Bill O'Reilly to Headline “Justice is Served” Benefit March 25

  

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Talk about a phenomenal event for such a far-reaching cause!

And to top it off, Bill O'Reilly will return as the headliner for the third annual "Justice is Served" benefit event scheduled for March 25 at the Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida.

The national TV talk show host and acclaimed author says he is passionate about It Happened to Alexa (IHTA) foundation, named after Alexa Branchini - whose parents founded IHTA in 2003 after their daughter was assaulted and raped as a freshman during only her second week at college.

"This benefit assists our foundation's goal of ensuring that sexual predators are taken off the streets," said Tom Branchini. "Florida has one of the highest rates of sexual assault in the nation. The funds raised at our Palm Beach event are critical in helping us to help so many other families in a desperate time of need. We are incredibly grateful for your support."

Patrick Park and Nathalie Fernandez will serve as the event's chairs. Donald and Melania Trump and Walter Ross have been named honorary chairs. The third annual event is dedicated to the memory of Cathleen McFarlane-Ross, 2009 event chairwoman.

Kicking off with a poolside reception and dinner, "Justice is Served" will feature O'Reilly's keynote as part of the general program. VIP ticket holders will also have the opportunity to meet O'Reilly and participate in a book signing and special reception.

IHTA is the only foundation of its kind in the United States, providing direct financial assistance to rape victims' families for travel-related expenses during the litigation process.

After their daughter's long and traumatic trial ended, the Branchinis realized that many families in similar circumstances would not have the finances to support the travel and lodging costs incurred in an out-of-town trial. They didn't want a lack of funds to prevent any rape victim from prosecuting her (or his) attacker.

According to Branchini, when IHTA is involved in assisting a family to support a victim, the rate of conviction for those cases is more than 85 percent.

When the foundation is not involved and a victim does not have the support of family through a difficult trial, the conviction rate is at about 5 percent. Alexa, who testified at her own month-long trial, says, "I wouldn't have testified if my family hadn't been with me."

For more information on IHTA or the March 25 benefit, visit http://www.ithappenedtoalexa.org or call 877-77ALEXA

Sex Offender List Showdown- Put Our Money Where It Works!

  

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Texas’ $15 billion budget shortfall has everyone pinching pennies across the board, and this week, officials are questioning the nearly $39 million pricetag of instituting the Adam Walsh Act, the federal law requiring Texas to comply with a national sex offender registry.

While most people support the intent of the federal program, once again national standards fall short of those already up and running here in Texas. 

Our state runs the second-largest sex offender database in the nation, with more than 63,000 names.  While the Texas system still has its fair share of red tape, bureaucracy and problems, it’s tough to justify spending all that money to help other states catch up and to comply with a national uniformity.

President Bush signed the Adam Walsh Child and Protection and Safety Act in 2006. The law aims to provide better oversight of sex offenders, and if Texas and other states don’t comply by July 27, they will lose 10 percent of their federal funding for assisting crime victims and witnesses through the registry.  For Texas, that’s about $2.2 million in 2012.

Only four states have complied so far- which just goes to show that this is one expenditure not worth the worry right now.

The difference boils down to using risk assessment to categorize offenders or the offenses committed.  Under federal law, offenders are divided into three tiers based on the crimes- with each tier facing different registration requirements.

The most severe offenders, for instance, would have to renew their registration in person every three months.  Texas law requires sex offenders to register either for 10 years or for life based on offense and risk level.

The Texas Senate Criminal Justice Committee recommended that the state not comply with the federal law because the state would have to hire more people to run the registry and keep up with the different tiers.

Texas should politely agree to disagree on this one- at least for now.  Let’s put our money into tighter legislation like registering these convicted offenders before they ever leave prison- as soon as the judges gavels fall. 

Help the victims and the witnesses, but don’t spend money to create more bureaucracy.

Put our money where it works!

Sex Offender Legislation - Read the Fine Print!

  

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                                www.nsopr.gov

Lawmakers in Idaho want to tighten access to schools and require registered sex offenders to check in at the district level as well as at each campus.  Sounds like a sound idea, until you read the language of the proposed House Bill 234.

This proposed law could allow each district to decide which convicted criminals can roam school hallways on a case-by-case basis.

According to the bill’s language, the convicted sex offender “must contact the district annually to get permission to be on campus” when doing things like dropping off or picking up a student, making a delivery or attending a conference. 

It also includes any extracurricular or “school-sponsored activity that is outside the regular curriculum, occurring during or outside regular school hours including, but not limited to, academic, artistic, athletic or recreational activities.”

Hold it right there!

Most states have laws restricting registered sex offenders from coming anywhere near a school campus or places where innocent children gather- and for good reason! 

It doesn’t matter who the convicted criminal is or what pencil-pusher in the district office provides them written permission- sex offenders do not belong at schools!

In all fairness, Idaho lawmakers are looking at several pieces of legislation which will crack down on the freedoms of registered sex offenders, and that’s great.

Also, through state code, school districts are allowed to craft their own policies regarding sex offenders on grounds.  Districts may still completely prohibit sex offenders from visiting schools.

Just be careful about creating loopholes for bad guys who are practiced at conning others.

Here’s the link to the Idaho House Bill 234: http://www.legislature.idaho.gov/legislation/2011/H0234.pdf

Visitor Management in Virigina School Nabs Sex Offender

  

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Raptor’s visitor management technology is hard a work in Virginia schools according to this news story from the NBC news affiliate in Richmond.

According to station WWBT, Raptor is credited with helping to nab a convicted sex offender entering a Chesterfield County school.

Lorenzo Boykin, 45, said he went to the school to give his nephew lunch money.  He was flagged after the school scanned his identification using Raptor’s V-Soft technology.

According to state police records, Boykin was convicted back in 1989 for a rape in Baltimore.

Twenty years later, he was convicted again for failing to register as a sex offender in Prince George County.

Boykin, who currently lives in Petersburg, is out on bond, and his next court hearing is on April 20.