Oregon State considers Polk County plan on sex offender housing

Associated Press ^ | 07/22/2005 | Associated Press

[Former Military Chick]

Homeless sex offenders in Polk County would serve out probation in county jail after their release from prison, under a plan before state corrections officials.

The proposal from the county comes after a long dispute over what to do with the area's homeless sex offenders who are out on parole, including a rejected offer by Yamhill County District Attorney John Fisher to house them in his residence.

Fisher's neighbors rallied against that idea, and county planners went back to the drawing board.

Marty Silbernagel, director of Polk County Community Corrections, said transferring homeless sex offenders to the county jail 90 days before their release from custody will allow county staff time to locate appropriate housing and verify employment for the offenders by their release date.

State law requires offenders to serve their probation in the same county where they were convicted. Polk County does not have any transitional housing for offenders, requiring offenders to live with approved friends or relatives or secure their own lodging. The county supervises more than 70 sex offenders.

The problem came to a head in 2003 when one of Oregon's highest-risk offenders, Larry Lee Edwards, was released to Polk County without a place to live, and wound up sleeping on the street.

State corrections officials said the Polk County proposal will be reviewed and if accepted, a contract with the county on the rental of jail beds would be negotiated. The state currently rents jail beds for state prisoners in Linn, Douglas and Grant counties, said Perrin Damon of the Oregon Department of Corrections.

After the 90-day period, Silbernagel said offenders may then be placed in local Polk County motels if they don't get housing on their own.

But a reluctance to spend public-safety funds on transitional housing and community resistance to having sex offenders move into local neighborhoods made finding a solution difficult, said Polk County commissioner Tom Richey.

[Former Military Chick]

First off, we pay attention to what other states do, what works and does not work. This was what I had been thinking about in a prior thread, where sex offender's while they have finished their sentence can still be remanded to a secure facility to such time as they are no longer a threat, well that would depend on the definition of threat is now wouldn't it.

[newgeezer]

If the county is going to put them up in motels, it ought to get some work out of them to pay for it. At least have them do something like picking up trash alongside the county's roads.

Otherwise, they're being rewarded for their crime with free room and board (which, admittedly, may not be far from describing their prison time, too).

[M203M4]

... can still be remanded to a secure facility to such time as they are no longer a threat, well that would depend on the definition of threat is now wouldn't it.

No longer a threat.

[justche]

I live in this county. It's such a mess. There have been several halfway houses shut down because of neighborhood complaints, or they don't get off the ground. Part of the problem is across the bridge into Salem, it's just literally gross the amount of halfway houses. I don't want one next to my home. I don't have any idea what the real answer is supposed to be.

[Former Military Chick]

First, I went back to the three most recent threads I posted on the issue of sex offender's and pulled your names, along with other Freeper's for a sex offender NEWS PING list. I have enjoyed the intellect of my fellow Freeper's on this subject.

It is my hope that we can continue to talk about, with goals in mind, that we might be able to at least save one child from such a horrible crime.

Yesterday while on post, I shared that there is a registered sex offender on POST, they laughed because I mean Ft Leavenworth has the military prison and there might be a few in there, but laughing aside they were dumbfounded by the news. I also asked a few as I waited in the pharmacy of their zip code and then showed them the research I uncovered regarding the 41 sex offender's in Leavenworth and the 7 in Lansing.

There jaws dropped. Then I asked that pesky question about kids. Guess what they had kids, but said these folks can't be in MY neighborhood.

News flash, they can be in your neighborhood, and we must make sure the schools are aware of the animals and to apprised our neighbor's of these felons.

Frankly I am stunned. Dave and I do not have children, but we have the brains God gave us to be aware of our surroundings, how can a parent not do that. OK, this could turn into a long rant, but here is the latest news bits on sex offender's and where they live.

My most recent threads on the subject:

Bill calls for sex offenders' castration - mandatory castration of violent sex offenders

National sex offender Web site launched -- National Sex Offender Public Registry

Sex Offender's - I am mad as hell and am not going to take it ANYMORE! Take back our neighborhoods.

Fairhope looks at ban on sex offenders -- any from moving into the city (Alabama)

[justche]

Not to mention, I'm not even aware of any motels in this area. I mean there may be one next to Western Oregon University, but there's sure not many. Is that really fair to guests that are there, to have a sex offender next door and not know it?

[wagglebee]

I think it's a great idea for you to do a sex offender ping list on this. It is a disgusting, but very real problem that can affect any one of us at any moment.

[A CA Guy]

Here in CA we have problems with houses holding offenders opening near schools.
Many offenders disappear and I would think they offend again.

Seems castration would be a good start with these guys.

[Former Military Chick]

it is my belief that there is no free lunch. There is a sheriff out west that gives the inmates the most minimal of luxuries and their food is right on the expiration date, in the hopes to make the experience so miserable they will not want to return.

I like this way of thinking. I am also amazed at how prison's have become couch potatoes. That if you want to work you can, that you are not forced to work, that you can keep fit, that you can take college courses, where is the HARD TIME?

Folks should take lesson's from Angola, a prison nobody wants to call home.

But, putting felon's in a hotel, that we pay, well those in Oregon pay, that is robbery.

There are so many offender's, I am rather overwhelmed at a solution that will not be tied up in courts by the ACLU and the right's of sex offender's.

Thank you for the comments.

[Former Military Chick]

NYS Not On National Sex Offender List

7/22/05

The National Sex Offender Registry recently went online and has had so much traffic it crashed the server. For the time being users get a "server unavailable" message.

The popular website is a national sex offender public registry, linking registries from 21 states, and the District of Columbia. The Justice Department hopes to have all 50 states on line by the end of the year. New York is currently not on the list. Many people, along with Governor George Pataki, say this is unacceptable.

Here’s how it works. Simply log on to the website at http://www.nsopr.gov . Once you’ve agreed to the conditions or use, you can search by specific names either in one state or in multiple states. You can also search by city or zip code. The results will come up with a complete profile for the sex offender, including the offender’s conviction.

© 2005 Clear Channel Communications

[Former Military Chick]

Thank you for the support. I have enjoyed your point of view on the subject, and I think we can learn from one another. It is a big problem but I do think from a grass roots level we might be able to do some good.

Just as long aw we do legally and not promote folks to put a sign in their yard pointing the yard next door with a huge sex offender sign.

First for many reason, but, the value of a home, and I do not wish to provoke folks to do something from the anger they feel over these animals.

Glad you like the idea of the PING list.

[Former Military Chick]

I added the castration thread link above for those interested.

The one thing that caught my eye from the Jackson case, had he been found guilty he would not be allowed to reside at Neverland, because of it's proximity to a school, not to mention what was Neverland for?

So, if CA can do this, so can other states. I do not think it right to have them living close enough to hear the kids on the play ground. It is like a buffet and they cannot resist.

Thanks for the comment, friend.

[CWOJackson]

A couple of days ago we made the decisions to leave the Seattle area and move to a small community near Toledo, OH. In a week we're flying out there to stay with friends and buy a home. Our decision was based on:

- The over inflated cost of real estate on the I-5 corridor. Use a reality search engine for the Seattle area and Toledo, OH. Between inflated costs, high property and sales taxes, for the same monthly mortgage payment of $1250 you can buy a small mansion in Toledo (280K) compared to a run-down cramped condo in the Seattle area for (190K).

- The left coast mentality in general. In Ohio when it's cold the evening news doesn't have to tell you to dress warm; people somehow understand the principle all on their own. In Seattle, if they didn't tell people how to dress warm the landscape would be littered with frozen dummies in spandex.

- The Seattle area has a huge population of sexual predators and in particular, pedophiles. Most are repeat offenders. Yet, in this area you can get more time for doing something despicable to a cat then doing the same thing to a child.

- I'm tired of going into a coffee shop and not being able to buy a "cup of coffee", or buying a coffee like substance that tastes like the pot hasn't been cleaned out in 12 years.

[SiliconValleyGuy]

BTTT!

[A CA Guy]

CA doesn't keep good records. All kinds of things that shouldn't happen does, and if the records don't screw up, the government workers who are incompetent blow it.

[SmithL]

If justice was done, we wouldn't need to worry about re-offenders.

[chgomac]

Thanks for the ping.

I remember some about the sheriff who ran the prison. He was terrific. He had no sympathy for the prisoners whining. The got minimal food & shelter & few amenities. (I think this was Arizona? I'll check)

He houses them in tents in the desert
They do labor each day
NO SMOKING in the prison ....he said something like, if you want to smoke...don't come back....we didn't invite you in the first place!

So here's an idea. I'll find out more about this guy. See what he is doing these days. Dig around a little learn more about him/his methods & see if he would be open to being Warden of the US Prison for Pedophiles/Sex Offenders.
I believe we could float bonds to build such a facility.

What do you think?

[Former Military Chick]

Now that is a comment, short, to the point and the truth.

Thank you!

[Neoliberalnot]

Thanks for the post. Having been a victim of a male homosexual, that is a pederast, when I was 11-14 years old, I understand the disgusting perversion of these sickos. The incidents occurred more than 40 years ago in the bay area of San Franfreako and due to weakness in my own character, the incidents had a profound negative influence on many years of my life. This guy never suffered a day of punishment because he was manipulative and at that time, I was threatened and told I must not tell anyone. Anyway, you can see now why I despise homosexuals and perverts in general and contrary to the claim that "homophobes" are really closet queers; closer to the truth-- they aren't phobic, but disgusted victims or know victims. I know what they do and that the incidence of queers molesting little boys is far more prevalent in the homosexual population than the incidence in the heterosexual population. By prevalent, I mean based on the percentage of the population that is male homosexual they commit far more of these crimes. What is most disturbing is that society seems inclined to be more accepting of homosexual predators--hell there is a national organization of them-- NAMBLA.org. Anyway, I have rambled enough.

[brushcop]

A "weakness in your own character", no my friend, at that age, youngsters need protection and monitoring and unfortunately there are times when they are vulnerable, period. I was Scoutmaster for quite a few years, you have to observe, observe, observe, double check and not take ANYTHING for granted.

I'll never forget how an incident made me accutely aware of the power of "authority" (guy-in-charge, Scoutmaster, leader, etc.) when I was reviewing a new Scout's application we were speaking with him in a open area with benches formed in a square. I said, "Have a seat young man" and patted the bench and that little boy immediately sat down exactly where I patted the bench! I gently told him, "Aw just sit over there on that other bench where we can look at each other and talk". It was a wake-up call for us leaders and we realized just how vulnerable some kids really are. We stregthened our anti-predator program which was as stated above: observe, observe, observe.

DO NOT blame yourself Neoliberalnot, no how, no way! You have a good thing going here FMC, good work, please refer to my "three step plan" state above!

Best to all,