Number of Homeless Sex Offenders Heads Up (limited housing options)

[The Straight Story]

Number of Homeless Sex Offenders Heads Up

They're sleeping in cars, shelters and occasionally, porches. About half a dozen of Sacramento's highest risk sex offenders are now on the streets, unable to find housing that meets the legal requirements of Jessica's Law.

"If they can't eat, and they can't put food on their family's table, they will go underground," said defense attorney Michael Chastaine. "We're going to force them into that situation."

It's an unintended consequence of Jessica's Law, a 2006 voter-approved ballot measure that sought to crackdown on California sex offenders. The law increases punishments, requires lifetime GPS monitoring for some offenders and established a new housing ban - prohibiting registered sex offenders from living within 2,000 feet of a school or park.

Faced with limited housing options, many offenders no longer have an established legal residence. Since the law took effect last year, the Attorney General's Office says the number of homeless sex offenders has jumped 27 percent, now reaching 2,711 offenders statewide.

http://www.news10.net/display_story.aspx?storyid=34752

[graywarrior]

1. Boston Legal just did a show based on this.

[rodeodance]

2. this has been occuring for years now----I do not think these people should

be publicly branded for life.
I do not have the answer for this either.

[kestrel91316]

3. There are SOME who need to be watched and guarded against

for life. But certainly not every single one who winds up on the list.