Sex Offenders Shunted Into Small Republican Rural Towns – By Republican Lawmakers?

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Bill Cavala
A veteran of over 30 years in Sacramento

Well, they insisted on it. Wanting to look “tougher” on crime than the Democrats, the Republicans insisted on a provision that keeps paroled and other sex offenders from taking up residence within 2000 feet of a school or public park.

That’s as the crow flies.

The real world result of this provision is that sex offenders can’t find a place to live in most large California cities.

The law requires sex offenders (and other felons) to be paroled back into the Counties where they committed the offense that put them in prison. For decades this has meant that most ex-cons wind up in our large urban areas – leaving small towns relatively free of their company.

No more!

The 2000 or so paroled sex offenders released in San Francisco now have the option of camping out on Ocean Beach or leaving the County. There are NO facilities within the County limits that meet the 2000 foot restriction. Other jurisdictions will have the same problem.

The parolees have the choice of moving on or moving back to prison. The state has no relocation responsibilities.

So here they come, small towns in Northern California. Represented by Republicans in the Legislature. Red Bluff currently houses about 36 paroled sex offenders. Be fun when another 300 join them in wandering the city’s (few) streets.