Sex Offenders Often Cluster In Urban Buildings

11-17-2009 New Hampshire:

Neighborhood Pressure, Expense Sometimes Push Offenders Together

MANCHESTER, N.H. -- There are about 2,400 registered sex offenders living in New Hampshire, and often, they end up living in the same building in the state's largest cities.

Officials and sex offenders said it often isn't easy for them to find a place to live, and many eventually settle for the same rooming house or apartment building.

Two sex offenders who live in the same Manchester rooming house spoke to News 9 but asked not to be identified. When News 9 spoke with them, almost 20 offenders lived in the building, where a simple dorm room and kitchen access costs $135 per week.

"It is very difficult for a sex offender," one offender said. "Very, very difficult."

Offenders said reintegrating into a place they're not wanted isn't easy.

"People don't want to give you jobs, give you a chance for anything," said an offender.

Hundreds of sex offenders live in New Hampshire neighborhoods. Many are clustered in apartment buildings or rooming houses because they are low-profile and cheap.

"If they live in a city like Concord, there's only a few landlords that will rent to them," said Scott Dodge, a Concord parole officer.

But it raises the question of whether a cluster of known sex offenders is safe? One apartment house in Concord was home to 13 sex offenders, while a Nashua location had seven offenders.

Dodge said urban buildings are sometimes more likely to be approved by an offender's parole officer.

"Ideally, we don't want them around their victim set," he said.

In many cases, that's young children. But once they're off parole, offenders can live almost anywhere. In Concord, two sex offenders were living in a building across from a park. A Manchester rooming house that's home to 13 offenders is in sight of a day care.

State Rep. Leo Pepino, R-Manchester, said he would like to see residency restrictions for offenders in Manchester added to the list of other rules they already follow.

"Well, what I'm worried about is the kids," Pepino said.

Currently, offenders must do multiple check-ins with police, have surprise visits from their parole officers, follow curfews and restricted have access to children.

"I stay away from schools and stay out of parks," one Manchester offender said. "I have no need to go in there."

Behind the walls in the rooming houses, offenders are not supposed to socialize. But inevitably, they do meet.

"I just say, 'Hi, hello,'" an offender said. "That's it. As far as hanging out, we're not supposed to hang out together."

"I end up talking with some of them from time to time," said another offender. "I don't generally hang out with them. Usually, I work nights and sleep days."

Authorities said their main concern in close-knit living is that one offender might slip up with drugs or pornography and cause others to follow. But so far, police said there is no evidence that offender clusters have led to more crimes or more reoffending.

In fact, some experts believe it can be therapeutic.

"It could be quite beneficial because they can then help each other identify anything that might be potential triggers of their reoffending pattern," said Helen Hanks of the Department of Corrections.

"It's a mutual support or group therapy is the best way to say it," said Douglas Gherlone, the owner of a rooming house.

Offenders also said that in the apartment buildings, they are left alone and don't have to deal with protests and anger sometimes seen by offenders who move to more residential areas.

"The awareness steps up," said Concord Sgt. John Thomas. "People get upset that this person is now in the neighborhood, and they didn't have to deal with this issue before."

Police also said that in some ways, clusters make it easier for them when doing compliance checks, and sometimes, the landlords will alert police to any issues. ..Source.. by WMUR9.com