ALTHOUGH RESPONDENT SEX OFFENDER VIOLATED RULES IMPOSED BY THE “STRICT AND INTENSIVE SUPERVISION” (SIST) REGIMEN, HE DID NOT EXHIBIT ANY DANGEROUS SEXUAL BEHAVIOR; THEREFORE RESPONDENT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN CONFINED AND SHOULD BE RELEASED AND MANAGED UNDER “SIST” (FIRST DEPT).
The First Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined that, although respondent sex offender violated some of the rules associated with his released into the community, the violations were not related to sexual behavior. Therefore respondent should not be confined and should be released to the community and managed under SIST (strict and intensive supervision):
It is undisputed that, during the relevant period, respondent made no sexual threats, did not approach any treatment staff in a sexual manner, and did not express any sexual impulses or urges. We agree with our sister department that “in the absence of evidence of sexually inappropriate conduct while on SIST, it becomes incumbent on the State to demonstrate a persuasive link between a nonsexual SIST violation and the offender’s ability to control his sexual behavior” … . “A mere tendency to engage in risky or socially undesirable conduct — even if that conduct provides an opportunity for, or increases the likelihood of, sexual offending — is quintessentially insufficient to establish ‘inability’ under the Michael M. formulation” (George N., 160 AD3d at 31 …). Finally, a respondent’s mere struggling with sexual urges is insufficient to show inability to control … . Matter of State of New York v Anthony R., 2024 NY Slip Op 03392, First Dept 6-20-24
Practice Point: A sexual offender who has not exhibited any dangerous sexual behavior under SIST should be released and management under SIST should be continued. Confinement is not justified by non-sexual SIST violations.