Guest commentary: Residency laws may not deter sex crimes

12-22-2009 Wisconsin:

The release of convicted criminals back into the community has often led to serious discussions and controversy on the effectiveness of the prison system in Wisconsin to punish or to rehabilitate offenders.

For our community, not much seems to hit closer to home than the release of a sex offender from prison.

Recently, the Manitowoc Police Department's Crime Prevention Bureau notified residents in two south-side neighborhoods that convicted sex offenders have been released from prison and moved in to their neighborhoods. Since these offender notifications, many residents have voiced their concerns.

The question surfaced regarding Manitowoc not having residency restrictions placed on convicted sex offenders. Residency restrictions have been enacted in more than 25 states. Most often the legislation prohibits sex offenders from living within close proximity (500 to 2,500 feet) of locations where children congregate (schools, parks, day care centers, etc.). In April 2009 the Manitowoc city council considered, but did not pass, a residency restriction ordinance. The council said the promotion of crime prevention and safe behaviors should be a top priority versus creating safe zones.

Minnesota, which has some local residency restrictions, recently conducted a research study of 3,166 sex offenders released from Minnesota prisons from 1990 to 2002, (Duwe, Donnay, and Tewksbury, 2008). The study indicated that of the released sex offenders, 224 were re-incarcerated for a new sex offense before 2006. The results showed that none of the 224 offenders would likely have been stopped by a restricted residency ordinance.

The study noted that many of the offenders (113 of the 224) gained access to their victims through another adult person. The study concluded that residency restrictions would have, at best, only a marginal effect on sexual recidivism and that sex offenders are more likely to be recognized in their neighborhood. It indicated that most recurring sex offenses happened between 1 and 20 miles away from the offender's residence. Offenders pick a residence based on what they can afford and generally pick a victim through an acquaintance or victimize children in their own family.

Communities that have enacted residency restrictions on sex offenders have seen the percentage of offenders that are compliant with the registry drop significantly. Noncompliance with the registry means the information the registry contains is out-of-date and misleading to the public and law enforcement.

In 1997 Wisconsin enacted the Sex Offender Registration and Community Notification Law. The Department of Corrections established the State of Wisconsin Sex Offender Registry Web site to provide sex offender information for police, victims and the general public.

Wisconsin grants the public access to information such as offense data, names, pictures and addresses of convicted sex offenders.

We urge you to attend future public meetings concerning the release of sex offenders into our community. To learn more visit the sex offender registry Web site at http://offender.doc.state.wi.us/public or contact them via the 24-hour, toll-free phone number 1-800-398-2403.

The Manitowoc Police Department's Web site also dedicates a page specifically to focus on sex offenders living in Manitowoc. The site also provides valuable information about the ways in which Manitowoc citizens can protect themselves and those they love from acts of sexual violence. To access the Police Department's site, go to manitowoc.org, click on City Gov't/Depts. and choose Police.

We encourage all Manitowoc residents to get involved in their local neighborhood. Embracing good crime prevention theories and techniques such as Neighborhood Watch and the McGruff House program, and educating children about the offenders who live near them, and the potential offenders that may approach and harm them, is the key to safeguarding our children and Manitowoc neighborhoods.

Please feel free to contact the Manitowoc Crime Prevention Bureau at (920) 686-6572 or (920) 686-6576 if you have any questions or if you have information on a sex offender that you believe is not compliant with the Sex Offender Registry laws. ..Source.. Oscar "Tony" Dick is Manitowoc police chief.