Local Megan's Law group to get federal money
Federal funding for a Long Island-based computer mapping and e-mail alert system will provide people nationwide with updates when a registered sex offender moves into their neighborhood, a New York congressional delegation is set to announce today.
Parents for Megan's Law, the Stony Brook-based nonprofit advocacy group, will get a $593,000 grant to build an e-mail alert system that allows users to receive alerts when a sex offender moves into a specific ZIP code.
The e-mail alert program will allow users to register by multiple ZIP codes to receive alerts that a sex offender has moved into a community. The computer system will also allow users to determine whether sex offenders are living within five miles of schools, parks and day care centers.
Rep. Peter King (R- Seaford) said Parents for Megan's Law, which was launched by executive director Laura Ahearn, is the nation's leader in working to protect children from sex offenders.
"They're pretty much the gold standard when it comes to alerting the community about sex offenders," King said. "This money is obviously going to help them do their job."
Ahearn did not return phone calls yesterday.
The federal money will also be used to expand the National Megan's Law Helpline, which is staffed by Ahearn's nonprofit and supports communities receiving notifications by educating them about responsible use of information and sexual assault prevention.
Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) said the computer system will help parents worried about their children's safety.
"I know parents literally stay up nights worried about what their kids are watching and, more importantly, who they are meeting," he said. "Unfortunately, there are far too many people on Long Island and across the country who wish to do our kids harm."
Schumer, King and Reps. Tim Bishop (D-Southampton) and Carolyn McCarthy (D-Mineola) are expected to appear at a news conference today in Stony Brook to formally announce the grant.
King said the funding will further Ahearn's efforts to alert communities to registered sex offenders living nearby. "I'm old enough to remember when no one ever discussed these crimes," said King, 63. "It probably wasn't even until recently that there was an opportunity for people to be open about it and let parents know who is in the neighborhood."
Posted Monday, March 3, 2008
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