Re: [Mpls] Packing Sex offenders in Mpls/ The wrong question?
If the question is "In which neighborhood do we house dangerous essentially unsupervised sexual predators?", maybe that's the wrong question. Why should any neighborhood be the "right" one for such a danger? And again, distributing those same offenders all across the state really isn't a better answer than concentrating many such offenders in a few neighborhoods unless you believe that it takes two or more offenders to cause harm - clearly it doesn't - or you think that putting more communities at risk better. This morning's Strib editorial makes an important point: sexual predators who have not already murdered would not qualify for a death penalty. Unfortunately, prepetrators of this sort do tend to continue to offend and to escalate in the violence of their crimes. No community, its women, children and vulnerable people, should be put in harm's way of such a serious known danger, in my opinion. How do we change our laws on sentencing and releasing such perpetrators so that they truly never have access again to their prey, that seems to me to be a better question? Ann Berget Mother of two young adult daughters Resident of Kingfield with a Level 3 offender living 4 blocks away
Re: [Mpls] Packing Sex offenders in Mpls/ The wrong question?
From the city of Minneapolis website (at http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/police/crime-prevention/sex-offender.asp): *Why is this offender being placed in my neighborhood?* Sex offenders are NOT placed in any neighborhoods in the City of Minneapolis. Once they are released from prison, they are free to live wherever they choose. Most offenders are released to the jurisdiction that originally gained conviction and is overseeing their probation. This jurisdiction cannot legally deny them residency. Offenders that want to move outside that jurisdiction must obtain permission prior to moving and may be denied residency. More often than not, offenders chose to live where their family or friends reside, where they are close to work or have easy access to it, or where they can find affordable housing. No government institution, including the Minneapolis Police Department, Hennepin County Probation, Department of Corrections, or the courts are steering offenders as to where to live. The rest of that section of the city web site is worth a read to anyone interested in this issue. Chris Johnson Fulton 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
Re: [Mpls] Packing Sex offenders in Mpls/ The wrong question?
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: This morning's Strib editorial makes an important point: sexual predators who have not already murdered would not qualify for a death penalty. Unfortunately, perpetrators of this sort do tend to continue to offend and to escalate in the violence of their crimes. WM: I thought Level 3 meant most likely to reoffend. American law, however, makes the contention that until someone actually commits a crime the state cannot keep that person imprisoned indefinitely. The law that would have to change would be that a level 3 offender would have to be sentenced to life without the possibility of parole. Ergo, the level of offense would have to be attached to the offender by the court before, during, or immediately after adjudication. I can see real problems getting that change to happen. WizardMarks, Central 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
Re: [Mpls] Packing Sex offenders in Mpls/ The wrong question?
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
Re: [Mpls] Packing Sex offenders in Mpls/ The wrong question?
In a message dated 12/11/03 5:13:17 PM Central Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: "180 Degrees at 236 Clifton Place" Don't forget that we had an alleged Al Queada member dwelling there and he walked away and was only captured trying to flee the country at the Virginia airport. This facility is approximately 400 feet , as the crow flies, from another half-way facility and is actually within sight of Lydia House. I believe there's another facility on Clifton but I'll have to check on that. Apparently no one can think of a more creative use for the abandoned mansions created from the I-94 gash and I realize they don't much real estate sense today, but my god: no more! Jon Gorder From the oddly more and more upscale but still impacted: Loring Park p.s Yes the treatment houses were put in when this was a deplorable hood fifteen years ago, but Lydia is a brand new fought and lost deal. Also, I lied. You have to walk up the hill two houses from "180 degrees" to see Lydia House. About 800 feet away. Respect the law kids.
