WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports-Dirty Secrets, Part 4

Dirty Secrets, Part 4

Burlington, Vermont - November 30, 2006

"I was heart broken went thru a long period of grief and guilt," says Joyce Allan.

For decades, she never talked about the horror that went on inside her home. Her father molested her for years as a child.

She's part of a startling statistic.

Federal researchers say one in four girls and one in five boys will be molested.

"It's always been there. It's just coming out more," says Sgt. Bruce Bovat of the Chittenden Unit for Special Investigations.

Allan's father was a pedophile who victimized dozens of kids. Anger over sex abusers like him have many people calling for longer prison terms in Vermont.

This year the Legislature passed mandatory minimum sentences. For example, first-time offenders convicted of aggravated sexual assault get at least five years in jail.

"We have to be vigilant. We have to lock up people who cannot be rehabilitated," she says.

But some prosecutors fear mandatory minimums may handicap court cases and prevent plea deals with child rapists.

"In my judgement, they're a bad idea," says Bobby Sand.

Windsor County State's Attorney Bobby Sand opposes mandatory minimums.

He says they force more cases to go to trial.

"The offender willing to accept responsibility is unwilling to accept the mandatory minimum," says Sand. "And the reality is that more cases will result in not guilty verdicts, as opposed to a guilty judgement by virtue of a plea deal being reached."

Investigators express concern too.

Child sex cases are difficult to prove. Often times there's little physical evidence. If there's a trial victims must typically testify in front of their abuser.

About 50 percent end in not guilty verdicts.

"I want to see the most severe punishment handed down. But we also have to weigh in the factors the impact to that child. And if child gets justice with no impact to them in the court system, for a lesser degree, that may be the better of the two," says Sgt. Bovat.

Currently Vermont has two special sex crime investigation units. One serves Chittenden County, the other Franklin and Grand Isle Counties.

By 2009 every county will have a specially trained task force to deal with child sex crimes. Right now law enforcement officials say some predators are slipping through the cracks.

"You need these special skills to deal with these crimes. Not just for evidence but you need to know what your victims are going through," says Bovat.

Some want the state to expand its online sex offender registry to allow the public to keep better track of child molesters. Right now only 300, or about 12-percent,  of the state's 2,400 registered sex offenders can be viewed on the web.

"Those particular 298 have met the criteria for internet posting," explains Sheri Englert of the Vermont Crime Information Center.

They have multiple convictions, failed to complete treatment, or didn't notify the registry they moved.

The online registry provides limited details about their crimes. And only tells you what county they live in.

"Most states do provide exact address information. Most states post most if not all of their sex offenders," says Englert.  "They can use that information to help keep themselves safe."

Another proposal is the civil confinement bill. Governor Jim Douglas, R-Vermont, is expected to once again put pressure on lawmakers to pass it this coming session. It would allow the state to hold the most violent offenders after completing their jail time if they refuse treatment. The Department of Corrections estimates one inmate a year would be civil confined. Cost and concerns over legality have held up the proposal in the past. But others argue it's the best way to keep our kids safe.

Darren Perron - Channel 3 News