A law that goes into effect today will eventually allow the public to access information about Indiana’s convicted child abusers.
According to Senate Bill 357 passed during the last legislative session, the Indiana Supreme Court has until July 1, 2017, to establish a child abuser registry, similar to the sex and violent offenders registry, which is maintained by the Indiana Department of Correction and the county sheriffs’ offices.
Both the State Senate and House unanimously passed the bill in March.
“The bill covers the neglect of a dependent child other than educational neglect,” Grant County Prosecutor James Luttrull said.
SB 357 defines child abuse as neglect of a dependent, child selling, sex offense committed against a child and battery against a child causing bodily injury, serious bodily injury or death.
“Many people just assumed that … people convicted of (felony neglect of a dependent child) were listed on the sex and violent offenders registry,” Luttrull said, but that is not always the case.
He said that the new registry will have some overlap with the sex and violent offenders registry since both include convictions of sexual abuse against a child.
The registry, which will be available online for public access, will include the name, age, last known address, photograph and description of crime for each registered offender.
“The idea is to provide public knowledge,” State Representative Kevin Mahan said. “If you’re a child abuser, we’re going to … let people know what you do.”
He said that Hoosier children are some of the most vulnerable residents in the state and that protecting them is a top priority for legislators.
“Since 2012, courts have been required to put information into court records that would be needed here,” Luttrull said, adding he is not sure if older convictions will be included in the registry.
Grant County prosecutes many child neglect and child battery cases, he said.
“They fit what most people think of as child abuse, but we don’t have a crime named ‘child abuse,’ and (offenders) weren’t required to be on a registry,” Luttrull said.
Anyone placed in authority over a child, whether a parent, grandparent, boyfriend or girlfriend of a parent, babysitter or guardian, who commits and is convicted of child abuse, will be placed on the registry.
However, those named on the registry could still have custody of or contact with children. A residence restriction does not apply to the child abuse registry, meaning that people convicted of felony child abuse can live near schools, unlike those convicted of sex and violent offenses.
Luttrull said watching the registry develop and be implemented will be interesting because of all the details that have to be worked through.
“We look forward to (everyone) being at the table over the next year so we can get this done and get it done right so it’s effective,” Mahan said.