Hundreds of registered sex offenders in Missouri are now subject to lifetime GPS monitoring — retroactively — thanks to a provision in a law that took effect at the start of this year.
The retroactive requirements are part of a revised state criminal code that went into effect Jan. 1. Offenders either found guilty or who pleaded guilty to 13 various sex crimes in question based on an act committed on or after Aug. 28, 2006, are subject to the added security measurements. Previously, the monitoring technology was used for a more limited class of high-risk offenders.
The law is being challenged in court.
“I don’t think a lawyer can make a straight-faced argument that it’s constitutional,” said Clayton-based attorney Matt Fry, who is suing the state on behalf of D.G. and has many other plaintiffs in the wings.
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