SEX-OFFENDER TREATMENTS UNCHANGED BY NEW STATE LAW

PERRYVILLE -- Regional sex offender specialist Melva Tucker said her job with the Missouri Board of Probation and Parole hasn't changed much since the state's version of Megan's Law went into effect Aug. 28.

Tucker is one of only three regional sex offender specialists in the state. She supervises the treatment of individuals in Southeast Missouri and makes sure they are in an appropriate sexual offender treatment program as required by law.

She also handles staff training and assessments for the courts to assist them in making sentencing decisions concerning sexual offenders.

Since 1995, local law enforcement agencies and prosecutors have had access to a list of sex offenders convicted after 1979 who live in their county. The new law enacted last month made that list available to the public.

"We really will not be affected at all," Tucker said. "We'll continue to fill out paperwork and direct clients who meet the criteria. The difference will be that the law enforcement agencies will now divulge the list of people to the public."

Tucker directs sex offenders to special treatment programs designed to work on problem solving, empathy development, assertiveness and relapse prevention. Each sexual offender is required to participate in weekly, two-hour treatment sessions with at least a master's level therapist for one year, she said.

Although there is a minimum one-year participation that must be paid for by the offender, some are required to attend treatment sessions beyond that time, she said. Research indicates that sexual offenders cannot be cured, but they can be taught preventative methods, said Tucker.

"The question of whether we can cure sexual offenders is not really appropriate any more than is the question do we cure alcoholism," she said. "We can, however, help them understand how their choices affect others."

Tucker said probation and parole offices throughout her district began preparing sexual offenders for the new law well in advance of its enactment. Some of the offenders have families or other relationships, she said, and they were they should prepare their significant others and children about their inclusion on the list.

"One thing we have done with offenders is tell them in advance about this law so they can prepare their significant others who might be questioned," she said. "Many of them have children who might be confronted with information from the list, and we told them they should sit down and talk with the kids before that happened."

Not all of the people whose names will be given out have been to prison. Tucker said the list includes parolees, people who were never in prison but were placed directly on probation, and some who received a short-term "shock" prison sentence.

This is important because a major concern of the law is to allow people to protect themselves and three particular groups from a possible sexual offense.

People especially want to protect children, the elderly, and the mentally or physically handicapped, Tucker said, and the release of the list can help employers working with these groups to make better hiring decisions.

"In Missouri there is no death penalty for a sex offense, so any individual who does go to prison for a sexual offense is eventually going to get out," she said. "(The new law) would be helpful to school districts, daycare centers, residential centers, scout troops and churches so they can look at the list before they hire individuals." Tucker warned that the list should not be used against sexual offenders to prevent them from finding a job and leading a law-abiding life.