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Assemblyman Benedetto: Working to keep our children safe
The recent Dateline series “To Catch a Predator” has shown that predators are targeting children via
the Internet. Parents need to be mindful of what information their kids are putting out on the Web in
order to keep them safe, especially in chat rooms and on social networking sites. Assemblyman
Michael Benedetto has provided the following tips for you and your children.
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Tips to protect your children from online predators
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Establish rules and go over them with your children
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Remind your kids not to give out personal information, such as addresses, phone numbers
or photos to online strangers
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Spend time with your children online
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“Block” certain services through your Internet provider that you want your children to stay
away from
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Be aware if your child spends too much time online or tries to hide what they’re viewing
from you
For more information on how to talk to your kids about online safety, please visit:www.staysafe.org,
www.safekids.com and www.wiredsafety.org.
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To keep children safe, Assemblyman Benedetto has voted for legislation that:
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Creates the crime of “luring” to specifically punish those who attempt to harm children (A.2467)
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Strengthens Megan’s Law by increasing the registration periods for all sex offenders. This action
stopped hundreds of sex offenders from dropping off the registry and disappearing, and requires
more predators to be registered for life (Ch. 1 of 2006)
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Requires the state Division of Criminal Justice Services to work with local law enforcement officers
to implement the Amber Alert child abduction notification system statewide (Ch. 348 of 2005)
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Civil confinement and stricter sentencing for sex crimes
Assemblyman Michael Benedetto supported the Child Safety and Sexual Predator Punishment
and Confinement Strategy. The package includes not only civil confinement, but tougher penalties
and expanded monitoring of sex offenders.
The Assembly’s plan includes life sentences for the most heinous sex crimes. And, adults convicted
of serious sex crimes in which the victim is under the age of 13 could spend the rest of their lives in
prison, regardless of any other aggravating circumstance (A.8939-A).
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