Strengthening Maryland's Sex Offender Laws

Tuesday was an emotional day in the Senate's Judicial Proceedings Committee (JPR). The committee began hearing a series of bills to strengthen Maryland’s statutes concerning sex offense crimes, child predators, sex offender registration and victim notification.

In recent years, these issues have been presented to the JPR committee in great detail. Senator Nancy Jacobs has led the effort for Maryland to pass “Jessica’s Law,” a nationwide effort to increase mandatory minimum sentences for child sex offenders. The bills are named after nine-year-old Jessica Lunsford who was raped and buried alive in Florida by John Couey, a previously convicted sex offender.

While a portion of “Jessica’s Law” was passed by the Maryland General Assembly in 2007, many of the more stringent provisions have been rejected by legislators. A Maryland sex offender advisory panel has been created but Governor O’Malley has failed to appoint members and the almost three-year old panel has never met.

Heightened attention is now being paid by O’Malley and legislators after the Christmastime 2009 slaying of Sarah Foxwell on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. A convicted sex offender has been charged with child sex crimes and murder in this case.

Among those who testified before JPR was Mark Lunsford, the father of Jessica Lunsford. He advocated for stronger mandatory minimum sentences for lesser sex offenses such as for second degree rape. Jacobs has introduced Senate Bill 622 to increase the current 5 year minimum mandatory for this crime. 

Witnesses also asked that laws be passed to end the practice of giving “good behavior” credits to incarcerated sex offenders. Up to one-third of a sentence can be reduced under Maryland’s prison system for granting diminution credits.

In her testimony, Jacobs noted that the suspect in the Sarah Foxwell murder, Thomas Leggs, Jr., was the beneficiary of 'good behavior credits' twice.  In fact, Leggs was able to get out of prison after serving only 26 months of a 54 month sentence during his third incarceration in less than five years. 

Jacob’s Senate Bill 170 - Child Protection from Predators Act would eliminate "good behavior" credits for child sex offenders. Members of the Republican Senate Caucus have supported strengthening these laws in years past and will continue to advocate for tougher laws to protect our children.