(New Hartford, NY – Dec. 20, 2011) Assemblywoman Claudia Tenney (R,C,I-New Hartford) has called on the State Legislature to address a bill that would require stricter penalties for sex offenders. If enacted, such a measure could help prevent cases like that of released serial rapist Robert Blainey, who is now charged with murder.
“There is clear evidence that sex crimes are the result of repeat criminal behavior committed by very disturbed individuals. These criminals are in need of treatment and should be separated from the public until trained criminal and mental health professionals deem that they no longer pose a threat to themselves or the community,” said Tenney. “When it comes to public safety, we cannot take any risks. We, in state government, must send a firm and undeniable message that repeat offenses will not be tolerated.”
Blainey was first imprisoned in the early 1980s after he attempted to rape an 8-year-old girl in Madison County. After being released on parole, he committed two more rapes. He served time for these crimes and was again released on parole. This time, he skipped out on his parole and was caught several weeks later during a routine traffic stop in Montoursville, Pa. Blainey was driving the car of Linda Turner, a North Utica homicide victim. Turner was the owner of Davis Motel on Herkimer Road and lived on the same property. Her body was found Nov. 3 inside the hotel. Her car was not at the scene.
Tenney said, “Despite the United States Marshall’s attempts to find Mr. Blainey, he disappeared off the radar. In this time, he allegedly murdered an innocent, hard-working woman and may have committed numerous other crimes during his fugitive run. This is exactly why we need Albany to give law enforcement better tools to keep track of sex offenders – because they will strike again if given the chance.”
To address this public safety threat, Tenney is sponsoring Assembly Bill 4723, which requires registered sex offenders to wear a GPS monitoring ankle bracelet upon their release from prison. Although current law allows for the electronic monitoring of certain individuals released on probation, state law does not require this action. Tenney believes that because the New York State Sex Offender Registration Act already requires certain sex offenders, sexual predators, sexually-violent offenders or predicate sex offenders to register for life and keep authorities apprised of their home address, that A.4723, if enacted, would help ensure this law is enforced to better protect the public.
“Furthermore, having to wear ankle bracelets would help deter these criminals from engaging in additional criminal behavior and comply with the terms of their parole. There will no longer be a ‘what if’ or ‘maybe I can get away with it’ possibility for these depraved individuals to act again,” said Tenney. “If enacted, this measure would ensure that law enforcement officials can constantly track the whereabouts of these offenders and that the public will be better protected.”
A.4723 is currently under consideration in the Assembly Corrections Committee. Assemblywoman Tenney is encouraging members of the public to contact Committee Chairman Jeffrion L. Aubry to ask that he immediately take action on A.4723 and bring the bill before the full Assembly for an up or down vote.
Legislation based on a high-profile case is not the answer. Robert Blainey represents the smallest minority of offenders – recidivism rates range from 3.5 to 9% depending on the study. He is an excellent example of what the vast majority of offenders will NEVER do. The registry – a result of another high-profile victim, Megan Kanka of Megan’s Law – and all related legislation have proven to be ineffective. Sex crime has not gone down since it went public, and in fact, the insane restrictions placed on former offenders post-release have been shown to INCREASE re-offense rates.
Sex offenders in fact have the LOWEST recidivism rates of every other felony, including murder, all types of violent assault, drugs, robbery, etc. If this is truly about protecting the public, why are we focusing all our attention and resources on the least dangerous group of individuals?