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The Tennessee Conservative [By Paula Gomes] –
Tennessee’s Savanna’s Law, the nation’s first registry for domestic violence offenders has been up and running since the beginning of the year.
Set up similarly to the state’s current sex offender registry and maintained by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the measure is intended to increase offender accountability, public awareness, and victim safety.
The registry is open to the public and searchable for those convicted of or who plead guilty to multiple domestic violence-related offenses. Included on the website are the names, date of birth, and photographs of offenders, as well as the county in which they were convicted.
The Persistent Domestic Violence Registry has been visited 53,402 times as of this writing.
Savanna Puckett, for whom the registry is named, and whose mother advocated for the registry’s creation, was a 22-year-old Tennessee sheriff’s deputy who was murdered by a former boyfriend with a documented history of domestic violence offenses. The extent of these offenses was not learned by Puckett’s mother until after her daughter’s death.
Puckett’s mother, Kim Dodson, told members of the General Assembly that while her daughter had searched her boyfriend’s criminal history, she was only able to find a marijuana charge, despite there being a long history of domestic assault.
While the registry is a good first step in protecting victims, who are overwhelmingly women, instances of domestic violence often go underreported. Not appearing on the registry, does not guarantee that someone is safe.
Nearly 90 percent of women who are killed by men knew their killer, with more than half being murdered by an intimate partner either an ex or a spouse.
The registry has limitations in that qualifying repeat offenders with applicable convictions must have a conviction that occurred on or after January 1st of this year to be added. The registry also does not include those offenders with only one conviction, many older offenses, or expunged cases.
Along with helping people stay safe by searching the registry, it could also be used as a tool for gun sellers during private sales. Those convicted of domestic violence charges in Tennessee are prohibited from owning a firearm. While private sales are permitted without a background check, looking at the registry could help sellers confirm whether a buyer is allowed to have a gun.
How long offenders remain on the registry depends on their conviction history. With one prior conviction, they will remain on the registry for five years. Two prior convictions, gets an offender an additional two years, a total of seven years, on the list. For those with three prior convictions, they will remain on the list for ten years, and four or more convictions will keep you on the registry for two decades.
Not all offenders will be added as there is a victim consent requirement. The court will not order that an offender be registered if a victim does not agree or is unavailable.
About the Author: Paula Gomes is a Tennessee resident and reporter for The Tennessee Conservative. You can reach Paula at paula@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
