Sex Offender Ghettos

I have long thought that sex offender ghettos are an inevitable result of residency restrictions.  A while ago, there was an excellent New York Magazine article about a sex offender "cluster" in Long Island.  Once these ghettos communities form, the question for the local community is whether that is good enough.  My expectation is that many communities will not be satisfied with the separation that ghettos afford.  Instead, many communities will seek de jure banishment from the larger area.

In support of this prediction, there are early signs in Long Beach, California that the community may want to remove a small sex offender community. USA Today reports that an apartment building has been converted into a home for as many as 19 registered sex offenders.  The article notes that outraged neighbors are describing the building as "the predator house."  A local newspaper reports that city officials are considering a new ordinance that would restrict where registered sex offenders are allowed to live.  A deputy press secretary for California Corrections and Rehabilitation told the newspaper, "from a parole agent's standpoint, this is probably one of the safest things for the community in being able to track a sex offender."  It will be interesting to see who wins the battle in Long Beach as this will be a growing conflict as residency restrictions are increasingly enforced.

Comments

[Mark]

They rally to ban sex offenders from large parts of the city, then they complain when they force them into increasing dense clusters. People are never satisfied when it comes down to creating a sub class of humans.

[Alan]

I'm just wondering where these people are supposed to go ?They treated like lepers,These served their sentences, is all they want is a chance to start over.My brother is in prison .How is he supposed to go to his daugther's high school graduation?