NY- Proposed law targets sex-offender residences

This is absurd, pandering to false beliefs. Separating offenders actually makes the community less safe because as folks well know these offenses are committed in isolation. Current evidence proves that it is far better to have offenders live together than apart. See Finding 4 of a 2003 Minnesota Report to their legislature on housing of sex offenders in the community.

7-11-2008 New York:

Walsh would limit registered offenders living in same home

Brookhaven Councilwoman Kathy Walsh (R-Centereach) has proposed a local law to prohibit more than two registered sex offenders from residing in the same one-family dwelling.

The intent is to "limit the saturation" of registered sex offenders, Walsh said, adding that the approval of this law would amend Chapter 55 of the code of the Town of Brookhaven's Child Protection Act. A public hearing has been scheduled for Aug. 5.

According to Laura Ahearn, executive director of Parents for Megan's Law, town officials recently amended their local code to be consistent with Suffolk County law, which states that "registered sex offenders cannot live within a quarter mile of public and private schools, licensed day care centers or playgrounds with playground apparatus." Ahearn said this week there are 854 registered sex offenders in Suffolk County.

Based on that relatively small number, Walsh said, "Limiting it to two per household in Brookhaven doesn't seem to be an unreasonable law."

Currently, there is no town code that regulates the number of registered sex offenders residing in the same one-family dwelling, Ahearn said. She has been approached by residents from Gordon Heights "deeply concerned about multiple sex offenders in one home," she noted, adding that there were five to six per house, specifically mentioning Homestead Drive in that Coram neighborhood.

"This community has had a tremendous burden … for over a decade" of so many offenders located in the area, said the executive director. "This is a problem not only locally but all over the country."

Walsh and Ahearn, who began working together in January, agreed the proposed law would alleviate the problem by holding landlords accountable. "We can ticket the landlords so that they don't rent to five, six offenders [per household], saturating a community that has affordable, rentable homes," Walsh said.

Town officials will be able to track the registered sex offenders through the town's geographic information system, Walsh noted, eliminating the need for additional funds. "The idea is to keep landlords from exploiting our communities for profit," the councilwoman continued. "We acknowledge that they have paid their debt to society. They do have to be given the opportunity to readjust to society, but we also have a responsibility to keep our families safe."

Ahearn, who founded PFML 12 years ago, agreed Walsh's amendment to the Child Protection Act would alleviate the saturation problem by penalizing "landlords ... who are just trying to make a buck."

"We're very pleased that Councilwoman Walsh stepped up to the plate," she said. "Brookhaven can now rest assured that certain landlords who are looking to exploit the community are not going to be able to anymore."

According to Walsh, landlords violating the proposed local law would face fines between $250 and $2,500 per week for as long as the violation continues.

"Some of these [sex offenders] will never do this again," Walsh added. "You don't want to penalize people forever, but you also have a responsibility to make sure that the community is not saturated."

In 2006, the Suffolk County Legislature approved a bill introduced by Legislator Kate Browning (WF-Shirley) to prohibit multiple-registered sex offenders from living in one household. That bill, however, only applies to those offenders who are on parole or probation, or those who receive social services. ..News Source.. by Jennifer Choi