Sex Offender Management
Glossary of TermsThe Department continues to monitor its supervision strategies targeting the management of the sex offender population statewide and the implementation of requirements set forth in Jessie’s Law, legislation signed into law on June 8, 2006, aimed at protecting South Carolina’s children through tougher penalties for sex predators.
Named after Jessica Marie Lunsford -- who was murdered in 2005 by a registered sex offender in Florida -- the law imposes a mandatory minimum of 25 years in prison for sex predators and mandates GPS monitoring for sex offenders convicted of certain offenses. In addition, Jessie’s Law:
- Gives SCDPPPS jurisdiction for all offenders placed on GPS;
- Requires mandatory placement on GPS if convicted of criminal sexual conduct with a minor, 1st or lewd act with a minor, criminal sexual conduct 3rd with a minor (all other offenses are discretionary with the judge);
- Allows for anyone placed on GPS to petition the court after 10 years to be removed from GPS;
- Creates a new criminal offense for willful violations of electronic monitoring.
Following the passage of this legislation, SCDPPPS implemented enhanced protocols for the supervision of sex offenders living in the community. These protocols include the application of a sex offender specific risk assessment tool, revised supervision levels based on offender risk, revised Agent contact requirements for this offender population, specific conditions of supervision for sex offenders, development of a standard treatment model, and the use of Global Positioning Satellite (GPS).