NOW-NYS Urges Governor Cuomo to Block Sex Offenders from Having Access to all Children

ALBANY, NY (04/19/2011)(readMedia)-- The National Organization for Women-NYS has been actively monitoring cases in what appears to be the beginning of a legal epidemic sweeping the state and harming women and children.

In three recent New York State court cases, the decisions rendered have been nothing short of outrageous. Judges are given too much discretion, and often take away a parents right to make important determinations for their own children. Judges are ignoring the laws, endangering citizens and their children by forcing them to suffer the consequences for the crimes of convicted sex offenders. At a time of nationwide budget cuts and layoffs, convicted pedophiles/sex offenders should not be afforded ongoing, tax payer funded, legal representation in a personal campaign to access any child. By law child molesters must keep a certain distance from schools and playgrounds, yet these children are not covered under those same laws.

In Culver v Culver, a former elementary school teacher, pleaded guilty to 29 counts of first degree sexual abuse after molesting eight of his first grade students. His daughter is now being ordered to travel three hours to visit with him at a maximum security prison. If theses judges truly believed their decision was in the best interest of the child, why would they order this well adjusted little girl into psychological counseling?http://www.courts.state.ny.us/Reporter/3dseries/2011/2011_01545.htm

A Brooklyn woman was jailed for 50 days because she refused to send her 9 year old son to an Arizona prison, for court ordered visitation with his father, a serial rapist. After the Daily News article broke, she was released.http://articles.nydailynews.com/2010-06-30/news/27068610_1_serial-rapist-rikers-island-sheares ;

Suffolk County Family Court Judge, Andrew Tarantino, granted overnight visits for children whose father was convicted of third-degree rape of minor and possessing child pornography. Tarantino refused to hear expert testimony and stated in his decision, "to consider sinister every activity in which there may be contact may approach paranoia in some circumstances and this court cannot render a decision based upon paranoia."

http://www.law.com/jsp/nylj/PubArticleNY.jsp?id=1202464818859&sireturn=1&hbxlogin=1

The National Organization for Women-NYS strongly urges Governor Cuomo and the NYS Legislature to pass legislation that would prevent convicted child molesters/sex offenders from contact with all children, and cut all aid to programs that help them gain access to children.