WI- Sex offender ordinance

What we have here is, a discussion of how to keep people that are disliked away from a specific area. These folks think they have authority to do that when in reality they do not, so they twist their reasoning and say, well we will keep just sex offenders from living in this area under the presumption of what? The fact that they limit their discussion to just sex offenders tells us it is discriminatory and has nothing to do with safety of anyone.

1-26-2009 Wisconsin:

Study all angles of sex offender ordinance

Few topics can fray our nerves like how we treat — or ought to treat — sex offenders.

That was evident during an emotional meeting at Manitowoc City Hall Wednesday night. Many in attendance called for a city ordinance restricting where those convicted of serious sex crimes would be allowed to live upon release from prison. In Wisconsin, 72 municipalities have enacted such restrictions.

We're not ready to say that Manitowoc should join them, because we think the proposal needs a great deal more study and public debate.

We must, however, get beyond the purely emotional in this discussion, just as we must avoid a solely analytical approach.

One man at the hearing labeled sex offenders as "animals" who are "not wired right." Another called for them to "be put in a coop out in Lake Michigan somewhere."

This gets us nowhere. Dehumanizing sex criminals is as pointless as labeling them all victims of their upbringing or environment. No label fits all situations when dealing with complex — and individual — human beings.

That's why it's so difficult to legislate and make rules that will make everyone happy.

We understand the emotional reaction of those living in neighborhoods where sexual predators do things that are an abomination to 99.9 percent of the populace. We can particularly understand it if the despicable acts involve children.

Proponents say residency restrictions will keep sex offenders out of areas frequented by children, or at least alert neighborhoods about their presence.

Opponents say sex offenders likely would stop registering with the state — as required by law — if they were restricted from living in certain areas.

Melissa Roberts, a Manitowoc native and director of sex offender programs with the Wisconsin Department of Corrections in Madison, also says residency restrictions are "based on a faulty premise … that sex offenders access their victims geographically."

There often is little middle ground in this debate. Those with a personal stake in the matter don't often see eye-to-eye with those who analyze the problem from afar.

That's unfortunate, but likely unavoidable.

Before the city jumps in to draft an ordinance, however, there needs to be much more input from parents, teachers, judges, lawyers, sexual assault experts and others.

Knowledge from a number of sources is the best starting point in any proposed legislation, but becomes even more important when the lives of so many — victims and offenders alike — are affected.

Let's do it right, and do it slow, if we're going to do it at all. ..News Source.. by htr News.com