While this is an interesting read, it is unfortunately not a policy position or comprehensive. Interestingly enough, it says that Sex Offenders are free to live wherever they want, but that moving outside of the jurisdiction of conviction can be turned down, which seems a bit contradictory.
But we're starting to get to the problem...almost. We say, "this is America, land of the free, people should and can live where they want, do what they want, etc." However, you are limited by your circumstances. If you come out of prison without any money, you're sent to a Halfway House. There's only two the DOC uses, Damascus Way Reentry Center Inc. at 5730 Olson Memorial Highway and 180 Degrees at 236 Clifton Place. While at either of these, they are encouraged to get a job and find a place to live. They will not stray far at this point and finding a job in a neighborhood is a good reason to stay. Another good reason is a landlord that will rent to 5 or 6 of your buddies who did the same thing. Slumlords like this usually are absentee and have little regard for the neighborhood or people around, they care about the dollar. While it's not illegal, I believe it is something that should be, primarily because it presents the possibility of a clear and present danger and secondarily because they are usually shunted off into the more challenged neighborhoods that are already dealing with enough. These houses are essentially unlicensed halfway houses, the landlords get the money and the neighborhood gets the problems. To be more clear, if we're going to be fair or focus on the problem properly, we should be distributing offenders like this around the city and not concentrating them, thereby increasing the likelihood of an assault. The problem is the numbers don't do the picture justice. I've listed the numbers below, but these are just the level 3s that are known and not in supportive housing, those don't have to do notification because it is taken as a given. Who has the most supportive housing facilities? The same neighborhoods that are given the other offenders. Even if it's not against the law, it is a moral imperative to be more responsible in property ownership and rental as well as policy. By the way, MN is home to the only residential treatment facility for sex offenders in the US, and for that reason we get them from other states as well. Alpha Human Services is located at 2712 Fremont Avenue S in the Lowry Hill East. I attempted to find out how many beds they had, but the neither of the two people I spoke with (one a doctor apparently) would give me that information, and instead referred me to a third person who was not available, because "these are crazy times." You got that right. Jonathan Palmer Director Jordan Area Community Council Working next to 20 Level 3s and surrounded by an additional 188 register sex offenders. Numbers: Audubon Park-1 Camden-3 Cedar Riverside-1 Central-3 Cleveland-1 Corcoran-1 Elliott Park-4 Folwell-1 Hawthorne-1 Jordan-10 Kingfield-1 Logan Park-2 Longfellow-2 Lyndale-2 Near North-1 Phillips-12 Powderhorn Park-1 Victory-1 Waite Park-1 Whittier-2 Willard-Hay-3 Email me off list for the addresses, and remember these are just Level 3s that are registered and being tracked by the DOC REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
