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California expands sex offender monitoring program
Tuesday June 17, 2003
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California officials Tuesday announced an expansion of the state’s sex offender monitoring program, adding GPS ankle bracelet tracking for the state’s highest-risk offenders.
The program, approved by the Legislature and signed by the governor, will require approximately 1,500 high-risk sex offenders currently on parole to wear GPS monitoring devices around the clock. The devices alert authorities if an offender enters a restricted zone near a school or park.
“Californians deserve to know that the most dangerous offenders are being watched,” said the state’s corrections secretary. “This program gives us the tools to protect our communities.”
California already operates one of the nation’s most comprehensive sex offender registries under Megan’s Law, which requires offenders to register with local law enforcement and allows public access to their information online.
Civil liberties groups said they would review the new requirements for potential constitutional challenges.
(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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