What to do about sex offender next door?

http://www.sptimes.com/2006/06/16/Pasco ... sex_.shtml (http://www.sptimes.com/2006/06/16/Pasco/What_to_do_about_sex_.shtml)

What to do about sex offender next door?
By ANDREW SKERRITT
Published June 16, 2006

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In the fight to protect children from sex offenders, communities struggle with what's legal and what's practical.

That happened this week in Zephyrhills, where folks like council member Kent Compton want a law restricting sex offenders and predators from living within 2,500 feet of churches, day care centers, public libraries, public parks or playgrounds, school bus stops, schools and other places frequented by children.

The state law is 1,000 feet. Compton wants it expanded. In other words, he wants to make Zephyrhills a sex offender-free zone. I'm not sure any law, constitutional or not, can accomplish that.

Either way, when you take up these kind of serious questions you have to expect to be surprised - much like the folks who jammed the council chambers this week. During all the fear-mongering, a registered sex offender showed up.

I listened to the tape of the meeting. Lonnie Borton said he was falsely accused and forced into a plea bargain, and that's why he's a registered sex offender.

He said he feels like he's walking around with a target on his back - not surprising, given his status. But what struck me was what he said next, that he has to go to a church in another town.

"I don't feel comfortable going to church in Zephyrhills,'' he told the council.

Whether his story was true or not, it was more difficult for city officials to demonize Borton to his face. Some council members even sounded impressed that he showed up. They seemed to acknowledge that a one-size-fits-all approach to sex offenders might not work. Their tone was less strident after he spoke.

His comments about church struck a chord. If sex offenders can't find redemption in church, there's not much hope, for them or for us.

But this wasn't about redemption. It was about how to keep children safe. And for that there are no simple solutions.

Mayor Cliff McDuffie acknowledged as much. He recalled that when he first came to town to work for the local chamber of commerce, in the files he saw that in the 1920s, blacks were not allowed to live within the Zephyrhills city limits.

To that, council member Danny Burgess, who supports tougher restrictions, responded:

"They weren't charged with a crime.'' The audience applauded.

Such pandering doesn't help solve the question about how to deal with sex offenders. Or murderers and drug pushers. The exclusion list could get mighty long.

It's up to law enforcement to do its job, McDuffie said. But it's more politically palatable to pass laws restricting where sex offenders can live than to raise taxes to pay for more police officers.

McDuffie vowed to veto the ordinance. But make no mistake - the mayor is a hardliner on sex offenders. He'd give male sex offenders a choice: jail or castration. For women, it's jail or a lobotomy.

People feel empowered to make outlandish statements when debating ways to curb sex offenders. It's easier than finding real solutions to protecting our children.

[Merlin]

http://exoffender.myflorida.com/index.htm


THE LAND OF THE SECOND CHANCE
Florida is committed to the ideal of America being the land of second chance, as expressed by the President of the United States who declared: "When the gates of the prison open, the path ahead should lead to a better life."

SNIP

A word from Task Force Chairman Steve MacNamara "The two most shallow statements in our society are "Innocent until proven guilty" and "You've paid your debt to society." We need to make the latter more of a reality in Florida. We have a very difficult task ahead. Our focus has to be on SUCCESSFUL REENTRY. . .In the end, I hope we can give the Governor and the Legislature a well thought out public policy statement, solid and specific recommendations and a blueprint for change that will benefit not only ex-offenders, but the entire State of Florida.

Mayor Cliff McDuffie acknowledged as much. He recalled that when he first came to town to work for the local chamber of commerce, in the files he saw that in the 1920s, blacks were not allowed to live within the Zephyrhills city limits.

BINGO! And no doubt the local KKK organization justified the ordinance based on at least one chronic BLACK criminal.

I'm really curious now. When our local politicians pass these 2,500 foot rules do they show up with white cones on their heads, or are they the modern day type of thug with a skinned head?

[mystikwarrior]

blacks were not allowed to live within the Zephyrhills city limits
I wonder why he didn't mention finding in the files where at some later date that law was repealed? Perhaps it never was? Did you know that the Alabama Constitution still guarantees white kids an education at an all-white school? Meaningless from a legal standpoint due to Federal law but it speaks volumes about the prevailing mentality. An effort to have the language removed in 2004 failed at the polls.
I mention this because laws or no laws, there are only 300 African-Americans in Zephyrhills. Less than 3% of the city population. Heck, there are twice as many Hispanics.

[mystikwarrior]

"You've paid your debt to society." We need to make the latter more of a reality in Florida.
I couldn't agree more.
If you've read the 2005 report by the Task Force one thing becomes apparent very quickly. They slam DOC policy and procedure on a regular basis, and most recommendations are to change the way DOC operates or handles things.

Mayor Cliff McDuffie acknowledged as much. He recalled that when he first came to town to work for the local chamber of commerce, in the files he saw that in the 1920s, blacks were not allowed to live within the Zephyrhills city limits.

BINGO! And no doubt the local KKK organization justified the ordinance based on at least one chronic BLACK criminal.

I'm really curious now. When our local politicians pass these 2,500 foot rules do they show up with white cones on their heads, or are they the modern day type of thug with a skinned head?

Stop trying to use the race comparison. It is two different issues one was discriminitory and based on race and wrong while the 2500 foot rules are based on illegal sexually deviant behavior and is not discriminitory because it protects the law abiding citizens and their innocent children from these pedophile monsters.

Stop trying to use the race comparison.

Why? Does it hit too close to home?

Stop trying to use the race comparison.

Why? Does it hit too close to home?

No it is basing something on someone's physical characterisitics not their deviant behavior like sex offenders. People see beyond these manipulations and whinings of the sex offenders and know what they are capable off and are now acting accordingly. Sex Offenders the games are over. People have caught on to your victim tactics and they wont work anymore.

[Merlin]

Stop trying to use the race comparison.

Why? Does it hit too close to home?

No it is basing something on someone's physical characterisitics not their deviant behavior like sex offenders. People see beyond these manipulations and whinings of the sex offenders and know what they are capable off and are now acting accordingly. Sex Offenders the games are over. People have caught on to your victim tactics and they wont work anymore.

Huh? Just to clarify, are you saying that anyone who doesn't agree with banning sex offenders is a whiny sex offender playing victim tactics?

Stop trying to use the race comparison.

Why? Does it hit too close to home?

No it is basing something on someone's physical characterisitics not their deviant behavior like sex offenders. People see beyond these manipulations and whinings of the sex offenders and know what they are capable off and are now acting accordingly. Sex Offenders the games are over. People have caught on to your victim tactics and they wont work anymore.

Huh? Just to clarify, are you saying that anyone who doesn't agree with banning sex offenders is a whiny sex offender playing victim tactics?

No I am saying that they are that or bleeding heart liberals who always act like everyone is a victim including pedophiles.

Mayor Cliff McDuffie acknowledged as much. He recalled that when he first came to town to work for the local chamber of commerce, in the files he saw that in the 1920s, blacks were not allowed to live within the Zephyrhills city limits.

BINGO! And no doubt the local KKK organization justified the ordinance based on at least one chronic BLACK criminal.

I'm really curious now. When our local politicians pass these 2,500 foot rules do they show up with white cones on their heads, or are they the modern day type of thug with a skinned head?

Stop trying to use the race comparison. It is two different issues one was discriminitory and based on race and wrong while the 2500 foot rules are based on illegal sexually deviant behavior and is not discriminitory because it protects the law abiding citizens and their innocent children from these pedophile monsters.



it does? show us one study proving that!

Mayor Cliff McDuffie acknowledged as much. He recalled that when he first came to town to work for the local chamber of commerce, in the files he saw that in the 1920s, blacks were not allowed to live within the Zephyrhills city limits.

BINGO! And no doubt the local KKK organization justified the ordinance based on at least one chronic BLACK criminal.

I'm really curious now. When our local politicians pass these 2,500 foot rules do they show up with white cones on their heads, or are they the modern day type of thug with a skinned head?

Stop trying to use the race comparison. It is two different issues one was discriminitory and based on race and wrong while the 2500 foot rules are based on illegal sexually deviant behavior and is not discriminitory because it protects the law abiding citizens and their innocent children from these pedophile monsters.



it does? show us one study proving that!

They just started these things but it has been shown to reduce the number of sex offenders living in those cities, which is a good thing, and the studies that the sex offenders are quick to show that it does "nothing" are misleading because they are almost all first time caught sex offenders but it will assist with them too because unless they own their house or if their crime was after 9/1/05 they will be heading out of town most likely. The less sex offenders in the community the better.

Mayor Cliff McDuffie acknowledged as much. He recalled that when he first came to town to work for the local chamber of commerce, in the files he saw that in the 1920s, blacks were not allowed to live within the Zephyrhills city limits.

BINGO! And no doubt the local KKK organization justified the ordinance based on at least one chronic BLACK criminal.

I'm really curious now. When our local politicians pass these 2,500 foot rules do they show up with white cones on their heads, or are they the modern day type of thug with a skinned head?

Stop trying to use the race comparison. It is two different issues one was discriminitory and based on race and wrong while the 2500 foot rules are based on illegal sexually deviant behavior and is not discriminitory because it protects the law abiding citizens and their innocent children from these pedophile monsters.

it does? show us one study proving that!

They just started these things but it has been shown to reduce the number of sex offenders living in those cities, which is a good thing, and the studies that the sex offenders are quick to show that it does "nothing" are misleading because they are almost all first time caught sex offenders but it will assist with them too because unless they own their house or if their crime was after 9/1/05 they will be heading out of town most likely. The less sex offenders in the community the better.




glad you pointed that out to me....never would have know the ideal behind the sex offender laws was to run them out of the country and dump them on somebody else...here i always thought the ideal behind them was to stop REOFFENSE!!! silly me...as for protecting the law abiding citizens and their innocent children....last time i looked once you did your time and obeyed the laws you were also considered a law abiding citizen!!!...and just what about the children of those so called evil sex offenders...seeing as 85% of sex crimes involve people's own children if they have rebuild their families you have just consigned those victim's and victim's brother's and sisters to a living hell of never knowing one day to the next where they are going to live! what about their rights? and the rights of their husband or wife who was never charged or convicted what right do you have to force them out of their homes! to enforce a law that is showing all signs of causing more harm than good.

what right do you have to force them out of their homes! to enforce a law that is showing all signs of causing more harm than good.

Probation Officers do have to enforce the laws. It doesn't matter if the Officer agrees or disagrees with the law or the consequences of enforcing said laws.

what right do you have to force them out of their homes! to enforce a law that is showing all signs of causing more harm than good.

Probation Officers do have to enforce the laws. It doesn't matter if the Officer agrees or disagrees with the law or the consequences of enforcing said laws.


better watch out...that excuse died with nazi germany...i was following orders didn't work for them it's not going to work now at least that is the rule of the US Govt...they are still prosecuting 50 year old charges from that time and not taking that escuse.....so i would have to say it also applies to US Govt and State and Local Govt Employees also.

[Merlin]

I respectfully disagree. POs don't make the laws. They simply enforce them. They don't decide who's guilty of violating the law, the Judge does. If the laws don't make sense and need changing then contact your local representatives. :D

[mystikwarrior]

POs don't make the laws. They simply enforce them.
Actually, a PO enforces probation conditions. Enforcement of local ordinances is the domain of the local police or Sheriff.
Of course it's the POs duty to make sure their cases aren't doing things that violate those ordinances, since the probationer is required to 'obey all laws'.
But it would seem that DOC and POs will 'pick and choose'. For example, how many POs here have cases living with and sleeping with a 'partner' they aren't married to? That happens to be a violation of state law. When was the last time you halted such a living arrangement? What's the 'official' position from Tallahassee on that one?