Friday, February 15, 2013

NIMBY Fail

A judge in Waco had to tell residents of an upscale neighborhood that the state cannot stop a registered sex offender from purchasing a home there. “I can’t create an exception where none exists,” District Judge Ralph Strother told the newspaper. “I can’t exile these people, and even if I said he absolutely can’t live there, what do I tell the people in next area he moved into?”

12 comments:

Prison Doc said...

Kudos to the judge for saying what needs to be said.

Nobody much likes sex offenders even if the term has gotten so loose that it is hard to imagine what "offense" was committed. A 19 year old dating a 15 year old? Someone masturbating while in prison?

RSO's have to jump through a lot of hoops already such that I can scarecely imagine how they can find work or housing. Unless we are going to execute all of them, society is going to need to just realize that vigilance is the answer, not exclusion.

Anonymous said...

"Prison Doc" said it best with, "society is going to need to just realize that vigilance is the answer, not exclusion. With over 72,000 rso's currently in Texas and growing each week, Where are these people to go. We need to educate ourselves and initiate reasonable law change to reduce this population not just "excommunicate" them!

sunray's wench said...

Texas has a lot of space. I don't like the idea, but I wouldn't be surprised if Texas is the first state to create a RSO "town", where they have to live once they are released from prison.

California already has a kind of prison for those the state can no longer hold as part of their sentence, where RSOs are sent to and not permitted to leave if they do not take part in treatment programmes.

Anonymous said...

Everybody loves the Constitution until someone else gets to use the freedoms guaranteed by it.

Anonymous said...

What I like is the homeowners argument that a bible study group meets within a 1000 feet of his house. AND??? Shouldn't Christians be the MOST tolerant and forgiving group out there? What a bunch of hypocrits.

Anonymous said...

Sunray'w wench Texas would not be the first. Washington State has an island (McNeil Island) for civil commitments with its own town.

This does bring up the issue that many small towns have city ordinances that prohibit Sex Offenders from living with in certain areas whether or not they are on probation or parole.

Ex. Portland Texas boasts that within their city limits they have only two sex offenders. Never mind there were only 5 in the city when they in-acted the ordinance to begin with. Certainly seems to be a civil liberties violation without any due process.

The 1000 ft rule is more about perception then any offering of real protection. While I that a high risk pedophile shouldn't be living near a school for the majority offenders forcing them to move puts a greater stress on them and puts them at a greater risk of offending.

Anonymous said...

Thank you 6:32, my thoughts exactly
Cathy

Alex said...

Escape From New York movie proves prophetic....

RSO wife said...

Maybe a whole town for us would be a good idea, then we wouldn't have to put up with all the misinformation that's out there perpetuated by media hype and political angst over reelection.

Most children are molested by someone they know and trust so you have more to fear from a family member or friend, a teacher, scout leader, youth minister or priest. Check out the numbers for yourself.

The recidivism rate for sex offenders is the lowest of any felony out there, but why should anybody stick to actual facts.

Anonymous said...

Hi RSO wife...you and I share a common issue....how can I get in touch with you outside of this blog?

rodsmith said...

Will never happen rso wife and 10:26.

Last country to do the penal colony experiemnt was england.

Result.....Australia!

Which now loans carriers to england!

No current govt is going to try that one again. Anything they do will be nothing but a glorified prison.

RSO mom said...

I am with you wife. I only wish that our families had our own community. Only then will we be allowed to live and be accountable for our safety and the safety of our loved ones. We could prohibit the media from intruding in our lives. I am sure the sheeple public would have no problem buying the land with which to build our town. That would guarantee that no more children would be harmed, yeah right.