Sears: Harsher sentences for sex offenders likely
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Judge Walter Morris said the courts' approach to sexual offenders has evolved since he assumed a seat on the bench in the 1980s.
"The cases are very complex in terms of evidence at the trial level
and very complex in terms of sentencing," Morris said. "We've come a long way with regard to our understanding of the epidemic of sexual offenses, and how they might fit in our traditional longstanding way of sentencing."
Morris also defended a Department of Corrections that has come under fire in the wake of the Bennett murder. In his experience, Morris said, probation and parole officers have been diligent in keeping the court informed of an offender's lapses.
"I assign significant credibility to the management of offenders in the community by corrections officers," Morris said. "Are there offender behaviors missed by supervising officers? Yes, they're human
But over the years
corrections has gotten far better with communication
"
Morris raised concerns over the manner in which sex offenders are currently discharged from probation. Instituting a more intensive discharge policy, he said, might alleviate those concerns.
"Historically, requests for discharge come in on the same form as a discharge from driving with a suspended license or driving under the influence," Morris said. "It's very brief, skeletal information."
Including a broader history of the offender's treatment regimen, as well as informed assessments of his progress, Morris said, would give judges a better framework in which to make those decisions.
Rob Hofmann, commissioner of the Department of Corrections, said that his staff is conducting an internal review of departmental procedures, a process that began last year but has intensified since the Bennett murder.
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