Adam Walsh Child Protection & Safety Act Signed into Law by Bush
Jim Kouri, CPP
July 28, 2006
President George W. Bush signed a bill into law that will lead to establishment of a national sex offender registry. The new law may also make it harder for sexual predators to reach children on the Internet.
The legislation is called the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006. It's named for Adam Walsh, a child who was abducted 25 years ago on July 27, 1981, and eventually killed. He was only 6-years old at the time of his murder.
The boy's tragic abduction and murder prompted his father, John Walsh, to lead a life-long effort to seek greater protections against violence and crime. He became the long-time host of "America's Most Wanted," a Fox Television show aimed at catching criminals with the help of viewers/
President Bush signed the bill in the White House Rose Garden. During the signing ceremony he said, "The bill I sign today will strengthen federal laws to protect our children from sexual and other violent crimes, will help prevent child pornography, and will make the Internet safer for our sons and daughters."
The new law calls for the development of a national sex offender registry, which will be made available to the public.
It will also create a registry for substantiated cases of child abuse or neglect to help law enforcement and child protective services. An offender who does not keep his registration current in any location in which he lives, works or attends school will face felony charges and up to 10 years incarceration.
The bill also provides education grants, and authorized the hiring of up to 245 new federal prosecutors and computer forensic scientists to help capture Internet predators and online child pornography criminals.
The Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act was supported by most of the nations police associations and unions including the National Association of Chiefs of Police, the National Fraternal Order of Police, the American Federal of Police, and many others.
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children estimates that there are more than 560,000 registered sex offenders in the United States. About 100,000 are not registered or do not have up-to-date registrations.
The legislation is called the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006. It's named for Adam Walsh, a child who was abducted 25 years ago on July 27, 1981, and eventually killed. He was only 6-years old at the time of his murder.
The boy's tragic abduction and murder prompted his father, John Walsh, to lead a life-long effort to seek greater protections against violence and crime. He became the long-time host of "America's Most Wanted," a Fox Television show aimed at catching criminals with the help of viewers/
President Bush signed the bill in the White House Rose Garden. During the signing ceremony he said, "The bill I sign today will strengthen federal laws to protect our children from sexual and other violent crimes, will help prevent child pornography, and will make the Internet safer for our sons and daughters."
The new law calls for the development of a national sex offender registry, which will be made available to the public.
It will also create a registry for substantiated cases of child abuse or neglect to help law enforcement and child protective services. An offender who does not keep his registration current in any location in which he lives, works or attends school will face felony charges and up to 10 years incarceration.
The bill also provides education grants, and authorized the hiring of up to 245 new federal prosecutors and computer forensic scientists to help capture Internet predators and online child pornography criminals.
The Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act was supported by most of the nations police associations and unions including the National Association of Chiefs of Police, the National Fraternal Order of Police, the American Federal of Police, and many others.
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children estimates that there are more than 560,000 registered sex offenders in the United States. About 100,000 are not registered or do not have up-to-date registrations.
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