Jaycee Dugard was forced to live in Phillip Garrido’s backyard for 18 years. According to an ABC News report, the failure by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) to find Dugard at a convicted sex offender’s residence has led to changes in the parole system. Many of these changes will result in a considerable loss of rights for individuals convicted of a sex crime.
The CDCR will now conduct polygraph testing and face-to-face evaluations to determine if a convicted sex offender is a low or high risk. The CDCR will also provide full time GPS tracking for all sex offenders regardless of their threat level. Malfunctioning GPS monitors will no longer result in email alerts. Instead, there will be round the clock monitoring that can act fast to determine why the GPS is malfunctioning. There will also be increased efforts to provide drug tests and mental health therapy.
In addition to facing these stringent and intrusive new measures, convicted offenders will still have to register as a sex offender. According to the official Megan’s Law website, anyone with access to the Internet can view information on more than 63,000 persons registered in California as a sex offender. The easily accessible website offers the home address of 33,500 registered offenders who are living in California communities. There are also 30,500 offenders listed with at least a ZIP code, city, and county. Many of the convicted offenders have photos and information regarding why they are required to register.
The experienced Ontario sex crime defense attorneys at Sitkoff & Hanrahan have a long history of handling sex crimes in southern California. We offer free consultations on all sex crimes at (866) 430-8383. Let us help you understand how to fight the charges and protect your rights and liberties.