Gov. M. Jodi Rell introduced several important changes to the Connecticut Sex Offender Registry on Oct. 28.
The upgrades were needed to meet several of the requirements stipulated in the federal Adam Walsh Act, which was signed into law by former President George W. Bush in 2006.
"The Connecticut sex offender registry was a national model when it was first rolled out-and now we are taking it to a new level," said Rell in a press release announcing the improvements.
"The technology is truly impressive," said Rell. "This is something all of us in Connecticut can be grateful to have-a tool for both law enforcement and families."
Almost a decade before the passage of the Adam Walsh Act, Connecticut's "Megan's Law" set a precedent by requiring convicted sex offenders to notify the local police when they moved into town. The law, passed in 1997, was named in memory of seven-year-old Megan Kanka of Hamilton Township, NJ.
Megan was raped and murdered by her neighbor, Jesse Timmendequas, in 1994. Timmendequas had previously been convicted of several sex crimes against young children when he committed the murder.
"The enhancements and addedinformation enables the user of the site to be armed with more detailed information that only enhances the safety of children," said Lt. J. Paul Vance, spokesperson for the state police.
These enhancements include interactive maps that allow parents to easily locate convicted offenders living in and around their neighborhood, and the option to e-mail new notifications to friends so that concerned parents can spread the word about new threats moving into the neighborhood.
Once logged on to the site, those who have used it before will immediately notice several striking changes. The site's interface has been made easier to navigate, and more information is still being added about the offenders. The site will soon include more information about the conditions of their arrest.
A search engine is also available to allow users to search by street location, city, town, name of offender or the compliance status - whether or not certain offenders are meeting the law's requirements.
On top of all this, the site includes an accessible tutorial allowing anyone, to navigate the site with ease.
Check out www.ct.gov/dps and click the "Sex Offender Registry" link on the left side of the site to learn more about offenders living near you, but keep in mind that any individual who uses the information contained on the site to harass or injure persons included in the registry is subject to prosecution.
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