Protection from Sexual Predators Act of 1997

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Protection from Sexual Predators Act 
of 1997''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
            (1) rape and sexual assaults continue to be serious threats 
        to the safety of communities across America;
            (2) sexual offenders are much more likely than any other 
        category of criminals to repeat their crimes again and again, 
        even after serving time in prison;
            (3) the average rape sentence is just 10\1/2\ years, and 
        the average time served is half of that, approximately 5 years; 
        and
            (4) repeat sexual offenders frequently strike in more than 
        one State and, while States have primary responsibility for the 
        prosecution of sexual offenders, the option of Federal 
        prosecution provides a needed additional tool to safeguard 
        communities victimized by these individuals.
    (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) States should more seriously consider the relatively 
        high recidivism rate of sexual offenders when deciding whether 
        to plea bargain with a first-time sexual offender and whether 
        to grant parole to sexual offenders; and
            (2) States should review their treatment and parole 
        supervision programs for sexual offenders to assure that these 
        programs are fulfilling their goals, and, if they are not, 
        these programs should be immediately replaced or abandoned.

SEC. 3. FEDERAL JURISDICTION OVER RAPE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT CASES.

    Section 2241 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding 
at the end the following:
    ``(e) Punishment for Sexual Predators.--(1) Whoever, in a 
circumstance described in paragraph (2) of this subsection--
            ``(A) violates this section; or
            ``(B) engages in conduct that would violate this section, 
        if the conduct had occurred in the special maritime and 
        territorial jurisdiction of the United States, and--
                    ``(i) that conduct is in interstate or foreign 
                commerce;
                    ``(ii) the person engaging in that conduct crossed 
                a State line with intent to engage in the conduct; or
                    ``(iii) the person engaging in that conduct 
                thereafter engages in conduct that is a violation of 
                section 1073(1) with respect to an offense that 
                consists of the conduct so engaged in;
shall be imprisoned for life.
    ``(2) The circumstance referred to in paragraph (1) of this 
subsection is that the defendant has previously been convicted of 
another State or Federal offense for conduct which--
            ``(A) is an offense under this section or section 2242 of 
        this title; or
            ``(B) would have been an offense under either of such 
        sections if the offense had occurred in the special maritime or 
        territorial jurisdiction of the United States.''.

SEC. 4. ADDITIONAL CONDITION FOR TRUTH IN SENTENCING GRANTS.

    Section 20104 of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act 
of 1994 is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(c) Additional Requirement.--A State is not eligible for a grant 
under this section unless such State has provided assurances to the 
Attorney General that such State has in effect laws which allow the 
court to impose a sentence of life in prison without parole on a 
defendant in a criminal case who is convicted of a State offense for 
conduct that--
            ``(1) is an offense under section 2241 or 2242 of title 18, 
        United States Code; or
            ``(2) would have been an offense under either of such 
        sections if the offense had occurred in the special maritime or 
        territorial jurisdiction of the United States;
after having previously been convicted of another State or Federal 
offense for conduct that was an offense described in paragraph (1) or 
(2).''.

SEC. 5. STUDY OF PERSISTENT SEXUAL PREDATORS.

    The National Institute of Justice, either directly or through 
grant, shall carry out a study of persistent sexual predators. Not 
later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, such 
Institute shall report to Congress and the President the results of 
such study. Such report shall include--
            (1) a synthesis of current research in psychology, 
        sociology, law, criminal justice, and other fields regarding 
        persistent sexual offenders, including--
                    (A) common characteristics of such offenders;
                    (B) recidivism rates for such offenders;
                    (C) treatment techniques and their effectiveness;
                    (D) responses of offenders to treatment and 
                deterrence; and
                    (E) the possibility of early intervention to 
                prevent people from becoming sexual predators; and
            (2) an agenda for future research in this area.

Summary: Protection from Sexual Predators Act of 1997 - Expresses the sense of the Congress that States should: (1) more seriously consider the relatively high recidivism rate of sexual offenders when deciding whether to plea bargain with or grant parole to sexual offenders. And (2) review treatment and parole supervision programs for sexual offenders to assure that such programs are fulfilling their goals. Amends the Federal criminal code to provide that whoever violates provisions regarding aggravated sexual abuse after previously having been convicted of another State or Federal sexual abuse offense shall be imprisoned for life. Amends the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 to require a State, to be eligible for a truth in sentencing incentive grant, to provide assurances to the Attorney General that such State has in effect laws which allow the court to impose a sentence of life in prison without parole on a defendant in a criminal case who is convicted of a State offense for conduct which is a sexual abuse or aggravated sexual abuse offense under the Federal criminal code after having previously been convicted of another State or Federal sexual abuse or aggravated sexual abuse offense. Requires the National Institute of Justice to carry out a study of persistent sexual predators and to report to the Congress and the President.