Tracking Homeless Sex Offenders (With GPS)

If registrants are homeless, is it likely they can pay for GPS? So, this expense would be totally borne by taxpayer money; not smart...

11-15-2009 Ohio:

DAYTON, Ohio — A Dayton area lawmaker wants Tier 3 homeless sex offenders to be tracked using either a GPS unit or a microchip.

State Rep. Clayton Luckie said his proposed bill is necessary after police arrested and charged a homeless sex offender for attacking two women near a hospital.

The bill is still in the early stages and had not yet been formally introduced.

"The public has safety awareness. They have the opportunity to know where predators are," said Luckie.

Tier 3 sex offenders are required to register with the sheriff's office every 90 days for life. Luckie said it's hard to keep track of them if they're homeless. That's why he believes his proposed bill will help keep women and children safe.

"The most important thing is to give the judges the discretion. Who needs to be monitored and who does not need to be monitored," said Luckie.

Luckie wants them to either wear a monitoring device or be micro-chipped.

"There's a little device that you can take a little needle and put the device right into a person's arm" he said.

"The bracelet idea is probably okay, but the microchip embedded in people, that's just not a good idea at all," said Sara Carlson, who is against the bill.

Carlson said it's just another example of too much government intrusion.

"His heart's in the right place, but I mean, it's our liberties that are at jeopardy here. Even the homeless sex offenders have some liberties," she said.

Carlson, who is unemployed, also isn't happy with the cost of the program. Luckie said it'll cost $40 a month to monitor homeless sex offenders.

"For the peace of mind of residents of the city of Dayton, I think we can apply for a grant or some federal funds to help us do this as a pilot project," said Luckie.

"Our tax dollars being spent. So certainly, there's better ways of keeping track. Maybe, oh I don't know, parole officers," said Carlson.

The proposed legislation is expected to be formally introduced to the House next week. ..Source.. by ONN TV.com