N.J.. may monitor sex offenders online

A New Jersey lawmaker is proposing legislation that would help detect sexual predators on social networking sites.

Sen. Kip Bateman says his bill would require the social network profiles of convicted sex offenders to include their residential and email addresses and the specific crimes they committed.

He says it would be a condition of their parole to provide that information.

“A sex offender who fails to register their online profile is taking a big risk because they’re also now looking at an additional violation of the law, a third-degree crime,” said Bateman, R-Somerset. “They’re looking at additional possible incarceration.”

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Bateman says he’s getting bipartisan support for the legislation and hopes a hearing on it will be held later this year.

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