Sex offender home told to disband

3-14-2014 Missouri:

City of Springfield issued order on 'Recovery Chapel'

A group home on the Springfield's southeast side is being told to close.

Four of the eight people in the house on the 1800 block of Crestview have past sexual crimes. Farris Robertson, Chaplin Emeritus of Recovery Chapel, says the men are being given a second chance to get back into society, while at the same time being watched carefully.

"We harbor no predators," said Robertson. "We in fact are the first in front line to identify abnormal and unacceptable behavior and we talk to them about it and that they are going to have to change and if they don't, they leave and we are the first ones to notify the authority."

Friday, the city denied a permit for that group home saying city ordinance forbids a group home setting for several convicted criminals in a single-family neighborhood. The city is ordering Recovery Chapel to comply with the city code within 30 days.

Sex offenders should not be allowed in parks or beaches

See also below: Council to revisit sex-offender park ban

2-3-2014 California:

In 2012 a law was passed that prohibited registered sex offenders from entering areas where children would likely be present. This in includes parks, playgrounds and beaches. However, according to ABC News the law was overturned in an appeals court in January 2014 because it was said to violate California’s state law. See Fourth District Court of Appeal Tosses City’s Sex Offender Ordinance

It is clear the state of California and its cities are not doing all they can to protect the families and children of California by leaving them vulnerable to dangerous criminals.

In May 2012, District Attorney Tony Rackauckas released a statement explaining the conditions of the law that would be put into effect within 30 days. Under this law, if a sex offender entered one of these restricted areas, they would have been charged with a misdemeanor, facing six months of jail time and/or a $500 fine for each separate facility entered. Santa Ana was one of the first cities to pass their new ordinance laws and since then dozens of cities have followed.

However, now with the overturn of this law, registered sex offenders will be allowed in areas with a high population of children. Sex offenders have committed heinous acts and they should not be allowed into parks or beaches.

Many Americans will argue that there are different types of sex offenders and different degrees of their offenses.