Discussion Topic
Sex Offender study
Posted on 11/03/09, 01:27 pm
Studies show sex offender residency limits fail
Associated Press - November 3, 2009 12:54 PM ET
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - A legislative policy analyst says studies show residency restrictions on sex offenders don't work.
Marti Harkness, who specializes in criminal justice issues, told a Florida House committee Tuesday that the limits also may be counterproductive.
Harkness said better options may be to bar offenders from smaller zones near places where children congregate at all times and keeping tabs on them through electronic monitoring.
Florida prohibits certain sex offenders from living within 1,000 feet of schools and other places that attract children, but some local governments have expanded the ban to as much as 2,500 feet.
That's so limited where they can live that one group of offenders took refuge under a Miami bridge
Associated Press - November 3, 2009 12:54 PM ET
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - A legislative policy analyst says studies show residency restrictions on sex offenders don't work.
Marti Harkness, who specializes in criminal justice issues, told a Florida House committee Tuesday that the limits also may be counterproductive.
Harkness said better options may be to bar offenders from smaller zones near places where children congregate at all times and keeping tabs on them through electronic monitoring.
Florida prohibits certain sex offenders from living within 1,000 feet of schools and other places that attract children, but some local governments have expanded the ban to as much as 2,500 feet.
That's so limited where they can live that one group of offenders took refuge under a Miami bridge
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Reply #1 11/03/09 7:24pm
Well duhhhh, Barbara you & I read the same things! I just posted this article in the News Article section...great minds & all, I guess. ;-) -
Reply #2 11/03/09 7:27pm
The article I posted does have some "bittersweetness" to it. A couple of the lawmakers quoted are very harsh/unforgiving. But it's still good to know that it is dawning on law-makers that the restrictions don't work. -
Reply #3 11/03/09 8:32pm
As if these are the real ones even doing these horrible things......the restrictions do not really protect them anyway........but it is certainly time they see things the way we always have known them to be!
Love Rhea -
Reply #4 11/03/09 8:37pm
Amen, Rhea!
The only "troubling" part of the longer article was that one guy is pushing for those gps devices. Who's gonna' pay for THAT, is my question! -
Reply #5 11/03/09 9:32pm
Bill McCullen, may have spelled his name wrong, the Attorney General of the State of Fl has advise Gov Crist to abandon the laws that counties and municipalities have passed in dealing with these living restrictions. This came about over the RSOs living under the bridges in both Miami and I believe Jacksonville. Living conditions are deplorable and was filmed and hit the national networks.
The Supreme Court of the State of Ohio is currently reviewing the Adam Walsh Act in two major cases which started over these living restrictions but for somehow has moved into a financial argument over the cost of financing the Federal Governments demand of changing the whole nation to a one size fits all plan. The costs are out of control and Ohio Court may declared the Act, UNCONSTITUTIONAL which will cause major reversals of registration requirements and a return of some constitutional guarantees covered under the Bill of Rights.
Still waiting for their decision.
GPS devices in some States are requiring RSOs to pay for such. Just another ploy to cause violations. I know of no GPSs on those RSOs who are no longer under probation, except those probably labeled Predators. States are having a field day paying for all this stuff and there isn't any funds. -
Reply #6 11/03/09 10:19pm
Sorry Bear, it's not in Jacksonville. (They have plenty of enclaves of offenders/predators in trailer parks & the older apartment homes). I did hear about S/O's living in the woods camping in Atlanta (but once that hit the media, the police broke up hoverville). -
Reply #7 11/03/09 11:04pm
madswoman, Under the "Dunns Creek Bridge" in Putnam County.
By order of the Fl State Corrections Department. -
Reply #8 11/04/09 7:31am
Ok, but Jacksonville is Duval county. Literally, almost the whole county IS the city.
Putnam county is separated from Duval by Clay county. And that's just the geography of it.
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This group is here to help those with loved ones who are convicted of sex offenses. This is a place where we don't judge because we are all in the same boat, regardless of the actual crime. If you don't feel completely comfortable posting freely on the main board because of the nature of your loved one's crime, feel free to post here because we all understand!
