SCHIZOPHRENIA DIAGNOSIS DID NOT JUSTIFY AN UPWARD DEPARTURE IN THIS SEX OFFENDER REGISTRATION ACT (SORA) RISK ASSESSMENT PROCEEDING (FOURTH DEPT).
The Fourth Department determined County Court should not have granted the People’s request for an upward departure in this Sex Offender Registration Act (SORA) risk assessment proceeding based upon a schizophrenia diagnosis:
Although the risk assessment instrument prepared by the Board of Examiners of Sex Offenders classified defendant as a presumptive level two risk, County Court granted the People’s request for an upward departure to a level three risk based on defendant’s alleged diagnosis of schizophrenia. That was error. Even if defendant in fact suffers from schizophrenia, “the record is devoid of evidence that the alleged mental illness is causally related to any risk of reoffense”… . Contrary to the People’s contention, the fact that defendant exhibits many symptoms of schizophrenia does not supply the necessary clear and convincing evidence that the disorder is causally related to an increased risk of future sex offending … . People v Robinson, 2018 NY Slip Op 02986, Fourth Dept 4-27-18
CRIMINAL LAW (SEX OFFENDER REGISTRATION ACT (SORA), SCHIZOPHRENIA DIAGNOSIS DID NOT JUSTIFY AN UPWARD DEPARTURE IN THIS SEX OFFENDER REGISTRATION ACT (SORA) RISK ASSESSMENT PROCEEDING (FOURTH DEPT))/SEX OFFENDER REGISTRATION ACT (SORA) (SCHIZOPHRENIA DIAGNOSIS DID NOT JUSTIFY AN UPWARD DEPARTURE IN THIS SEX OFFENDER REGISTRATION ACT (SORA) RISK ASSESSMENT PROCEEDING (FOURTH DEPT))/SCHIZOPHRENIA (SEX OFFENDER REGISTRATION ACT (SORA), SCHIZOPHRENIA DIAGNOSIS DID NOT JUSTIFY AN UPWARD DEPARTURE IN THIS SEX OFFENDER REGISTRATION ACT (SORA) RISK ASSESSMENT PROCEEDING (FOURTH DEPT))