Mineola, NY-Nassau County Legislator Kevan Abrahams (D-Hemsptead) recently proposed legislation that would make it mandatory to conduct background checks and fingerprinting of any adult employee or board member involved with a county-funded youth service program. The call for more scrutiny follows the recent arrest of the head of a youth mentoring program in Roosevelt, who is a level 2-sex offender and who allegedly impersonated a police officer while scouring the park for a young boy. The program, United Males and Females, Corp. was not a county-funded program, but hundreds of other local youth organizations geared to assisting young people are funded by the county.

"We ask more questions of the people who handle our luggage, than we do of those who spend time with our children," said Legislator Abrahams, who represents Legislative District 1, including Roosevelt. "Our kids deserve more. We must put safeguards in place now before one child is harmed in anyway."

According to Legislator Abrahams, the proposed law would require a background check and fingerprinting to be conducted on anyone employed by or volunteering at an agency or organization that primarily serves youth and that is funded by county tax dollars. The background checks would also apply to anyone serving as a board member for any youth organization funded by the county.

"It is especially disturbing when the people entrusted with nurturing and protecting our youth use these venues as an avenue to harm them," Abrahams said. "This new law will go a long way in making kids feel safe when they come to a county-run facility."

In addition, Legislator Abrahams has urged state officials to pass legislation that would require registered sex offenders and "halfway houses" that rent to sex offenders to be placed no closer than ½ mile from a school. Currently the law has no such requirements.

"Right here in Roosevelt we have a situation in which a residence housing several sex offenders is located 20 feet from an elementary school," Abrahams said. "This is unacceptable and must be addressed through state legislation."