Vol. 75/No. 27 July 25, 2011
In Illinois state senators are discussing creating a registry for first-degree murderers. The bill overwhelmingly passed the House in April by a 97-1 vote. Those released from prison would be listed on this database for at least the next 10 years, immediately affecting several hundred people and 3,000 more in the coming years.
In Maine a bill is being promoted for an online registry of people convicted of driving while intoxicated. Under consideration in other states are registries for arsonists, animal abusers, and those producing methamphetamine. Legislatures in Suffolk and Rockland counties in New York have already enacted animal abuse registries.
On May 17 the New York State Senate voted 57-4 to set up a violent offenders registry. Those on the list would have to report their residence, for life. The bill never got out of committee in the state assembly.
These registries are patterned after the sex offender registries in effect nationwide. Those put on these lists are most often branded for life.
In 2003 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that states may put names, pictures, and addresses of convicted sex offenders on the Internet. Two years earlier it upheld a state law allowing authorities to keep some people convicted of sex crimes locked up even after they serve out the prison terms for those charges.
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