Vermont’s sex offender registry is expected to grow from roughly 350 to 400 to nearly 2,000 next month. Lawmakers enacted new regulations that will require convicted sex offender who have not been considered dangerous onto the registry. Before, only offenders that were considered dangerous were included on the registry. About 400 sex offenders will still be off the registry.
The new laws are in response to the 2008 murder of Brooke Bennett. The 12-year-old was allegedly raped and killed by her uncle, convicted sex offender Michael Jacques. Authorities say Jacques was already on the registry when Bennett’s murder occurred.
The changes are expected to be online by October 1. Next July, the registry will also include the street addresses for the most dangerous offenders.
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