Pennsylvania’s new Megan’s Law

Guests: CAPTAIN SCOTT PRICE, TED GLACKMAN and GREG ROWE

Pennsylvania’s new and stricter Megan’s Law took effect in December making the Commonwealth the sixteenth state to comply with the federal Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act.  The Act requires all states to use uniform criteria for their sexual offender registries and imposes a financial penalty if they fail to do so.  Pennsylvania’s revised law extends the length of time some sexual offenders remain on the registry, adds certain non-sexual crimes to the list of offenses for which people must register, and expands the registry to include homeless and transient people as well as some juveniles.  Critics contend the law is too harsh and makes it more difficult for convicted sex offenders to earn a living and get treatment.  Proponents say it closes serious loopholes in the Commonwealth’s sex offender registries and makes it easier to track offenders when they relocate to another state.  Joining us to explain Pennsylvania’s new Megan’s law is CAPTAIN SCOTT PRICE of the Pennsylvania State Police, the agency authorized to create and maintain the Commonwealth’s sexual offender’s registry.  Then we’ll talk about the pros and cons of the law with TED GLACKMAN of the Joseph J. Peters Institute and GREG ROWE of the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office.