mahlerscom
New member
- Joined
- Sep 25, 2006
- Messages
- 10
- Reaction score
- 0
- Gender
- Male
- Political Leaning
- Very Liberal
Level 3 update can go awry
By MARY ANN BRAGG
STAFF WRITER
When Antone Costa, a Level 3 sex offender, told police the name of his employer, as he was legally required to do, they took him at his word, then released it publicly.
But the employer says Costa, a convicted rapist, never worked for him.
Many local police departments quickly announce information about Level 3 sex offenders when they move to town. The classification means they are at highest risk to re-offend, according to the state's Sex Offender Registry Board.
But although police check residential addresses within days of a sex offender registering, they sometimes wait weeks to verify employment information.
The reason for the lag is varied, the police say, including workloads and not wanting to jeopardize an offender's job with a noticeable police presence.
The lack of immediate verification can affect employers, though, if the information is incorrect.
In the case of Costa, the business owner, who did not want his name and business name used, said he and his family were embarrassed and that he may have lost business.
Costa, who is homeless and supervised by Barnstable police, did ask for a job but wasn't hired, the business owner said.
Costa did not respond to a request for comment.
''The stuff I do - proms, birthday parties - I was really upset,'' said the owner, who has been in business for 16 years. ''You can just imagine how I was feeling then. Like I'm going to hire a homeless guy off the street that's a Level 3 sex offender.''
Normally he relies on his town's police department to conduct a criminal background check for any potential limousine drivers that he might hire, the owner said.
There are 29 Level 3 sex offenders either living or working in Barnstable County, according to the state board.
Difficulty holding jobs
Those sex offenders often have difficulty holding jobs, said Kathleen Hinckley, records property supervisor for the Barnstable Police Department.
Costa is the perfect example of someone who has been trying to get a job, gets employment, the employer finds out he's a Level 3 sex offender, and for that reason or other reasons is terminated, said Hinckley, who supervises Costa.
''He has been through multiple jobs this year,'' she said.
''It is very common. They change jobs very often. They change housing very often.''
The registry board declined to comment on how police check on home and employment addresses of sex offenders.
Police and other public employees acting in good faith are not liable in a civil or criminal proceeding for publication of the information, according to state law.
No time frame required
Police are not required to verify a sex offender's home or employment address within a set time frame, said Cape and Islands First Assistant District Attorney Brian Glenny.
The employment checks for Level 3 sex offenders are a mix of documentation, phone calls and on-site visits, and most sex offenders give accurate information, police said.
In Falmouth, the priority is public safety and therefore Level 3 sex offender information is publicized first and checked later, said police Sgt. Douglas DeCosta.
The police do not check the work address as often as the home address, he said. ''The law doesn't require that we audit but we always audit randomly,'' he said.
In Falmouth there are 48 sex offenders, including three Level 3, DeCosta said.
''Being employed is a critical thing,'' said Hiram Collado of the Yarmouth police. ''You don't want these guys running around with too much time on their hands.''
Collado annually manages 80 to 90 Level 0, 2 and 3 sex offenders for Yarmouth. He said he tends to check a Level 2 or 3 offender's job with an anonymous phone call if the business is legitimate. He will visit the work site if an offender claims to be employed by a friend or relative, or if the employer's name or address seems questionable.
False address rarely given
Sex offenders rarely give a false address for employment, Collado said, because he can always pick up the phone and call a business to verify the information.
In Dennis, police do talk with employers. While a sex offender is not required to tell an employer of his status, ''employers already know usually,'' said Dennis Detective Sgt. Bernd ''Ben'' Wunderlich. ''The person has been upfront with them.''
Dennis police manage about 30 Level 1, 2 and 3 sex offenders annually.
In Barnstable proof of employment, such as pay stubs, is generally required within weeks of the offender saying he has a new job, said Hinckley.
''We try not to go to their workplace unless we have to,'' she said.
Hinckley handles around 90 Level 0, 1, 2, and 3 sex offenders annually.
''That's a tough question,'' Hinckley said of how many sex offenders give false information about their employment. ''Occasionally. Most of them don't work.''
Mary Ann Bragg can be reached at mbragg@capecodonline.com.
--------------And I add---------------
http://www.googlegroups.com alt.law-enforcement
http://groups.google.com/group/alt....93460d8e0fb/ccc7c411e4e78b7e#ccc7c411e4e78b7e
http://www.googlegroups.com soc.culture.irish
http://groups.google.com/group/soc....93460d8e0fb/ccc7c411e4e78b7e#ccc7c411e4e78b7e
http://www.googlegroups.com soc.culture.usa
http://groups.google.com/group/soc....93460d8e0fb/ccc7c411e4e78b7e#ccc7c411e4e78b7e
Barnstable County, Massachusetts. A "Osama Bin
Laden in Irish Skin"
By MARY ANN BRAGG
STAFF WRITER
When Antone Costa, a Level 3 sex offender, told police the name of his employer, as he was legally required to do, they took him at his word, then released it publicly.
But the employer says Costa, a convicted rapist, never worked for him.
Many local police departments quickly announce information about Level 3 sex offenders when they move to town. The classification means they are at highest risk to re-offend, according to the state's Sex Offender Registry Board.
But although police check residential addresses within days of a sex offender registering, they sometimes wait weeks to verify employment information.
The reason for the lag is varied, the police say, including workloads and not wanting to jeopardize an offender's job with a noticeable police presence.
The lack of immediate verification can affect employers, though, if the information is incorrect.
In the case of Costa, the business owner, who did not want his name and business name used, said he and his family were embarrassed and that he may have lost business.
Costa, who is homeless and supervised by Barnstable police, did ask for a job but wasn't hired, the business owner said.
Costa did not respond to a request for comment.
''The stuff I do - proms, birthday parties - I was really upset,'' said the owner, who has been in business for 16 years. ''You can just imagine how I was feeling then. Like I'm going to hire a homeless guy off the street that's a Level 3 sex offender.''
Normally he relies on his town's police department to conduct a criminal background check for any potential limousine drivers that he might hire, the owner said.
There are 29 Level 3 sex offenders either living or working in Barnstable County, according to the state board.
Difficulty holding jobs
Those sex offenders often have difficulty holding jobs, said Kathleen Hinckley, records property supervisor for the Barnstable Police Department.
Costa is the perfect example of someone who has been trying to get a job, gets employment, the employer finds out he's a Level 3 sex offender, and for that reason or other reasons is terminated, said Hinckley, who supervises Costa.
''He has been through multiple jobs this year,'' she said.
''It is very common. They change jobs very often. They change housing very often.''
The registry board declined to comment on how police check on home and employment addresses of sex offenders.
Police and other public employees acting in good faith are not liable in a civil or criminal proceeding for publication of the information, according to state law.
No time frame required
Police are not required to verify a sex offender's home or employment address within a set time frame, said Cape and Islands First Assistant District Attorney Brian Glenny.
The employment checks for Level 3 sex offenders are a mix of documentation, phone calls and on-site visits, and most sex offenders give accurate information, police said.
In Falmouth, the priority is public safety and therefore Level 3 sex offender information is publicized first and checked later, said police Sgt. Douglas DeCosta.
The police do not check the work address as often as the home address, he said. ''The law doesn't require that we audit but we always audit randomly,'' he said.
In Falmouth there are 48 sex offenders, including three Level 3, DeCosta said.
''Being employed is a critical thing,'' said Hiram Collado of the Yarmouth police. ''You don't want these guys running around with too much time on their hands.''
Collado annually manages 80 to 90 Level 0, 2 and 3 sex offenders for Yarmouth. He said he tends to check a Level 2 or 3 offender's job with an anonymous phone call if the business is legitimate. He will visit the work site if an offender claims to be employed by a friend or relative, or if the employer's name or address seems questionable.
False address rarely given
Sex offenders rarely give a false address for employment, Collado said, because he can always pick up the phone and call a business to verify the information.
In Dennis, police do talk with employers. While a sex offender is not required to tell an employer of his status, ''employers already know usually,'' said Dennis Detective Sgt. Bernd ''Ben'' Wunderlich. ''The person has been upfront with them.''
Dennis police manage about 30 Level 1, 2 and 3 sex offenders annually.
In Barnstable proof of employment, such as pay stubs, is generally required within weeks of the offender saying he has a new job, said Hinckley.
''We try not to go to their workplace unless we have to,'' she said.
Hinckley handles around 90 Level 0, 1, 2, and 3 sex offenders annually.
''That's a tough question,'' Hinckley said of how many sex offenders give false information about their employment. ''Occasionally. Most of them don't work.''
Mary Ann Bragg can be reached at mbragg@capecodonline.com.
--------------And I add---------------
http://www.googlegroups.com alt.law-enforcement
http://groups.google.com/group/alt....93460d8e0fb/ccc7c411e4e78b7e#ccc7c411e4e78b7e
http://www.googlegroups.com soc.culture.irish
http://groups.google.com/group/soc....93460d8e0fb/ccc7c411e4e78b7e#ccc7c411e4e78b7e
http://www.googlegroups.com soc.culture.usa
http://groups.google.com/group/soc....93460d8e0fb/ccc7c411e4e78b7e#ccc7c411e4e78b7e
Barnstable County, Massachusetts. A "Osama Bin
Laden in Irish Skin"