Sex Offenders Banished to the Boonies (2)

The Not In My Backyard Syndrome is alive and well in Georgia, where sex offenders are effectively being banished from living in communities with bus stops, schools, churches, parks, or pools. They can't reside within 1,000 feet of those spots, which means they are being forced to move — with two weeks' notice at most, it appears — to more rural surroundings. I've pointed out before where that leads: they're being driven underground, where authorities can no longer keep an eye on them. Once again, a feel-good tough-on-crime measure produces more risk to the public (especially kids), not less.

All 67 registered sex offenders living in Forsyth County [Georgia] must change residences by July 1 as a new state law goes into effect, and they may find there is nowhere in the county they can live that is in compliance with strict new requirements. The new law forbids registered sex offenders from living within 1,000 feet of a school bus stop, public pool, community park or church. As a result, nearly every residential area of the county is off-limits for sex offenders, officials confirmed. There are at least 1,200 school bus stops in Forsyth County, school officials said. ... Authorities are hand-delivering letters next week notifying offenders of the change and giving them until July 1 to move. After that, they are subject to arrest. ...

Some sheriffs are worried that the law will effectively drive sex offenders out of urban, metro areas and into rural locations where they can stay within the requirements. And rural sheriffs are less prepared for the task of keeping up with sex offenders and where they live, Hunter said. "It's going to require more manpower and resources," he said. "The metro areas are for the most part well-staffed. If anyone would comply, it would be in the metro areas rather than the rural areas." One major fear, Hunter said, is that the new law will simply drive sex offenders underground. "They're going to move and not register at all," Hunter said. "I can't say it's going to run them out of Georgia — we're just not going to be able to find them." 

Comments

[Scott McDonald]

Ugh. I'm relocating to that area for work in a few months - one of my coworkers forwarded that story as a good reason to be moving there. He didn't understand why I told him off afterwards...

[Angie]

I understand what you are saying --- I really do, but I'm still sticking with the only good place for these people are in prison --- forever. Never let them out. Then they will never harm another child again.

[Vache Folle]

How is this not an ex post facto law? I don't think it's enforceable.

[Tony]

Anything is enforceable if you have a judge willing to go along. Of course, only liberal judges are activist, so no worries. Right?