Calif. Sex Offenders Go Homeless

AP via SFGate ^ | 10/31/7 | DON THOMPSON, Associated Press Writer

[SmithL]

Sacramento, Calif. (AP) -- Hundreds of California sex offenders who face tough new restrictions on where they can live are declaring themselves homeless — truthfully or not — and that's making it difficult for the state to track them.

Jessica's Law, approved by 70 percent of California voters a year ago, bars registered sex offenders from living within 2,000 feet of a school or park where children gather. That leaves few places where offenders can live legally.

Some who have had trouble finding a place to live are avoiding re-arrest by reporting — falsely, in some cases — that they are homeless.

Experts say it is hard to monitor sex offenders when they lie about their address or are living day-to-day in cheap hotels, homeless shelters or on the street. It also means they may not be getting the treatment they need.

"We could potentially be making the world more dangerous rather than less dangerous," said therapist Gerry Blasingame, past chairman of the California Coalition on Sexual Offending.

Similar laws in Iowa and Florida have driven offenders underground or onto the streets.

"They drop off the registry because they don't want to admit living in a prohibited zone," said Corwin Ritchie, executive director of the association of Iowa prosecutors.

[My Favorite Headache]

I remember about 5 yrs ago I was living in a nice development and then one day my neighbors moved out suddenly. No for sale sign, no word on why, no goodbyes..no nothing.

We had armed security guards at the gated entrance to our property and I used to talk to them on nightly walks around the neighborhood. They told me that the guy who was living with his fiancee was told by the police department that not only did he have to move out of the development but he was in total violation of a court order preventing him from contact with a child due to a sexual offense charge/arrest against him from 5 yrs prior because he was living with his fiancee’s child in the house as well.

One day he came by to pick up a case of mail that had been sitting during his address change. He told me his story and what had happened to him.

He told me when he was 18 yrs old he was dating a girl who was 16 turning 17 for about 4 months. This girl’s father and mother did not approve and found the 2 of them having sexual intercourse in her room late at night one night.

Cops were called...etc..the whole thing got blown out of proportion...the father pressed charges for sexual assault on a minor, breaking and entering (he entered through her window) and a host of other ridiculous charges.

His life was destroyed even though the age of consent in Florida is 16. I felt bad for the guy.

[Thud]

They could, but until the glacial bureaucratic process rumbles through to approving the change of residence, San Francisco sex offenders violate their parole by having ANY residence. That is why the article said that so many parolees declare themeselves to be homeless - to avoid violating their parole. And why this stupid law is federally unconstitutional.