Bothell Police Department

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Bothell Police Department
Sex Offender Community Information

• Detective Dione Thompson

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Agenda

• The history of the Registration Law
• Sex Offender Levels
• Statistics on Sex Offenders
• Family and Personal Safety Plans
• Childrens Response Center
• Specific Sex Offender
• Question and Answer

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Registration Law History
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Washington State Laws
1989 Helen Harlows Son Convicted Sex Offender-
Earl Shriner Considered Dangerous to
Public assaulted and sexually mutilated 7 year
old boy
1988 Diane Ballasiotes Pioneer Square Rape and
Murder Convicted Sex Offender on Work Release
Governors (Booth Gardner) Task Force
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Community Protection ActFebruary 28, 1990

• Registration of Sex Offenders
• Civil Commitment (Special Commitment Center on
  McNeil Island)
• Victim Services
• Community Notification

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Our Challenge
To be responsible in enforcing the Community
Protection Act in order to protect the citizens
and protect the Community Protection Act itself.
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RCW 9A.44.130

• Registration of Sex/Kidnapping Offenders

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Legal Setback 1993
Local Municipality Abused Community Notification
Ward vs. State must consider risk
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Federal Statutes
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Jacob Wetterling Act
Jacob Wetterling
1989 St. Joseph, Minnesota Jacob was 11 years old
on a bike ride with his brother and a friend Last
seen being grabbed by masked gunman 1994 Federal
Statute -Sex Offender Registration -Limited
Notification
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Megans Law
Megan Kanka
1994 Hamilton, New Jersey Went for a bicycle ride
and never returned. Jesse Timmendequass
(convicted sex offender) living nearby admitted
to luring, raping and killing Megan. May 1996
federal statute -Requires all states to have
community notification on high risk offenders.
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Pam Lychner Act
Pam Lychner
Real estate agent in Houston. She was attacked
and assaulted by a convicted felon while showing
a house to a potential buyer. Sex Offender
Tracking and Identification Act - Mandated FBI
to establish a national sex offender registry by
2000
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Who has to Register?

• Convicted of Sex/Kidnapping Offense
• In this state
• In another state
• In Federal Court
• Juveniles and Adults
• Those who lack a fixed residence

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Community Notification

• Level 3 Offenders
• Level 2 Offenders
• Level 1 Offenders
• Homeless Offenders

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Sex Offender Risk Levels
Sex Offender Scoring Tool (SOST)
Police Reports
Presentence Psychological
Criminal History
Court Files
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Risk Levels

• Level One- Most rated, no violent history,
  usually know their victims.
• Level Two- Risk to reoffend, multiple victims,
  grooming of victims, predatory or position of
  trust.
• Level Three- High risk to reoffend, multiple
  victims, may use violence and/or weapons, may or
  may not know their victims.

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General Statistics
King County 3892 Level 1
2917 Level 2
587 Level 3
388
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Bothell City Limits
Level 1 31 Level 2 7 Level
3 4 Total 42
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• There are over 18,000 sex offenders registered in
  the state of Washington
• There are about 2000 sex offenders who are in
  violation of the registration laws. Their
  location is unknown.

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Prevention and Safety Planning

• Rebecca Milliman, MSW
• Childrens Response Center
• 1120 112th Ave NE Suite 130
• Bellevue, WA 98004
• [phone]

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Parents and Children

• Open communication
• Teach how and when to say NO
• Teach correct anatomical names
• Talk about safe and unsafe touching
• Identify a safety plan and safe people
• Listen and believe!
• Know with whom your child spends time
• Talk with other parents
• Check references for babysitters and child care
  providers
• Drop in visits

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Parents and Teens

• Communication
• Maintain open doors
• Identify other safe people to talk with
• Talk about dating safety
• What are respectful relationships?
• What should your teen expect from others?
• Find ways to stay involved informed!
• Youre still the parent..

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Kids the Internet

• Develop and discuss rules of access
• Locate Internet in public area of home
• Discuss the importance of
• Why personal information should not be given out
• (teens) Set limits of meeting online friends in
  person
• What to do if someone is asking for personal
  information
• What to do if something or someone makes them
  feel uncomfortable
• Monitor chat room use
• Educate yourself to be more Internet savvy!

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Adults

• Be aware of your surroundings
• Do not allow strangers in your home
• Verify ID of anyone, including service people and
  police officers
• Phone 911 if suspicious
• Protect your personal boundaries
• Trust your instincts!
• That little voice is usually right

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Grooming

• How offenders gain access to their victims
• Obtains immediate insider status
• Exceptionally charming
• Extremely helpful
• Gains trust from adults
• Creates special relationship with a child
• Engages in peer-like play with children
• Creates opportunities to be alone with children
• Fails to honor clear boundaries set by adults or
  children
• Is defensive or secretive

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Resources

• Childrens Response Center
• [phone]
• Harborview Center for Sexual Assault and
  Traumatic Stress
• [phone]
• King County Sexual Assault
• Resource Center
• 1800-825-7273
• Child Protective Services
• 1800-609-8764 or 1800-562-5624

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• Cant tell by looking
• Theyre everywhere
• These are just the known offenders
• Doesnt include those convicted prior to the law
  going into effect
• Doesnt include those who have yet to be caught
• Doesnt include those convicted and still
  incarcerated

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Information Sources
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www.kingcounty.gov/sheriff

• Level two
• Level three
• All King County Agencies
• Levels determined by police agency of
  jurisdiction.

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www.waspc.org

• Level two
• Level three
• All Washington registered sex offenders as
  reported by WSP.
• Levels determined by police agency of
  jurisdiction.

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Access Washington

• www.access.wa.gov
• Legislature
• Statutes / RCWs
• Upcoming Legislation
• Washington State Patrol

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FAQ?

• Why arent these people locked up for good?
• In 1996, the legislature increased sentences
  for major sex offenses with passing the 2
  strikes law, which imposed a life sentence for a
  second sex offense.
• Because of problems with the 2 strikes law,
  in 2001 the legislature passed yet another law.
  This allowed for indeterminate sentences for
  those offenders convicted after September 1,
  2001. This means that an offender can be kept
  behind bars for as long as he poses a danger to
  the community.

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Sex Offender

• There will always be sex offenders in King County
• There will always be sex offenders in your
  neighborhood
• Sex offenders come in all races, ages, and sexes
• The largest majority of sex offenses occur in the
  home
• Stranger assaults are rare
• Education and knowledge are our strengths

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For More Information

• King County Sheriffs Office
• Kingcounty.gov
• Snohomish County Sheriffs Office
• Snoco.org
• Bothell Police Department
• Detective Dione Thompson
• 425-487-5142