Ok, even we did not think sex offenders could become foster parents - in any state.
Let's see, sex offenders have been getting sexual enhancement drugs (e.g. Viagra) paid for with State and Federal money, one (that we know of) became a foster parent in New York, and there are high risk sex offenders living next door to foster homes with young children. Have we missed anything? Does anyone wonder if the Sex Offender data is being used at all?
Anyone still question the need for a National Sex Offender registry with federal, state, and private community organization oversight?
Root causes and issues:
1. If Nicholas A. Chaney actually disclosed his sex crimes on his foster parent application, how could the review and certification process at Jefferson County Social Services Department miss "two counts of third-degree rape" on the application? It seems there is no audit function for foster parent applications in the Office of Children and Family Services in New York. I wonder if there is an audit function for foster parent applications in other states?
2. Oregon still does not have an online sex offender registry. Consider contacting Governor Kulongoski and ask him to consider adding "Protecting Oregon's Children" to his list of "Highlighted Topics". The governor provides several pictures of himself on a state funded website, why not pictures of Oregon sex offenders?
UPDATE: Oregon State Rep Jerry Krummel has recently sponsored sex offender website legislation in Oregon. Thanks Jerry.
3. New York still only provides Level 3 sex offenders on their online sex offender registry. Currently, information on Level 1 and 2 offenders can only be obtained by calling an 800 line and providing specific identifying information about the offender. Gov. George Pataki has proposed legislation to make the names of all levels of sexual offenders in New York available on the Internet.
Authorities probe how convicted rapist became foster parent
"We are treating this matter very seriously," said Brian Marchetti, a spokesman for the state's Office of Children and Family Services. "Children's' safety and well-being are always our top priority. Every child deserves to be protected from sexual predators."
Marchetti said the agency began its own review Wednesday to determine why the Jefferson County Social Services Department certified Nicholas A. Chaney as a foster parent.
Meanwhile, Jefferson County Sheriff's deputies were investigating whether Chaney broke New York law by not registering here as a sex offender and whether he became a foster parent illegally, said Lt. Michael Petersen.
In an interview Tuesday, Chaney told WWNY-TV in Watertown that he may have cared for as many as 50 foster children since late 2001, and had even adopted a child while living in Jefferson County.
Chaney said he listed his felony sex crime conviction on his foster parent application form when he signed up in November 2001.
Chaney told the television station he had been convicted of having sex with a 16-year-old girl. According to the Oregon State Police and the King County Sheriff's Department in Washington, Chaney was convicted in 1989 of two counts of third-degree rape.
In the television interview, Chaney said he did not know he was required to register as a sex offender when he moved to New York. He said he recently found out because authorities in Washington, where Chaney also previously lived, issued a warrant for his arrest for his failure to register in New York.
As a result of the warrant, Chaney said he registered himself in New York, and the Social Services department had taken away his foster-parent privileges.
