As an aside, I would truly like to apologize to anyone who I offended with my comments about "true abusers" and "real victims." I didn't realize it at the time, but it was terribly worded and rife with the opportunity for misunderstanding. I hope that my replies since then have cleared up any misconceptions and made clear what I really meant.

jc85... I accept your apology.

I understand what the community is and the vision you have for it now. I mentioned the comment about only people off the registry to try and put into words the emotions Janet was expressing.

Here are some things that you should keep in mind if you intend to do evaluations on the people that would like to be included in your project. In Texas it is not uncommon for both TDCJ and the police to alter information on an offender. I know this based on personal experience. In TDCJ I was assigned a Tier One rating after an evaluation. Following my evaluation and at the time of my release and transfer that risk level was changed to Tier two by someone altering the paperwork. This was done to me and to the other 25 SO's standing in line behind me. When I went to my halfway house I told the parole office and he when into the computer system. He came back saying I was right the record had been altered but they failed to change the computer entry itself and that I should consider going to court. (I will let you know if I should ever have the money to do so...lol). When the police came to the halfway house to re register all of us they rewrote the description of our crimes. When I confronted the officer and asked her why she did this she simply laughed. When I got to my hometown the local Police Chief took one look at the paperwork and said "What the hell is this?" I told him that's simply what you do when you want to get someone injured or killed. Thankfully, the entered the correct info into the system. Now I set all of this to a Federal Judge but his law clerk wouldn't give it to him claiming the judge didn't give legal advise (I wrote back saying I wasn't asking for advise but I was reporting a crime). I have since confirmed that this is being done all over the state. Long story short, you can not rely on many of the records and what is in the system because in this state that information is being altered.(A clear attempt to get SO's injured or killed). So I am not sure exactly what information you can safely use for you screening process.

Please note that I am really really interested in you project and would like you to DM me so we can talk further.

Finally, I am working on testifying before a Senate Committee on my experience with both altered and false records.

Wow, Phillip! That is horrible! I admire and appreciate you for testifying about this. This is the first I have ever heard about this kind of vicious corruption. May God protect you and enable you to bring about justice.

Phillip, I am confused by what you mean by tier. I am in Texas and I've only seen risk level.

Some offenders that I know have had their info changed and one county the registering person (I don't know what you exactly call them) wasn't updating information in the system at all. The people would go in and nothing would be updated in the system. It led to an offender committing a new offense and the DPS officers were completely lost as to why he was registered in the wrong county and no one knew where he actually lived. I know this is a really rare, but it was really strange.

I have also seen offenders listed with the wrong offenses. It was fixed, I don't know if it was a mix up or what, but now that you've mentioned what happened to you I will be sure to keep a closer eye on it. I am thankful we have not run into anything like you described.

I do think, with the right steps this is a viable idea. I hope you can get in working and it will be a positive and awesome experience for everyone involved.

I have toyed with the idea of buying land in the West and building one of the mini houses or something similar. I even have the one I like all picked out! LOL

In PA, you used to have levels, and my husband was the lowest level and lowest risk, but the AWA was adopted and they changed him to a tier 3 and that's considered highest risk (other than those labeled SVP)
He was only supposed to register for 10 years, that's what he agreed to in his plea agreement

KnowNot I stand corrected. I mean risk level and I sometimes use the names interchangeabily. Sorry for the confusion. I contacted Tx Voices and they have had reports of the same thing from others.

i like that idea ok i knew wont be conster ok by

Who will be reviewing and determining eligibility to join your community? A committee? How will the members of this committee be chosen? Where will you get the information that you will review? Will it be from case files, which case files? Any and all court records? How will you verify facts? It sounds more like a new investigation and trial than an application to a community. Why would someone want to subject themselves to this kind of scrutiny when what it sounds like you are selling the idea as a kind of second chance. Does this mean only those that are chosen by your committee are worthy of a second chance?

Will there be a process that impartially evaluates the person or will this be like the interview process for a job? Some one reviews the file, if you don't make a great first impression at the interview there is no redepmtion? Will there be an appeals process if one is denied entry into the community?

This isn't about confusion, it is about you are actually trying to create something that is already done in our modern society, retry and punish based on your opinion of what happened in an individuals case. Where is the second chance? I don't see it. My husband was falsly accused and according to your criteria we would be disqualified as well. Mainly because his 'victim' didn't come clean in court like your's did.

I hate to say it as much as I like the 'idea' all I can see currently is a lot of holes in your logic and what will be your process of determining who will be allowed in to your community. Maybe it is cause your plan isn't coming across well here or maybe we are presenting sides you haven't had a chance to explore.

I would like to point out that regardless that you are tauting your community as rehabilitation based or whatever, when you interact with people it is like an ongoing group session in real-time and with no safety net. You can say you aren't going to be that kind of community, but if you are a bonified community, it will be one of support, comraderie and fellowship... That means that there will be counselling going on, just not in some office paying some shrink big bucks. It'll be held between the members of the community as time and need present themselves. It would be naive to believe that you won't be a rehabilitation community because when you analyze all people we are all rehabbing from something continuously, be it a boyfriend/girlfriend that just dumped you, the job you just got fired from, the relative that just passed away suddenly. Support and counselling will be happening in your community.

Don't get me wrong, I think that it is a great idea, but I find the interview process and investigation into past crimes unnecessary. For one main reason and it is something that the US DOJ will stand by. 90% of offenders convicted of sex crimes are first time and only time offenders. That means that all that investigating and interviewing by committee is only perpetuating the myth that registrants are all repeat offenders, when the facts say the opposite. Which is why I am having trouble swallowing the brilliance of retrying people so they can live in a community.

wisconsinrsol: Just one quick comment. This Homesteading thread is one of the longest I've seen since I started reading/ commenting on Daily Strength and I think it's a little sad that so many here on Daily Strength are drawn to finding some where / some homestead / to live together "beyond the grid"

It reminds me of sitting in visiting and trying to keep my relation ship with my loved one going talking about "what we will do and where we will live" once he gets out and we are some where living and loving in some perfect (and technically possible) Never-Never Land out there beyond the Wall, beyond the restrictions, beyond their "Label" but then he gets out, we still love each other but and we have to face all the realities every other real relationship faces. No matter where we parole to, living, earning money, buying food and finding friends and getting along with each other as real people who may not either one be "Monsters" yet we all have our faults..all of us have problems getting along even with friends, even in a community or a marriage of like-minded souls...

Janet, I think much of it has to do where many people start out before they are caught up in the label and the mess and where they ultimately end up after they are released.

Personally my husband and I are some of the lucky ones, I already owned my home and property in a rural area. I knew all my neighbors and we are a live and let live bunch, so we get harassed little if any. I don't feel held back other than the planning in advance to go anywhere outside the county and getting permission to do it, once off supervision I am going to assume things will be much of the same.

When people call me about the experiences they are having or the tough times they have already faced, I notice one common element, they all live in metro areas near large cities, such as Milwaukee, Chicago, Madison, etc. I understand the need to be near delivery, the idea that there are only jobs in metro areas, and that is where all your friends and family live. But move just a short 40 miles away and you are now in a rural area and the mindset has all of a sudden changed to "what is that neighbor of mine up to?" to a live and let live kind of thinking. I know few busybodies that live in a rural area, most people are just too busy with the plethora of things to do on a farm or homestead to give two shits about the neighbors other than if they are good folk and not get into their business too much. That applies to those on the grid or off of it.

I agree that it isn't fair that if someone wants to live in Downtown Milwaukee but they are on the list they are banished from living there because of unfounded fear that is perpetuated by the city council who ultimately passed that ordinance. But my thought has always been, I don't live for those other people, and if they don't want me then I surely do not want to contribute to their tax base, their salary that is derived from that tax base or anything that has to do with the area that really doesn't want my money. What I hear most is how they just can't live anywhere but a city, I have not heard many good responses to the 'why don't you move' other than they don't want to give up a night life, the illusion of work or I am assuming delivery (since it is what I miss most about living in town.)

It is probably why I find myself taking exception to the interview process that focuses on their sex crimes.

faeryedark, we are in PA too and my husbands plea agreement was NO registry. Then AWA came along and now he's teir 2. So stressful and frustrating. I would LOVE to do something like homesteading, but definitely need to stay in PA or somewhere somewhat nearby for family. Very interested in any information you all come up with.

wisconsin: I think you are probably right...if we too only focus on judging "their sex crimes" we too have the same mind set as the general public that supports all the harms done to us and our families n the name of "Protecting the children" Like rew said once labeled (by others) sex offenders we shouldn't turn around and do the same thing to each other.
I guess I'm just too old to think a lighter shade of blame makes me better than no matter where I live or how much "unfair harassment" how much supposed danger my neighbor "presents" in comparison to me and mine. But then I do live in town and once lived in a "residency hotel" approved by the System for people like me and mine...