NJ Sex Offenders Restricted from Internet Usage

Convicted sex offenders would no longer be able to access the Internet in New Jersey. This has become possible due to new legislation the government of New Jersey signed Thursday. With this legislation, New Jersey becomes the third American state to place such restrictions on sex offenders, the other two being Florida and Nevada.

Acting New Jersey state governor Richard J. Codey signed in the legislation in the absence of Gov. Jon S. Corzine, who is away on vacation. Codey said while signing the legislation that the chances of sexual predators sitting at a computer were as high as of them hanging around in parks and children’s playgrounds.

The new legislation would work for any person who used a computer to perpetrate a sex crime. Other sex offenders the law seeks to bring under its ambit include those offenders currently under parole, but under supervision for life. However, such offenders are allowed to use the Internet to search for employment.

The new legislation is an upgrade to Megan’s Law, under which sex offenders had to register with the state they were in once they were released from prison, according to Linda D. Greenstein, the Assemblywoman who cosponsored the legislation.

Ms. Greenstein said, “When Megan’s Law was enacted, few could envision a day when a sex offender hiding behind a fake screen name would be a mouse-click away from new and unwitting victims. Sex offenders cannot be given an opportunity to abuse the anonymity the Internet can provide as a means of opening a door to countless new potential victims.”

The new legislation requires sex offenders who have convictions against them to inform the State Parole Board if they were accessing a computer. Besides, they would be required to face surprise inspections of their computers and related equipment at intervals. The legislation also requires them to have installed on their computers devices that would allow the Board officials to monitor their Internet usage.

According to the State Parole Board, New Jersey State has a total of 4,200 sex offenders currently on parole with lifetime supervision a part of their sentencing guidelines. Not all of them were guilty of crimes involving the Internet possibly, but the lifetime supervision applies to them all.

Just last month, the State Parole Board had granted approval for new rules that prevented these offenders from accessing social networking sites like MySpace and FaceBook.