Editorial: Notification law has too many holes

Wednesday, Aug. 28, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

AS hard as Nevada lawmakers tried to protect communities from sex criminals, there are still loopholes big enough to drive a truck through.

The 1995 law requiring public notification when convicted sex offenders are released into communities overlooks the threat of out-of-state offenders moving into Nevada. That raises the danger of this state becoming a haven for sex offenders.

The law requires paroled offenders to register with police when they arrive in a community, but neglects any similar requirement for Nevadans who serve their full sentences and are released without parole. The number of affected inmates is surprising. In 1995, 42 Nevada sex offenders were paroled, but 102 finished their sentences and were released. If that trend continues, 69 percent of the state's sex offenders can fade into the crowd.

One-third of all sex offenders prey on children and there is a large body of evidence that suggests pedophilia may have no cure. Some serial cases pose the threat of increasing violence. Notifying communities about offenders at least gives parents an opportunity to be alert and safeguard their children.

That certainly would apply to Las Vegas where two serial rapists have been prowling neighborhoods looking for juvenile victims. Despite efforts by Metro Police, a composite drawing of only one suspect has been disseminated. If out-of-state and nonparole offenders had to register and fulfill the notification requirement, police would have stronger tools to track down suspects before someone is harmed.

Protests about violating the privacy of sex offenders pales against the potential threat of continuing assaults by many of those who are released.

The Legislature should amend this law quickly to ensure no legal quirk unwittingly protects those who would injure others.