_______________________, read first time and referred to Committee on
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION urging the criminal law and
sentencing policy study committee to study the creation of a data base
listing persons convicted of crimes in which the victims are individuals
with developmental disabilities.
Whereas, People with developmental disabilities are at
higher risk of victimization than others;
Whereas, The Arc of the United States reports in a
document entitled "People with Intellectual Disabilities and
Sexual Violence" that "Any type of disability appears to
contribute to higher risk of victimization but intellectual
disabilities, communication disorders, and behavioral
disorders appear to contribute to very high levels of risk, and
having multiple disabilities (e.g., intellectual disabilities and
behavior disorders) results in even higher risk levels
(Sullivan & Knutson, 2000)";
Whereas, People with developmental disabilities are
frequently less capable of informing those who love and care
for them that they have been victimized;
Whereas, A comprehensive data base organizing persons
convicted of crimes against people with developmental
disabilities would enable law enforcement to better
apprehend, convict, and incarcerate offenders when victims
are less able to assist them;
Whereas, The creation of such a registry may also lessen the likelihood of registrants committing more offenses, since they may perceive that the authorities' knowledge of their
identities, locations, and past offenses reduces the chances
that they can avoid detection and apprehension if they
reoffend; and
Whereas, The members of the commission on
developmental disabilities believe that there is a need for the
development of a registry listing persons convicted of crimes
against persons with developmental disabilities: Therefore,
SECTION 1. That the criminal law and sentencing policy study
committee should study the creation of a data base listing persons
convicted of crimes in which the victims are individuals with
developmental disabilities.