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Phone deprivation proposal OK’d
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Posted on Mar 16 2001
A proposal that seeks to mete out stringent penalties against individuals who would cut telephone lines to cause discomfort or harass others is now a step ahead.
The Deprivation of Communications Act hurdled the House of Representatives yesterday, with congressmen passing on to the Senate the decision to describe the offense as either misdemeanor or a felony.
Members of the lower chamber failed to reach a consensus in terms of classifying the act of communication deprivation as a crime or just a misdemeanor. But they said okay to the proposed measure, just the same.
This puts the senators on the spotlight, since the upper house will have to decide where to classify the act.
Concerned government agencies earlier suggested the inclusion of additional language in HB 12-205 to make it more responsive to the needs and the protection of the rights of violence victims.
Section 3(A) of the bill should include the words “before” and “after” to ensure victims are protected well “before, during and after the commission of a crime or violence.”
Domestic violence cannot be isolated to single random incidents of violence, but rather consist of a variety of behaviors that are intended to induce fear and maintain control in the relationship.
The tampering of phone lines is common and often occurs at various stages in the cycle of violence in many domestic violence cases.
Family Violence Task Force Project Coordinator Laura T. Flores earlier suggested that the bill should also make it clear that it would be unlawful for any person to make use of telephone facilities or equipment, electronic mail, “facsimile, pagers and other communication devices.”
“These other sources of communications should be included in order to reflect the current technology, as well as future technological advances. This would also make this statute more consistent with that in other jurisdictions,” said Ms. Flores. (ARF)
