News
News Conference Slated to Announce the Establishment ofPennsylvania’s First Sex Offender Court
News Article
May 02, 2011
PITTSBURGH, May 2, 2011—On May 4 at 10:00 a.m., State Supreme Court Justice Debra Todd, Allegheny County President Judge Donna Jo McDaniel and Criminal Division Administrative Judge Jeffrey Manning will hold a news conference to announce the opening of Pennsylvania’s first Sex Offender Court focusing on early identification and more intense case management of defendants charged and convicted of Megan's Law offenses in the Fifth Judicial District. Your coverage of the news conference, to be held in the Office of the President Judge, Court Room No. 1, 300 Frick Building, 437 Grant Street, Pittsburgh, is invited. “I commend the judges of Allegheny County for recognizing a problem and collaborating with their criminal justice partners and victim advocates to develop this innovative approach for achieving consistency in sentencing and managing the difficult population of sex offenders, in our continuing effort to reduce recidivism,” said Justice Debra Todd, the Supreme Court’s liaison for this project. The planning for this pilot program began late last year with a site visit to the Buffalo area to observe the Erie County New York Sex Offense Court, which has been in successful operation since 2006. New York and Ohio are the only other states with programs of this type.