Hi Pete - first let me tell you that this is not a private forum, therefore anything you post is searchable from google - for instance your screen name. If that is your real name and you want to be able to post without someone getting your posts using your name I would change it.

Employment - I do not know about the Pacific Northwest job prospects at all but I can tell you that my son has had 2 jobs since becoming a registered citizen. Both of them he got by networking and getting to know people and impressing them - both times they actually asked him if he would like a job. In between those jobs he got a lot of turn downs. I have always been an advocate for being upfront about the label (in an interview). The reason if that when the boss finds out (which they eventually will) they will not feel betrayed. That is just my opinion.

I have never heard of a refuge city - that does not mean they do not exist - I have a hard time thinking that is true because while on paper you would be under state law. After off paper there are usually local laws that make sure registered citizens are properly ostracized - but yes if you can get out of the South/Bible belt that is a plus

I do not know a lot about international travel. I do know that many registered citizens have traveled internationally for many years - however a couple of years ago the government started sending letters to the country that a registered citizen was visiting stating that it was a known practice for sex trafficking etc. (all based on bogus lies) and the countries started refusing entry to the registered citizens. Now there is a bill 515 (or international Megans law) that proposes putting the words sex offender on a passport so yes you can pretty much nix the international travel if that happens. So now registered citizens and their families are officially prisoners (mistreated ones) of the USA (the land of the free - lol)

Look up Pahokee Fl, there is a village where many SOs live because they could not find housing in the Miami area. They say they do not have problems and the locals treat them well. I heard other states were interested in starting communities so men will have places to stay and not have to worry. There is also an off broadway play being produced in New York about the Florida community.

Thank you for ur time guys and ur advice. Have a great day

Really? a play? I hope they do it well and tell the truth ....

Here is a post I made on another board regarding employment for sex offenders. Perhaps this can help someone.

Here is my philosophy and what I have learned over all my years regarding employment for sex offenders-----

Suitable employment will be a definite problem. All the major retailers and stores such as Wal Mart, Burger King, etc., run background checks and when his background check comes in as having been convicted of a sex crime, he will be fired.

The problem is not that felons are all lazy or not qualified for certain jobs, but it is the liability that comes with hiring a felon and especially a sex offender.

The mom and pop shops, places like family owned businesses such as small retail stores, family owned convenience stores, small restaurants, small family owned computer repair businesses, etc., are much more likely to hire him as they do not have to answer to corporate management.

Anything which requires a professional license is out of the question. Physicians, most nurses, pharmacists, and even barbers cannot usually find a job in their chosen profession. I lost my pharmacy license when I was convicted and could never get it back.

If he is able bodied, working for a construction company or some form of manual labor-----including welding----is a good possibility since these companies do not generally care if one of their workers is on the registry nor do they usually run background checks.

His best bet is to go into business for himself. He cannot fire himself because he is a sex offender and there are no pesky job applications to fill out.

People will say, "I don't know how to do anything or anything about business." There are hundreds of ways to make money in this country IF you have the ability to think outside of the box. Some of my suggestions might take a years training at the local vo-tech, but it will pay off in the long run.

Former inmates can become welders. A friend of mine from prison learned welding while in prison in a vo-tech course and now that he is out he is making $25 an hour welding. His boss couldn't care less about a conviction he might have.

Plumbers. I can guarantee you when a person's bathroom has six inches of water on the newly laid vinyl or wooden floor, the owner will not care if a former sex offender comes to the house to fix the leak.

Electricians. A former inmate can get into this field of work.

Landscaping. I have another friend I met in prison who does landscaping work. Actually he does nothing little more than mow lawns, but I tell him he is a "landscaper" and we both laugh as that sounds better. Sort of like calling case managers, counselors. He has now branched into fixing fences, putting up privacy and chain link fences, and seeding lawns. To just start out, anybody can buy a riding lawn mower and mow large lawns.

Construction work is also a possibility. People need people who can perform QUALITY work at fair prices. Nobody wants to work anymore or get their hands dirty, but there is a need for it. Building decks, small add ons to a house, installing siding or rain gutters, installing steel roofs, doing roofing, etc., are all viable ideas. IF he does a good job with reasonable prices, people will hire you, trust me.

I had a new vinyl floor installed in my house a couple of years ago. As I watched the guy putting the floor down, I thought to myself that anyone could learn to do that----even felons and sex offenders. Yet, I had a difficult time getting anyone who wanted to work.

Here is a link to a page that gives the names of companies that hire felons. Of course, sex offenders is a horse of another color, but this might give him a starting point---

http://tinyurl.com/ps6fxcx

More links that will help----

http://tinyurl.com/zyunqmt

http://tinyurl.com/jzgfe4v

http://tinyurl.com/zgq7d6v

More possibilities----

Janitorial work. Some guys have started their own cleaning agencies and clean offices after house.

Driving a truck. There is decent money with cross country truck driving or any truck driving job. Many places will hire a sex offender.

Heavy Equipment Operator. I have registrant friend in Texas who works for such a company. He operates big tractors, backhoes, road graders and other heavy machinery. He learned most of it on the job, but he did attend a nine month course. And he is making very good money.

One of my fellow posters mentioned detailing cars and minor mechanic work.

The main thing is that you have to be able to think outside the box and TRY NEW THINGS, NEW IDEAS.

A felon or a sex offender must not only be willing to get his hands dirty, but willing to work long hours and through the weekends at times. Granted, many of these jobs do not have the prestige as some other jobs, but they pay well, put food on the table, and they put a roof over their family's heads------and that is all that matters.

Hope this helps and gives some people some ideas.

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As always, great info. Thanks again for taking the time to help others.