MI: Lansing must fix Michigan's sex offender list.

January 13, 2003

All entries must be accounted for

The value of Michigan's Sex Offender Registry is the vital information it can provide. Parents need to know if a convicted child molester lives in the next block. Communities need to know if a convicted rapist resides in their midst.

The registry can furnish that information to anyone who wants it -- provided that information is accurate. When the information isn't reliable, the value of the list is in doubt.

State lawmakers already have plenty on their plate. There is at least a $1.8 billion budget deficit to address, and a host of programs and services to reduce or eliminate.

Fixing the registry, however, must be a priority. The list's lack of oversight now threatens to destroy its effectiveness.

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Source: © 2003 TheTimesHerald.com