Staaguis— mcm,clais -inkciA.a, a-1- at, az Li

Staaguis— mcm,clais -inkciA.a, a-1- at, az Li Task force rewriting sex offender registry JUDI SHIMEL Sr. THOMAS - Officials from law enforcement are working to upgrade the way theykeep ureic of sex offenders in the Virgin Islands. The territory has until July to com- ply 'with ede, al rides established back in 2006. 1 mil, members of the. 80/31`.1A Task Force recently completed a serianar.on meeting the require- ments of,the Sex Offender Rep- tration Notification Act/ All U.S.. states and territories are required to enact the requirements spelled out In the act by 4*. The nodficadon act creates a uni- fied standard fir apprehending. tracking and monitorlAg regtstemd. sex offenders. There are cuiZently: 60 sat offenders registered in. the territory. . • . . The two-day compliance :semi- nar, led by Attorriei General Vin- cent Frazer. was held, last week at the Wyixiharn Sugar Bay Resort. Much of the work done at the Sem- inar was re-writing the local sex • offender law, SORNA task force members inchide representatives from. the Office of the .Governor, the Virgin Wands Police Department' the U.S. Attorneys Office, the U.S. Marshal Service, the Bureau of Corrections, the VI Department of Health. VI Department of Human ServiceS, the Superior Court. the Office of Probation and Parole arid the Sex- ual Registry Board. "Since July of 2009, the. Virgin Islands SORNA Task Force, spear- headed by Attorney General I/hi= F. Frazer, has been meeting regu- larly and wtaking lo *Vet- op. the ,appropriate language .to *lend the territorys °dating Sex Offender Registration Statute to .1 meet SORRA requirements by the . imposed deadline," said VI Depart- Ment of Juitice spokesperson Under the new. rules. Offenders will be ciassificsd according to the severity of their crimes. The harsh- er the offense, the longetthe offend- erivill be sabject to scrutiny. wh6 comfit the Most severe crimes will bermonitored forlife Others will be assigned to tennis of 15- to 25 YSis; The range of offenses on the Jus- gee Pepartment go from unlawful beicialeontact and statutory rape, where thevictini is tinder the age of oonsentt. to. rape of a child and first-deg:ree rape, :If territOrialofficials ckrrietniett the July deadline. for amending the rules, they risk losing, up to 10 percent of federal funding for trim= anal and public safety-pro- Leztana said once the task foree fintsffes amending the language of the sex offender law Inc Plunges will be sent for review to Govern- merit House and thelLS. Justice Department. Members of the 29th 'Legislature Will aka have a clmnce to go obey the newctianges before they vote to approve ordisapproVe. 'Citizens who want to view.the virgin Islands sex offender registry can 46 so by logging onto the: VI Justic.e Department Web site at wWw.dolvi.gov. EFTA00293646