THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, February 3, 1997 TAG: 9702030057
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: 40 lines
Almost 60 percent of the 234,000 convicted sex offenders under supervision of corrections officials nationwide were on parole or probation, a Justice Department study of 1994 data found.
While the notion of convicted rapists and other sexual predators in the community may be unsettling, the study released Sunday showed sex offenders less likely than other convicts to be on release programs. Overall, 75 percent of offenders were.
``Sex Offenses and Offenders,'' prepared by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, is the first national estimate of the size of the convicted sex-offender population under the jurisdiction of federal, state and local authorities.
The report said rapists had a lower rate of rearrest for felonies than most other violent convicts on probation.
About 41 percent of violent probationers were rearrested for another felony within three years of being placed on probation, compared to about 20 percent of rapists who were arrested again.
Sunday's announcement followed earlier reports of declines in the numbers of rapes and other sexual assaults between 1990 and 1995.
``This report is proof that we can reverse one of the most disturbing trends in society - sexual violence,'' President Clinton said. ``But it is also a warning that we must continue working to ensure that our children are safe.''
In his first term, Clinton signed Megan's Law, which alerts residents when a convicted sex offender moves into their community.
Attorney General Janet Reno said accurate registries and effective community notification programs ``are at the heart of our fight against sex offenders.''
KEYWORDS: STUDY STATISTICS SEX CRIME