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Sex Offender Residency Laws Under Attack

By Jeralyn, Section Crime Policy
Posted on Mon Dec 18, 2006 at 12:03:17 PM EST
Tags: sex offenders, residency laws (all tags)
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The trend towards adopting laws restricting where sex offenders may live may be slowing down as more legal challenges are filed and cities and states are finding they are not the panacea once thought.

From the Kansas Department of Corrections, here are "Twenty Findings of Research on Residential Restrictions for Sex Offenders and the Iowa Experience with Similar Policies."

Just a few:

  • Housing restrictions appear to be based largely on three myths that are repeatedly propagated by the media: 1) all sex offenders reoffend; 2) treatment does not work; and 3) the concept of “stranger danger.” Research does not support these myths, but there is research to suggest that such policies may ultimately be counterproductive.
  • Research shows that there is no correlation between residency restrictions and reducing sex offenses against children or improving the safety of children.

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    Sex Offender Residency Laws Under Attack | 19 comments (19 topical)

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    Sex Offenders (1.00 / 2) (#1)
    by HeadScratcher on Mon Dec 18, 2006 at 01:51:17 PM EST
    Once release from prison they should live with their criminal defense attorney and their family and friends.

    In other words, I have a hard time mustering any sympathy for sex offenders (or any other violent criminal for that matter).

    There are far too many innocent people who deserve our help and support.

    The law enforcement angle is the only one I care about...

    Violent? (none / 0) (#4)
    by 1980Ford on Mon Dec 18, 2006 at 03:45:40 PM EST
    "In other words, I have a hard time mustering any sympathy for sex offenders (or any other violent criminal for that matter)."

    Fallacies:

    Appeal to Fear

    Bandwagon

    Begging the Question

    Biased Sample

    Poisoning the Well

    Post Hoc

    Hasty Generalization

    In short, it's a not very smart statement.

    Parent

    who are sex offenders (none / 0) (#13)
    by zaitztheunconvicted on Tue Dec 19, 2006 at 11:00:55 AM EST
    Lets see here:

    In the same category you have

    violent rapists;

    someone--perhaps a homeless person--who was masturbating in his vehicle and was observed by a passerby

    someone who had a 15-y-o friend and they had sexual contact

    someone who was 15 or 16 who had a 15-y-o friend who gave him or her oral sex

    a person who viewed "child pornography" on a computer at the public library, although such pornography might be simply nudes

    a dad who took photos of his daughter nude or topless with her consent

    a 16-year-old who took a nude photo of his gf, also 16-y-o, and who was then convicted of possessing child pornography

    photographers who offered to give some free photos to some 16 or 15 year old females if they posed topless

    a San Diego security guard who unwisely felt up some teenage girls and will probably die in prison given the length of his sentence

    etc

    And these are the people (serious felons, mind you) you are suggesting we should be afraid of and should lock away for years and nearly banish to some desert or mountain area?

    Parent

    other (none / 0) (#18)
    by LawKiller on Sun Jan 20, 2008 at 03:40:24 PM EST
    you forgot about someone was drinking and peed in the bushes because of impaired judgement

    Parent
    If that's your interest (none / 0) (#15)
    by Jeralyn on Tue Dec 19,