a class D felony which carries a sentence of up to five years in jail.

"They know when they're in violation," Bates said. "The threat of going back to jail usually works, and they are forewarned."

Bates said 136 of the current convicted sex offenders are non-compliant and are under investigation, some have already been issued warrants or indicted by county grand juries.

"This isn't a fool-proof system," Bates said. "But it works reasonably well."

Bates said officials are working on changes for the registry that could include disclosing the age of the offender's past victims.

"We're working on trying to get that included," Bates said. Updates for the registry may also seem confusing and need to be adjusted.

"If there has been no address change at the time of the required update, then the entry just stays the same," Bates said, some entries on the registry appear not to have been updated for two years. "That's why, because their situation has stayed the same, not because they haven't complied."

Bates said the registry is strictly monitored and is available to everyone.

The Kentucky Sex Offender Registry is maintained by Kentucky State Police with information they receive from the Division of Probation and Parole.

According to the registry, the database is made possible to alert communities for their own protection, not to punish or harass offenders, which is punishable by law.

To visit the registry, log on to kspsor.state.ky.us/

If you wish to receive up-to-date information regarding the release and location of registered sex offenders, use the Sex Offender Alert Line to register at 1-866-564-5652. This will enable you to receive a call when an offender moves into your community.

Staff Writer ¼ Taylor can be reached via e-mail at jtaylor@news-expressky.com.