2-25-2009 Indiana:
A battered national economy hit home with the Shelby County Board of Commissioners Monday as the board was asked to help shelter a heavy new load of first-time homeless persons in the county.
Aid to the homeless in Shelby County is projected to cost Human Services Inc. $17,300 in 2009 - $12,500 for hotel rooms and $4,800 for homeless placement administration.
Sandra Hall and Debbie DeBord of Human Services approached the commissioners Monday and asked for $17,300 to aid homeless families and transients in 2009 with emergency lodging and other expenses.
Hall, county director of Human Services, said the need for a homeless shelter in Shelbyville has become acute because of several factors, including evictions, foreclosures and condemned homes.
She said there were 427 homeless people, including 208 children, seeking housing in Shelby County in 2008. That's up 82 percent from the 235 homeless people Human Services assisted in 2007. Local police also often call the agency about transients, Hall said.
"Most of the people I see are being evicted, or a lot of guys are going to jail, so you've got a lot of homeless women with children," Hall told the commissioners, "and lots of 18-year-olds being kicked out by their parents."
Shelbyville's Knights Inn offers Human Services a $25 per night discounted rate to house clients, and there's also a homeless shelter in Greenfield, where Shelby County's homeless are taken for temporary shelter, Hall said.
But Hall said a better option is to seek community support for a Shelbyville homeless shelter. She said she has asked about a dozen Shelby County business representatives and several social service agencies to help with a homeless shelter.
"With the needs that we've seen, it's an ever-increasing problem," Hall said. "We've had two people that lost everything at the (Indiana Live! Casino), and they're trying to make it home. More than anything else, I would just like to make a plea to the commissioners. There are a lot of people out there hurting."
Hall said a Shelbyville homeless shelter can be staffed by Shelby County Community Support and Human Services staff. Its purpose would be to provide a variety of training to the homeless and move them from homelessness to self-sufficiency.
The training would include educating the homeless on job training, budgeting, resume writing, parenting, anger management, maintaining employment, acquiring a General Education Development diploma, goal setting, renters' rights and car ownership.
"The benefits would be having a population that is more self-sufficient and moving away from public assistance," said Hall's written proposal to the commissioners. "The true key to doing this is education and community support and to serve as a bridge from poverty to self-sufficiency."
Hall said grant money could be utilized to purchase a building for a shelter and fix it up, but she said the month-to-month operational costs are the problem.
"What we're looking for is the commitment to move forward to make sure the funds are there to staff the facility with people who can conduct case management with the families in need," said DeBord, executive director of Human Services Inc. "We're not in business to give handouts ... but to get them back on track to lead productive lives themselves. The need continues to grow. We're seeing many more evictions and foreclosures, and we're working to try and take care of the immediate need of placement, as well as work with them to ensure that they have the knowledge and resources to help make their lives better."
Human Services, one of 24 community action agencies in Indiana, is a nonprofit that serves six central Indiana counties, including Shelby County, with an $11 million annual budget.
Shelby County Board of Commissioners President Tony Newton said the commissioners would check the county's poor relief fund and see if any of the money can be allocated to Human Services.
"I know we have a little money that we can help out a little bit," Newton said. "We will check into that and see about helping you out some and get back to you in a week or so." ..News Source.. by Jeff Tucker
Staff writer
February 25, 2009
IN- Homeless advocates ask for help with shelter
December 27, 2008
Laws to Track Sex Offenders Encouraging Homelessness
12-27-2008 National:
LOS ANGELES -- Upon release from state custody, Ross Wollschlager began an intensive search for a home, one that abided by the restrictions imposed on convicted sex offenders in California -- and, in various versions, by about 30 other states. Obliged by law to return to Ventura County, the convicted rapist was forbidden to sleep within 2,000 feet of a school or a park.
He ended up in a tent on the dry bed of the Ventura River.
Strict new laws aimed at keeping track of sex offenders after they leave prison appear to be having the opposite effect, encouraging homelessness in a population believed more likely to re-offend if cast into the streets without structure or family support, say prosecutors, police, parole officials and experts on managing sex offenders.
The issue is starkest in California, where the number of sex crime parolees registering as transient has jumped more than 800 percent since Proposition 83 was passed in November 2006. The "Jessica's Law" initiative imposed strict residency rules and called for all offenders to wear Global Positioning System bracelets for the rest of their lives.
Named for a 9-year-old Florida girl raped and murdered by a convicted sex offender, the provision passed by a wide margin that reflected the powerful public emotion that experts and law enforcement officials say in this instance trumped sound policy.
"The public definitely was sold a bill of goods on this one," said Detective Diane Webb, supervisor of the Los Angeles Police Department unit that tracks 5,000 sex offenders in Los Angeles County. "Unfortunately, it bodes well for politicians to support it because the public does have this false sense of security that this is somehow protecting them when it's not."
Locating legal housing for offenders has become so difficult in urban California that when parole officers find an apartment building beyond the exclusion zones, they often pile in as many offenders as the landlord will accept. When neighbors notice, the cluster spurs protests that prompt lawmakers to pass even tighter exclusion zones as Proposition 83 allows.
In Long Beach, the City Council this year passed a bill expanding such zones to areas near child-care centers and beaches after residents learned of 19 offenders living in a small apartment building. The provision made it nearly impossible to house a sex crime parolee in the city of 500,000.
Nearby Carson followed suit after parole officers placed 30 offenders in a hotel in a light industrial area. Pomona included areas near railroad stations and bus stops.
"If you want to game the system, you use your redevelopment agency to buy up vacant lots and turn them into 'pocket parks,' " Carson City Attorney William Wynder told a gathering of officials from affected communities in the fall. The idea: Design the equivalent of San Francisco, where the dense geography of schools and parks rendered the entire city an exclusion zone.
"It is almost geo-spatially impossible to house a sex offender in San Francisco," said Suzanne Brown-McBride, who chairs the California Sex Offender Management Board. The board, created by the legislature, this month issued a report lamenting the unintended consequences of Jessica's Law.
"Common sense leads to the conclusion that a community cannot be safer when sex offenders are homeless," the report said.
Similar complications face 31 other states that have passed residency restrictions. Georgia's Supreme Court last year struck down its law on the grounds that the 1,000-foot restriction violated property rights; the succeeding measure also faces a court challenge. Homeless offenders in Miami huddled nightly under a bridge after being kicked off a vacant lot neighboring a center for abused children.
In Iowa, the number of sex offenders whose whereabouts were unknown doubled after passage of residence restrictions.
"I don't think anybody has found any evidence that they contribute to safety," said Corwin Ritchie, head of the Iowa County Attorneys Association. "The main defenders are people who are just basing it on emotion, not good public policy. I think most legislators have figured that out in their hearts."
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children reports about 100 child abductions nationwide a year. "And every one of those is incredibly tragic; there's just no doubt about it," Corwin said. "But it's a tiny number to justify doing these crazy things. And that's what they are. And these restrictions don't stop those crimes anyway."
Justice Department statistics show that 93 percent of child victims are molested by someone they know.
"There's this mythology that you have to know who this scary man is in the neighborhood who might hurt your child, when the reality is sex offenders are often people we know and love," said Jill Levenson, an associate professor at Lynn University in Florida and a researcher on sex offenders.
The attention paid convicted offenders is also easier to explain emotionally than statistically. Ten percent of sex crimes are committed by someone convicted of a previous sexual offense, and the chances of recidivism vary greatly, statistics show. Clinicians say the odds of an individual re-offending can be predicted with reasonable confidence by assessments that take into account age, offense, history and other variables. In the entire population of sex offenders, clinicians say, about 15 percent bear close watch.
"They need a place to live, obviously. We can't send them to the moon," said Tiffany Tsukuda, 23, a tenant in a large East L.A. apartment complex where 47 registered offenders were living at one time. "The problem is, from the criminal justice perspective, we warehouse. We don't treat.
"I really begin with reintegrating, but we're the opposite. We believe in shaming. You have an 'X' on you forever."
In fact, treatment is available to some. When he left prison, Wollschlager was dubbed a "violent sexual predator" and civilly committed to a state treatment center. Though in California, most such offenders decline to participate in treatment (perhaps because admissions in therapy to previously unknown offenses can be used as evidence in court), he was among a handful who graduated to open society. A judge approved release with initial monitoring by a security guard, who watched his tent from a nearby vehicle. Other restrictions may have been specified.
"Let's say you're a sex offender who regularly met your victims on the Internet," said Nancy Kincaid, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Mental Health, which has so far released 13 offenders. "You won't be moving out with a computer."
Advocates who generally praise Proposition 83 for increasing penalties see false comfort in its post-release provisions.
Crucially, the ballot measure provided no legal grounds to enforce its provisions on the 75 percent of California's convicted offenders who have completed their sentences, unless they are arrested anew. At the Carson meeting, a senior parole official displayed maps showing scores of convicted offenders living adjacent to schools, despite the nominal assurances of Proposition 83.
"You've got a law that says you can't do it, and it's happening," said Robert Ambroselli, deputy director of adult parole operations. "I have a sex offender who lives in my neighborhood. I'm as upset about it as anybody is."
In reality, the restrictions are enforced only on parolees, because their freedom can be revoked. But GPS tracking of 6,300 parolees will cost $60 million next year, and with the housing contortions, parole officers will have less time for surprise drop-bys and other work.
"We're probably using 60 to 70 percent of our resources managing 10 percent of our population," said Alfred Martinez, a state parole official based in Los Angeles.
The state lawmaker who championed Proposition 83 said he was not bothered by homelessness resulting from the initiative because every transient offender is supposed to be wearing an ankle bracelet.
"We knew the consequence from the very beginning; that's why we included GPS as well as residency requirements," said state Sen. George Runner, a Republican who represents an L.A. exurb. "We don't need to re-debate what the people of California asked for."
Professionals in the field disagree. The California Coalition on Sexual Offending, a professional group grounded in treatment, issued a report in December saying that residency restriction "should be recognized as a well-intentioned failure" and repealed, a move also advocated by New York-based advocacy group Human Rights Watch.
"It boils down to that perception of safety, which is as powerful if not more so than actual empirical data," said Todd Rogers, who sees the conundrum from both sides as a captain in the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and a City Council member in suburban Lakewood. "Jessica's Law is the third rail of state politics." ..News Source.. by Karl Vick, Washington Post Staff Writer
July 22, 2008
CO- Residents worry about missing sex offenders
7-22-2008 Colorado:
Globeville residents are up in arms after discovering that nearly 100 registered sex offenders are listing a nearby homeless shelter as their address.
The large concentration of men with myriad sex crimes on their records is only half of their worry.
Another 62 men the registry identifies as "whereabouts unknown" also listed the Salvation Army Crossroads Shelter as their home.
The city's online registry is driving some of the fear.
Police said the number of unaccounted registered sex offenders from the shelter just north of downtown is cumulative and that about 15 are currently missing.
But the damage is done.
"We're concerned about where everybody is located," said Paulette Hirsh, president of the Globeville Civic Association No. 1.
"We have a whole bunch that are supposed to be registered there," but their whereabouts are unknown, she said.
Salvation Army Maj. Neal Hogan is also disputing the number of registered sex offenders who the city's registry identifies as currently living at the shelter, at 1901 29th St., although police insist that number is accurate.
"Every time we have reviewed our numbers, we only have at any one time between 30 and 40," Hogan said. "Currently, we only have 30 registered sex offenders."
Police Lt. Ron Saunier said the city is working closely with the shelter to monitor registered sex offenders living there.
A portion of a $217,000 grant the city received to monitor sex offenders will be used for technology to help track them at the shelter, he said.
"We've got a professor from one of the universities who's looking at what's the best way, if it's voice recognition, fingerprint or some of that, so that we will have a better idea of what's going on," he said.
"We share the same concerns that the public has down there," Saunier added.
Councilwoman Judy Montero, whose district includes the shelter, said new partnerships have been forged to help alleviate the concerns.
"Everybody is at the table," she said. "No one is turning their head on this. We're working on it."
Hogan said housing sex offenders is an emotional subject, but it's better to have them in a safe and supervised location than out on the streets.
"We have said and we still say that we are not a sex offender program," he said.
"We are a homeless services program. And because of our unique status, generally we're about the only place that sex offenders can go." ..News Source.. by Daniel J. Chacon, Rocky Mountain News
July 11, 2008
The Impact of Residence Restrictions for Sex Offenders
7-11-2008 National:
The National Alliance to End Homelessness Audio Conference of 7-10-2008.
Dr. Jill Levenson, a national expert on residence restrictions and professor at Lynn University, on our audio conference held 7-10-2008. Dr. Levenson discussed the impact of these laws and what they mean for homelessness and public safety.
Two power point presentations:
Audio Conference Presentation and Supplemental Materials.
..Source.. by The National Alliance to End Homelessness
July 10, 2008
SD- Homeless Sex Offenders Must Register In South Dakota
Given notification of what is required under these laws, I wonder how these former offenders will be notified of this requirement, or will they just be arrested for non compliance?
7-10-2008 South Dakota:
Eight days ago, a new law went into effect in South Dakota that requires homeless and transient sex offenders in the Rushmore State to register. While the idea may sound great on paper, it could be tough to enforce.
"If you didn't have an address you did not need to register," says Democratic Senator Ben Nesselhuf, who co-sponsored the bill that requires the names and locations of homeless sex offenders to be listed on the state-wide registry. It became law July 1st.
"We wanna make it as airtight as possible," he explains.
The bill received bi-partisan support from South Dakota lawmakers.
Senator Jean Hunhoff, a Republican from Yankton adds, "I think it's very important anytime we have sexual predators, people need to know where they're living at so that we can create safe areas for our children."
Even though they don't have a permanent address, homeless sex offenders will still have to register where they sleep, whether it's on a picnic table, bench, or under a tree.
-What happens when they get chased from these areas, and then the police cannot find them which results in another arrest.
While the idea may sound good in theory, is it really enforceable?
North Sioux City Police Chief Jody Frye says, "Well, I wouldn't say it's unenforceable. These are people that are out there. We have no clue where they are."
Frye admits some transients will fall through the cracks.
"If they're on the move all of the time, in that aspect it will be very difficult," he explains.
"I would agree it's difficult to enforce, but at the same time at least it's on the books so that we can enforce it," Hunhoff believes.
Adding to that challenge, sex offenders who stay in one place for less than five days do not have to register their location.
Chief Frye estimates there are six sex offenders living in North Sioux City homes, and another dozen employed there. ..News Source.. by Kristen Johnson
June 16, 2008
NY- Survey of sex offenders in New York City family shelter system updated
Interesting, these Fear Mongering lawmakers are upset that a few RSO are living side-by-side with other families, isn't that the way it is in the community? Further, they compare stats from last year to this year, and no mention of any crimes occurring. Finally lawmakers state when and how often RSOs must register, why? Obviously they are doing that otherwise how did you find their addresses in the registry? Fear Mongering lawmakers!
6-16-2008 New York:
NEW YORK - Senator Jeffrey Klein (D-Bronx/Westchester) joined by his colleagues Senator Eric Adams (D-Brooklyn) and Senator Diane Savino (D-Staten Island/Brooklyn), Sunday released what he characterized as “the shocking results” of an updated analysis of sex offenders residing in the New York City Family Shelter System: “Sex Offenders in the System: A Survey of the NYC Family Shelter System”.
The report said that there are five level 2-3 sexual offenders who have recently, or are currently residing side by side along young children in family shelters in Manhattan and the Bronx. Klein’s report is based on the Division of Criminal Justice Services’ online database which lists the addresses of level 2-3 sex offenders who are required to register under Megan’s Law.
Last August, Klein released a similar report which found that there were six sex offenders in the family shelter system. Two of the six shelters are once again on the Senator’s list.
“Here we are one year later and things haven’t changed. The fact that there is even one convicted sex offender residing in the NYC family shelter system is unacceptable. New York State has taken extensive precautions to protect the public from convicted sex offenders by finally enacting a civil confinement law after years of strife, yet it leaves our homeless children completely vulnerable to the advances of known criminals,” said Klein.
Each family shelter has a different operating procedure regarding the confidentiality of their residents, but at least two offenders were confirmed to actually have been living or still residing in the shelters as of 6/11/08.
Under Megan’s Law sex offenders are required to annually verify their address on or about the anniversary of the original registration date, by signing an annual verification form and mailing it back to DCJS within 10 days. A level 3 sex offender or a sexual predator, in addition to signing an annual verification from, is required to personally verify his or her address every 90 days with the local law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the sex offender's residence. ..News Source.. by EmpireNewsState.net
November 19, 2007
Many sex offenders are often homeless
11-18-2007 National:
Thousands of convicted sex offenders are reporting to police that they are homeless, raising concerns that their lack of a permanent address could make them difficult to track, a USA TODAY analysis shows.
Sex offenders, who are required to register with police and often barred by law from living near places where children gather, list addresses such as a tent, "near a bike path," "behind a cemetery" or "woods behind Wal-Mart."
OFF THE MAP: Homeless and dangerous
LIST: Registered sex offenders by state
In Boston, nearly two-thirds of 136 high-risk sex offenders lack permanent addresses. In New York City, more than 100 registered at two homeless shelters. In Miami last month, 22 reported living under the Julia Tuttle Causeway that links the city to Miami Beach.
"People should be concerned about this," says Jill Levenson, sex-crimes policy analyst at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Fla. She says homeless sex offenders are more likely to commit another crime.
USA TODAY reviewed each state's sex-offender registry, searched tens of thousands of addresses and interviewed officials in 45 states after contacting all states. The analysis shows:
•Two-thirds of the states allow convicted sex offenders, including violent predators, to register as homeless or list a shelter or inexact location as long as they stay in touch with police.
•At least a dozen states list hundreds of sex offenders without specific addresses. California registered 2,716 as "transient." Washington state listed 564 as homeless, but the number is probably much higher, says Carolyn Sanchez of the Washington State Patrol.
•Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Maine and other states say the number of homeless sex offenders is rising. Landlords often won't rent to them, and laws in dozens of states and hundreds of cities bar them from living near areas where kids play.
"Residency restrictions are the linchpin for causing homelessness among sex offenders," says Frances Breyne of the Kansas Department of Corrections.
In California, about 500 have registered as "transient" since a law last year blocked them from living within 2,000 feet of a school or park, says Bill Sessa of the California Department of Corrections. They must report daily where they'll spend the night.
An exact count of convicted sex offenders who are homeless could not be done because not all state records are online. Some states do not list homeless as an address but allow shelters, post office boxes, highway mile markers and streets without house numbers.
Illinois prefers that an offender register as homeless and report weekly to police rather than register once a year and list a shelter where he might stay one night, says Cara Smith, deputy chief of staff to the attorney general.
Some states keep sex offenders locked up until they find housing. In Michigan, they are less likely to get parole than murderers, says Russ Marlin, spokesman for the state Department of Corrections. In Georgia, sex offenders can be arrested for being homeless.
Homeless sex offenders are not necessarily more dangerous than those with housing, says Laura Rogers, director of the Justice Department's office for tracking sex offenders.
She says, "The people you need to be worried about most are the ones who aren't registering at all." ..more.. by Wendy Koch, USA TODAY
