Where Can You Live in Florida if You Are a Registered Sex Offender?
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement website answers the question regarding where registered sex offenders and sexual predators may live in Florida as follows:
"In very general terms, barring any exceptions as so outlined in Florida Registration Statute, if a subject is a registered offender, who has a released status (meaning he/she is no longer serving any sanctions for the crime), and his/her offense date was committed before 10/1/2004, there is no Florida Statutory restriction on where he/she can live based upon his/her designation as an offender/predator.
However, Florida Statute 794.065, provides that certain individuals who have been convicted of a violation of s. 794.011, s. 800.04, s. 827.071, or s. 847.0145, with an offense date on or after October 1, 2004, where the victim of the offense was less than 16 years of age, cannot reside within 1,000 feet of any school, day care center, park, or playground. Please see the complete statutory text for F.S. 794.065 for further information.
Furthermore, there may also be municipal and/or county ordinances in your area regarding sex offenders/predators. Contact the appropriate entities in your local area (i.e. your local Sheriff's Office and/or Police Department) to obtain this information. For contact information for each of the Sheriff's Offices and Police Departments click on Links from the registry website.
Finally, if you are a sexual offender/predator who is still serving sanctions imposed, such as probation, parole, or community control under the [Florida] Department of Corrections (DC), you are required to follow the Conditions of Probation ordered by the judge in accordance with Florida statute. Restrictions are normally listed in these conditions. You should contact your probation officer directly for more information."
Some city and county ordinances in Florida make it extremely difficult--if not impossible--for sexual offenders to live lawfully in their communities. Take Miami for example. Last year, CNN reported how some sex offenders in that city have resorted to living under a bridge in order to comply with Miami's sex offender registration laws:
MIAMI, Florida (CNN) -- The sparkling blue waters off Miami's Julia Tuttle Causeway look as if they were taken from a postcard. But the causeway's only inhabitants see little paradise in their surroundings.
Five men -- all registered sex offenders convicted of abusing children -- live along the causeway because there is a housing shortage for Miami's least welcome residents.
"I got nowhere I can go!" says sex offender Rene Matamoros, who lives with his dog on the shore where Biscayne Bay meets the causeway.
The Florida Department of Corrections says there are fewer and fewer places in Miami-Dade County where sex offenders can live because the county has some of the strongest restrictions against this kind of criminal in the country.
Florida's solution: house the convicted felons under a bridge that forms one part of the causeway.
The Julia Tuttle Causeway, which links Miami to Miami Beach, offers no running water, no electricity and little protection from nasty weather. It's not an ideal solution, Department of Corrections Officials told CNN, but at least the state knows where the sex offenders are.
Nearly every day a state probation officer makes a predawn visit to the causeway. Those visits are part of the terms of the offenders' probation which mandates that they occupy a residence from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.
But what if a sex offender can't find a place to live?
That is increasingly the case, say state officials, after several Florida cities enacted laws that prohibit convicted sexual offenders from living within 2,500 feet of schools, parks and other places where children might gather. (Watch one sex offender describe how he was forced to give up an apartment )
Bruce Grant of the Florida Department of Corrections said the laws have not only kept sex offenders away from children but forced several to live on the street.
"Because of those restrictions, because there are many places that children congregate, because of 2,500 feet, that's almost half a mile, that's a pretty long way when you are talking about an urban area like Miami, so it isn't surprising that we say we are trying but we don't have a place for these people to live in," Grant said.
For several of the offenders, the causeway is their second experience at homelessness. Some of them lived for months in a lot near downtown Miami until officials learned that the lot bordered a center for sexually abused children.
Trudy Novicki, executive director of Kristi House, said the offenders' presence put the center's children at risk. "It was very troublesome to learn that across the street there are people who are sex offenders that could be a danger to our children," she said.
Keeping the rats off
With nowhere to put these men, the Department of Corrections moved them under the Julia Tuttle Causeway. With the roar of cars passing overhead, convicted sex offender Kevin Morales sleeps in a chair to keep the rats off him.
"The rodents come up next to you, you could be sleeping the whole night and they could be nibbling on you," he said.
Morales has been homeless and living under the causeway for about three weeks. He works, has a car and had a rented apartment but was forced to move after the Department of Corrections said a swimming pool in his building put him too close to children.
The convicted felons may not be locked up anymore, but they say it's not much of an improvement.
"Jail is anytime much better than this, than the life than I'm living here now," Morales said. "[In jail] I can sleep better. I get fed three times a day. I can shower anytime that I want to."
Morales said that harsher laws and living conditions for sex offenders may have unintended consequences.
"The tougher they're making these laws unfortunately it's scaring offenders and they're saying, 'You know what, the best thing for me to do is run,'" Morales said.
A Miami Herald investigation two years ago found that 1,800 sex offenders in Florida were unaccounted for after violating probation.
Florida's system for monitoring them needs to be fixed, says state Senator Dave Aronberg, who proposed a bill to increase electronic monitoring and create a uniform statewide limit that would keep them 1,500 feet away from places where children go.
'We need to know where these people are at all times," Aronberg said after CNN invited him to tour the bridge where the sex offenders live. "We need residency restrictions, but just don't have this hodgepodge of every city having something different."
State officials say unless the law changes their hands are tied, and for now the sex offenders will stay where they are: under a bridge in the bay.
http://sexoffenderissues.blogspot.com/
First, let me get this out. I am totally against ANY form of abuse to any human being. And I believe anyone who murders another human being should be in prison for the rest of their life (until they die). I do not believe in the death penalty for anyone. Also, I believe that once a person has been in and out of prison and has served their probation and parole, done everything required of them, and what was signed on the "contract" when they took the plea, none of this should be required of them, none of it. The state cannot tear up a contract like this, which they are basically doing, it's unconstitutional. Many people, if they had known they would be faced with all this, they would have NOT taken a plea deal. And the courts are very aware of this and this is why they made it retroactive; thus violating ex-post facto laws! They should be allowed to get on with their life as if nothing happened. I'm not saying for it to be removed from their record, but, the crime should be removed from public view and background checks, they should not have any more restrictions, shaming, etc. If they commit another crime, then they face a lot more punishment, like everything else is treated.
When are we going to move away from being "TOUGH ON CRIME" and move to being "SMART ON CRIME?" If you locked every single sex offender up, at this moment, or killed every one of them, do you think the problem is over? No, more will follow.
I've heard many people say "If these laws protect one child, then they are worth it!" And at the same time, if millions are tortured, it's ok. Offenders are losing their homes, jobs, families, and children and cannot find new jobs or homes due to the insanity of these laws. The families are also made into outcasts for associating with or being related to an ex-offender and their own children are harassed and bullied at schools due to a family member being an ex-offender.
I know these laws are a sensitive issue, but as all issues, they must be discussed and we must come up with a valid solution that will work. The laws, as they exist now, DO NOT WORK! People are always saying they cause unintended consequences. These laws have been on the books for years now, so nothing is unintended anymore. When are we going to set aside fear, hate, rage and anger and come up with a real solution? History has proven that these feelings NEVER get good laws passed but only create bad ones that punish and torture many people. These knee-jerk reactions to a slim number of high-profile crimes, like Adam Walsh and Jessica Lunsford, MUST STOP!
When an ex-offender is forced to move from his/her home, thus having to sell it, cannot find another home within the law due to the residency "buffer" zones, get fired from their jobs due to being on the registry, cannot find a new job due to being on the registry, their husband/wife lose their jobs due to a significant other being on the registry, their children lose their friends and are harassed and bullied in school due to a family member being on the registry, thus destroying the children's lives, ex-offenders are forced into homelessness and to live under bridges, harassed by police, neighbors and probation/parole officers, have to wear "I'm a sex offender T-shirt" or have a neon green license plate on ALL their cars, have "sex offender" on their drivers license and forced to renew their licenses every year, forced from shelters during tornadoes or hurricanes, cannot give blood at some places due to being discriminated against for being on the sex offender registry, denied housing due to being on the registry, signs placed in their yards inviting harassment and ridicule from the neighbors, forced to move when the neighbors start picketing outside the ex-offenders home, the list is endless.
I THINK THIS IS CRUEL AND UNUSUAL PUNISHMENT, BEYOND THE EXTREME!
Former offenders in this State have no idea if they are breaking these convoluted laws as they travel even short distances. Gov. Crist stated that one of his goals was to change wording in Fla. so that the people could understand. This has not happened yet.
I recommended that the State issue public service announcements on the FACTS about sex offender recidivism statistics and what the experts in the field of sex offender treatment and management have said about the best ways to prevent recidivism. I was told there was no "BUDGET" for that. I thought public service announcements were free. Not only that but there are numerous state web sites where truthful information could be posted. Whenever a Florida politician gives a speech (often) the truth could be told. Our public would not be demanding laws and ordinances that cause more harm than good if they were educated about the truth, instead of fed false information, or incomplete information to increase media ratings and get easy votes.
Senator Aronberg has taken the time to get educated. He has worked hard in the last several years to create bills that would increase public (especially children) safety through being SMART on this issue. Many of Florida's legislators saw the wisdom in Aronberg's bill and voted for it. There were some who refused. It is not surprising that one of the biggest objectors was Miami-Dade County.
They have passed THEIR responsibility for former offenders off to neighboring counties and more rural areas by enacting ordinances that make it impossible for former offenders to live there. The entire county is NIMBY but they don't seem to care that they are sending them to Others back yard, or creating a more dangerous situation in causing former offenders to be homeless or go underground.
We need to educate the public and we need to start being SMART on this terrible crime. Also, transitional housing would solve many of these problems...another SMART way to solve this problem.
No one needs to be "soft" on sex offenders. What we need to be is SMART on this terrible crime. We must listen to the experts.
The sex offender laws in Florida are cruel in its self. You dont know the bad people from the ones who "Just got set up" cause they put them all together. Why doesn't murders or robbers have to register? It so easy to set people up with the Law like it is, All anyone has to do is hust SAY they did something and then their lives and the lives of their family are ruined . They should not have to put restrictions on these people .. TELL the parents to pay closer attintion to their children and keep them off the streets and be PARENTS . and we would not have this problem. Can anyone tell me why the pros. and judges would want to put children on this registery ? What does a 4 to eight year old know about being a sex offender? children can't even hug their teachers anymore... Thats the problem in this world today you can't show or even teach your children Love anymore without some sick SOB turning it into something wrong, If you show your child love they display it. then get into trouble for it. whats wrong with a hug ??? People need to wake up these laws are crazy , When these people do their time leave them alone .. You never know which one has been wronly accused of this . It needs to be changed !!!
I have a family member who had to live under these conditions. Because of these restrictions and unreliable electronic anklets he has since been re-incarcerated for a violation of the parole. I'm sure when CNN conducted their interviews it was at least daytime. Its a completely different story when you go there at curfew time. I had to drop of my family member there and watch as they picked a spot to sleep. This was the most difficult inhumanity that I have ever seen. These laws seek to protect children but they are very mechanical so they are very unrealistic. For example, if the victim was 15 or even 13, why would the ordinance prohibit an offender from living near a daycare that only serves grade school children? Although a repeat offender is classified differently, the restrictions are the same. I am a law student and upon my graduation, I will be pushing for a more practical law because these law makers seem to be engaged in groupthink. These laws ignore the probability that many offenders took a plea and did not know of such rules, the offenders have families themselves, and, the offenders have no chance of getting back on with their lives. This is because none of the lawmakers have offenders in their family and have no idea of the absolute cruelty of these laws. Finally, not enough people care. The number of people who have posted to this blog is evidence of that.
Yes I agree---the laws re: sex offenders are stupid. Once a guy has paid his debt to society, he should be able to get on with his life and not be a prisoner outside of jail. Yes, it is a lot easier on these men just to go back to jail where they have a bed, shelter from the elements and 3 meals a day. And with all the teenage girls walking around and looking like they are 25, no wonder young men get arrested and thrown into prison. The state should lower the age of consent to 13. Alsothere is no job training in prison, so what can a man do for a living once he gets out of jail. There are no jobs for felons. They are screwed for the rest of their lives. If they are lucky, they will have a family and live with them, but with no jobs. And one of the other writers is right, if no one in their family is in prison, then the politicians and the public just don't care. The politicians pass these insane laws so they will look good and get re elected. And of course our national press doesn't care about this either so no one knows the private hell these guys go through. Nobody cares.........
i agree this law is very stupid expessually if the girl lies about her age,and it was all consentual.and it wasnt force on the girl its not rape then...and now his whole life is fucked up just because a girl wants to go and lie and say she older then she is and dress like shes 25 years old then i dont think the guys should be getting in trouble for all these lil hoes out here acting older and having sex with all these older guys is it fair for them to do this?its not right..if my child was out there doing this i would beat her ass not get him in trouble expessually if he didnt know her age.
I agree with what alot of people are saying, NO one knows the HELL the inocent guys are going through. I on the other hand can tell you first hand because MY HUSBAND IS ONE OF THESE MEN it is DAME hard for a man that was convicted of doing a sexual act on a child and there was no sexuel contact, but CHILDREN DON'T LIE yea right you show me a child that dosen't lie and I'll sell you the Brooklyn Bridge. These Men that are falsley accused of this type of crime are condemed for the rest of their lives they can't get work any where, they are restricked from where they can live and so is there FAMILY. CHANGE THE F_ _ _ ING LAWS and leave the INOCENT alone.
I don't understand how this law is legal. I have a family member who is affected by this law and our whole family is in termoil about it. We cannot find a place for him to live. I know due to the circumstances that he will never commit this crime again. I can't imagine he will ever commit a crime again. He's just a normal person who screwed up. Since he affected a minor, I think it is right that he went to prison but it's done now. His crime was not worse than murder or so many of the other crimes. Expecally not worse than a parent who abuses his or her own child repeatedly. How did this one crime become the taboo crime? I wish I were rich. Then I would be able to challange this law in a higher court. Maybe someday.
I am a sex offender. I was 13 when I commited my crime, and have been on probation for 10yrs in arizona. I have never commited another crime before this or after this. I am now 24 and have a college education. But I can not survive. I have recently been tooken off lifetime registration, but I'm still on probation. Which doesn't make sense to me. If I don't get off probation, I will end up homeless. I recently got laid off my job of 5yrs and have not been able to find work. Therefore I am extremely behind on my probation fees. I go hungry for days at a time. Mind you I have a college education. My life has been f***** ever since I was a kid. I have not had a chance to live a life. I served a year in jail. I have went above and beyond to prove to the courts that I will not re offend or commit any crimes. What am I to do, I don't have any fight left.
HOW DID MOST OF THE POPULATION TURN INTO IDIOTS???? WHY IS IT THAT WE UNDERSTAND THAT PROPER CHILD REARING IS IMPORTANT, SO OUR CHILDREN WILL GROW UP, AND DO RIGHT, YET WHEN THEY DO WRONG, WE LOOK SOLELY TO THEM TO BLAME?? THAT IS ABOUT AS STUPID AS BLAMING YOUR COMPUTER FOR A PROGRAMMING ERROR!!! WHEN CHILDREN ARE NOT TAUGHT GOOD VALUES, AND CORE BELIEFS, AND THEN ARE MOLESTED, OR EXPOSED TO MOLESTATION AROUND THEM, AND ARE NOT TAUGHT THAT THAT KIND OF BEHAVIOR IS UNACCEPTABLE, GUESS WHAT??? THEY WILL VERY LIKELY GROW UP AND DO WHAT THEY HAVE SEEN DONE, OR HAVE HAD DONE TO THEMSELVES. IT IS A FACT OF LIFE, WE NEED TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM AT THE CORE OF IT. CHILDREN WHO GET MOLESTED NEED COUNSELLING, AND IF YOU ARE A PARENT OF A CHILD WHO HAS BEEN MOLESTED, AND YOU DONT GET THEM COUNSELLING, THEN YOU ARE TO BLAME WHEN THEY GROW UP AND MOLEST SOMEBODY ELSE!!! WHY NOT PUT THE PARENTS ON A REGISTRY FOR THE REST OF THIER LIFE?? WHEN LITTLE JOHNNY IS TOUCHED INAPPROPIATELY, HE IS A POOR, POOR, LITTLE VICTIM. WHEN LITTLE JOHNNY GROWS UP, AND TOUCHES SOMEBODY ELSE INAPPROPIATELY, ALL OF A SUDDEN HE IS A MONSTER. HOW DOES IT MAKE SENSE TO PUNISH HIM FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE, BECAUSE HE WAS PROGRAMMED INCORRECTLY?? WE HAVE SEXUAL OFFENDER COUNSELORS WHO CAN TEACH LITTLE JOHNNY WHERE HIS PROGRAMMING WENT WRONG, AND TEACH HIM HOW TO CHANGE THAT PROGRAMMING, AND TO BECOME A NON-THREAT. THEN WHEN WE HAVE REHABILITATED LITTLE JOHNNY, WE PERSECUTE HIM FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE. BECAUSE OF MEDIA HYPE, AND SENSATIONALISM OF HIGH PROFILE CASES OF CRIMES INVOLVING CHILD ABDUCTION, SEX ABUSE, AND MURDER, SOCIETY AS A WHOLE, IS JUMPING ON THE BANDWAGON THAT SOME UNLEARNED POLITICIAN IS DRIVING, AND CONVINCING THE PEOPLE THAT THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN "LITTLE JOHNNY" AND THESE CHILD MURDERERS. TO THOSE OF YOU OUT THERE WHO AGREE WITH THE LAWS, OR LIKE THE ONE ABOVE WHO WROTE "THEY SHOULD PROBABLY STILL BE IN JAIL" I SAY, IF YOU WERE RAISED THE WAY THAT I WAS, AND I WERE RAISED THE WAY YOU WERE, YOU WOULD BE ON THE SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY FOR LIFE, AND I WOULD BE LOOKING DOWN MY NOSE AT YOU, THINKING THAT I AM BETTER THAN YOU, AND THAT YOU DESERVE IT. PRETTY PROFOUND, AINT IT???
I have a question for someone who would KNOW the answer, not an opinion on my situation. I have known this guy for many years, he was convicted of this type of crime years ago against a minor (he was set up). He spent 7 years in prison and was released, but is on probation for the next 4 years. We have grown to fall in love with each other since his release however, I have 3 kids ages 18, 16, and 9, I know for a fact that he is innocent so I am not afraid to have him near my children, however, he is not allowed by law. My question is, will he ever legally be allowed to be around my kids, will we ever be able to get married and live together? How does this work? I heard that there was some sort of paper I could sign stating that I understand the offense and I am okay with it etc. But I am just not sure???? Any help would be greatly appreciated!!
Attorney Chapman's response:
If he is not allowed by law to be around your kids, then you cannot, in effect, rescind that law by simply signing some piece of paper.
There are many ISSUES with the laws with regard to
sexual offenders especially in Polk Co., Florida.Polk Co.Sherif's set up sex stings approxamately every 3 months. They pride themselves each and every time they have mass arrests as a result of a sting. I have seen Mr Grady Judd on the news convicting these victims just with his negative, harsh, discussed, scum of the earth attitude and words during live interviews. So much of "Innocent until proven guilty". When did we give law enforcement the right to play God when indeed they are Satan setting people up with temptation. What makes them any better than the victims of the stings when they are the other participant egging on the sexual offense. I wonder if they are "getting off" on the act as much as the "offender". Some how the "Dukes of Hazard" stereotype "southern good old boys" is being allowed to come to life in Polk Co.
Secondly, the treatment given to those arrested for a sex crime by the Sherif's officers is unexcusable. Tearing their house apart in the search, treating the rest of the family members with discust and disrespect because they show support for their love one, "playing games" through the legal system delaying bail release, stalking them at their house once out on bail as a scare tactic for re-arrest of potential additional charges, ect. Again, what gives them the legal right to start the distruction of this person and his family's life before conviction!
Thirdly, the legal system in Polk Co. is set up for the district attorney to offer pea bargaining at the same time intentionally delaying a potential speady trial by withholding evidence documentation to the alleged offender's attorney. This is the pressure that is being applied to acccept the "great" deal even when innocent.
Fourthly, where and when is there legal consequence and countablity given to the minor and their parental supervision (or lack of)in those cases involving internet chat conversations. I dare say that in most cases the minor is portraying themselves as of legal age until they get in to deep or a parent happens upon their internet activity. THAT IS ONE OF THE MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES OF BEING A PARENT! How can it be the fault of the accused once again if they are mislead during the interaction.
I don't live in Florida but have family their going through this unjust system. The attorney has advised strongly to consider the plea offer instead of taking chances in front of a jury, even if they are innocent. The time served in prison would probably be much longer than the plea, if the case was lost.
GREAT OPTIONS FOR AN INNOCENT MAN!
First I would like to comment on the post by JUSROB - I know you are trying to help but your post shows the uneducated information that most people have about sexual offenders. You talk about how these people are molesters because they were molested as children. While that might be true in some cases the facts are that over 90% of people on this horrible list ARE NOT molesters. In fact, they never touched a child. Many of them are young people that had consensual sex when they were 18 and their girlfriend or boyfriend was 17. Many of them are men who got caught urinating in the woods. Many of them are young men that looked at pornography on the internet and mixed in the pictures of young women are a couple that are actually under 17. The police have software the "hits" on the internet number of these photographs and then that person is a sex offender. How many of you can tell the difference between a naked 17 yr old or an 18 year old? I know you think these types of "crimes" that have been taking place for hundreds of years are the exception but actually they are more the norm. Very, very few of the people on the List are dangerous.
I agree with those that say people need to educate themselves but no one cares until it affects them or their family. Essentially when a person gets on this list their normal life is over. Many of these people that are under 25 commit suicide because the obstacles caused by these laws are too hard to overcome.
I think it will take more and more people’s lives to be affected before citizens start to force the legislatures to make changes. And more and more people it will affect - the List grows by an estimated 100 thousand a year nationwide - it maybe more. Is this because we have more and more offenders? No, it is because people keep be added to the List for events that only a few years ago would be considered normal behavior. Also, statistics show that the majority of "true" sexual offenses are done by first offenders and by people known to the victim.
There are not enough advocates out there but there will be eventually....
my grandson of 2 yrs old touched me once for one second of time. I instructed him not to do that anymore and we moved on. a year later my grandson was molested while in daycare by another child - so his foster mother told my wife and I and social services. I was charged with sexual assualt of a child in Feb 1999. I never had any involvement with the law for over 44 years and now my grandson was propted up on a bed and when asked by his social service guardian what his name was (he was 3 yrs old during this time) he said " I sucked papa's ____" I have two children and volunteered as a hardball and soccer coach for 6 to 7 yr old girls and 10 to 15 yr old boys. Never one single incident or indiscreation and a first responder (paramedic) but I took the responsibility from my grandson and plead no contest with out an attorny - none would help. I lost my life. My wife of 23 yrs lost her job, my daughter of 15 was harrassed so much she dropped out of school, and my step-son was harrassed as well. I lost my house of 10 years, my business, my wife in fear she would never find a place to live, and my life - but I protected my grandson from social services brain washing and the DAs' plight for re-election. Keep in mind this is in Wisconsin. I moved here in florida in 2006 - had a great job for 2 years then one day I was pulled over by a sheriff - the charge, driving to close to the yellow line. Then I was arrested for failure to register in the state of Florida even though the charging state had my current address and employment in Florida. My pubic defender sold me out - I was looking at 5 yrs of prison (originally served 45 days in jail in 99) my option go to prison or go on probation for 2 years without restrictions. Guess what I chose. since September 2008 I have not had any job - submit a minimum of 15 applications a week (bachelors in Acctg and Bus 2005) however, in feb 2010 I got a job mopping floors for 14 hours a week - all in the name of justice and public safty - thank you America. I fought 16 years of my life during the Iran Contra war and the Persian Gulf war and this is Americas way of thanking me. The worse part is now Im on the registry in Floirda and I have no restrictions anywhere I go, except how can I go anywhere without a job or shelter or food or clothes or hygene. Politicians and attorneys are so afraid taht they will commit professional and political suicide they all feel they need the case cow to keep their pockets filled while killing innocent people's lives all in the name of public safety. We the people of the US sold our Constitution when we allowed our very own politicians sell out the Constitution all in the name of public safety - get use to it - more violations are on its way. Did you know that the Business Association of Florida has policies set up so no sex offender or felone will ever work in the state of Florida - there own words not mine.
Good people are becoming desperate with these restrictions. I can't bring my son home from prison because we live near a bus stop and he is on crd. Because he is on crd, we can't get him into a program where he could live and hopefully find work and support himself. He committed this crime at age ninteen, the girl was fourten, looking eighteen. He hasn't been allowed to have visits from his son while in prison. He is not a child molester, he is not dangerous, he just made a really stupid decision while high and drinking alcohol. Will he have to live on the street forever? Will this be safer for the children in the neighborhood? Wouldn't it be safer for them to be in a home instead of out there uncared for in unsanitary and desperate conditions? These laws are stupid. If a sexual predator wants your child, he will get your child, it won't matter where he lives!!!
a couple of years ago my daughter 30 yrs old at the time who has a daughter of her own was living a peaceful life 3 years prior to this my grandaughters father had gotten killed in a car accident because he was drinking and he was on his way to my daughters home. point of story is his family was no good and once he died after a year of lots of garbage that my daughter had to deal with she wanted better for her and her daughter so she moved unlisted herself and never heard from them but 3 years later the aunt came knocking and 2 months later my daughter was arrested for lewd and lascivious battery accused of doing things with the aunts son. This women made a case on my daughter and set her up and now her life is ruined she has anxiety attacks, my grandaughter loves her mom and still is allowed to live with her. she took the plea because she was afraid especially being in the state of florida it could have been like a gamble she wanted to go to court her lawyer told her she made the right decision because of her daughter who the family was hoping they would get their hands on only for her check from her dads death benefit. this was a he said she said case no proof. my daughter is not a real sex offender.
My husband of 8 years has just now been told that he has to register as a sex offender. 13 years ago he was charged with sex abuse in the 2nd degree and was told that if he pled guilty there would be no jail time or probation and now after 13 years, a child and receiving his engeering degree was made to register which has spun our life out of controll. lost his job had to move out of our home..where can I move my family so we can live some sort of a life
I really don't feel it's right for the state of Flordia to treat humam beings like they would treat a dog. And to be honest with you the state of Flordia have to answer to a HIGHER JUDGE and is name is JESUS. If jesus can forgive the sex offenders why cant yall who gives you guys the right to past such HARSH judgement on these people. GOD please have mercy on their soul. The battle is not your
I was amazed when I found this site. We are planning on moving to St Johns County in the next few years. My husband has to register as a sex offender.Like so many of the entries here he was falsely accused of touching his ex-wives daughter on the panties after he discovered the ex was having an affair with a guy on parole from prison as a sex offender. When my husband threatened to report his ex to Child Protective Services the ex filed a report to the police department. She told them she didn't want to file charges though, she just wanted them to know. The next day she moved hundred of miles away. The Ft. Worth DA's office ran acreoss the report 2 years later and even though there were no charges filed by the ex they sent a SWAT team to his job and arrested him. His hired lawyer saw him twice, did not contact any of the caracter witnesses and told him the day of his hearing he should take a plea bargain instead of a trail. The lawyer told him if the state had to call in the ex and the minute the child entered the courtroom he would probably get 20 years. My husband took the plea and was given 7 years probation and had to attend "sex offender" classes every week during this time.Imagine having to attend the classes when you're not an offfender. It almost destoyed him having to participate as if he were a criminal. When he could not complete some of the "goals" he was given 90 days week-end jail time. We had to hire a tutor (also one of the class therapists)to tell him what he should do and say to complete the mandantory "goals".We tried to get the case brought to trial but the Judge told us if we tried she would get him for prejury because he pled guilty with the plea bargain. My husband just completed probation and we are trying to lead a normal life but we will always have the "sex offender" label attached to our family. Because the ex's daughter was seven years old, he will always have to register. I have learned that if you really want to destroy someone's life, accuse them of anything sexually inappropiate with a child. The public doesn't know or care about the facts. They become the judge and jury. Afterall, children don't lie...We would like to know how hard it will be to try and find a home or even a real estate agent to help us find a home in the St John's area.
I believe that the ordinances posted by most of the cities in Broward County violate the ex post facto clause of the Constitution - by imposing a harsher consequence for the offense. I believe these laws violate a person's right to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." I believe that they create a new type of "Jim Crow" effect. I believe that they violate a person's civil and constitutional rights.
You can shop in this city, work in this city, go to school in this city, eat in this city - but not live in this city.
When all a person wants to do is to be a productive member of society, how is it even possible to do so when you can't find an affordable place to live?
I cannot live in Davie, Miami, Miami Beach, Miami Gardens, North Miami Beach, Hollywood, Fort Lauderdale, or Danie Beach. Most of these cities have imposed 2,500 foot ordinances which make it UTTERLY IMPOSSIBLE to live there.
As for Hollywood and Ft. Lauderdale, both have adopted ordinances which include "school bus stops." All they have to do is SAY a school bus stop is in the area, and it's closed off. They've even gone so far as to put "virtual" bus stops in - proposed bus stops, not actually on the route - so as to prevent sex offenders from living there.
It's time someone took action. However, there's not a single lawyer in this state who has the cojones to take on the system. Not one who has the moral integrity to fight for basic human rights. Not one who is bold enough to stand up for the truth.
Or is there? Any lawyers out there want to prove me wrong? I will answer any serious email on this subject.
All the above comments are true regarding the shattered lives that SOs and their families are living, having to wear that Scarlett letter throughout their lives, in some instances for crimes that were induced by law-enforcement for the purpose of creating terror,chaos and sensionalism. As a result, there is an estimated 750,000 classified SOs in the U.S., who with their families, make up approximately 2,500,000 people affected by these laws.
For all of you who agree that these one-size fits all sexual offender laws are POLITICALLY-DRIVEN, UNREASONABLE, CRUEL, INHUMANE and UNCONSTITUTIONAL, and that they go against basic HUMAN RIGHTS, we encourage you to take a look at the RSOL (Reform Sexual Offender Laws) website at http://www.reformsexoffenderlaws.org/statement.php and become involved. We have to make the general public aware of the tragic consequences of the media’s irresponsible handling of this sensitive issue that just simply increases both their ratings and votes for the politicians who make them harsher and harsher each time.
I have a relative that is a convicted offender. He had a lawyer that advised him to take a plea because if the jury looked at him and the girl that they would side with her. So he did what he was told. Then a years later is Meghans Law and all offenders were tagged pretty much as child molesters. Now he has a wife and a child. He is in a house right now but if he should need to move, in Florida, there is no place left for him to go. He served his time and probation and is still being punished for a crime he served time for. It is unconstitutional to say the least. If you served your time then stop tormenting them. They paid thier debt, let them move on. If a second offence happens then tougher restrictions are needed. Just don't lump them all into one category.
My husband was falsely accused of having consensual sex with a 15 year old girl, back in 1996. He of course denied it at first but was told that if he just said that he did it, he'd only have to register for ten years and then his name would be cleared, so he reluctantly went along with it.
In 2006, we were anticipating him FINALLY being off the register, and we sold everything we owned and moved to Florida. He did the right thing....he registered in our new town and we settled down to hopefully live a quiet life, with only two months left with him having to register. Well, everything turned around. The community where we lived went crazy when they found out that there was a registered sex offender in the community and he was forced to leave. Then we found out that there was a new law, and now he has to register for life! Where is the justice? He was sentenced to ten years of registering, and now its LIFE? That is NOT justice. He already paid for a crime he didn't commit, and now he has to pay and pay and pay forever? We lost everything we owned when we had to leave Florida and came back to our old home.
Yes there are pedophiles and child abusers out there, but there as SO MANY people on this list who are innocent of the charges against them or were set up by girls who lied about their ages. Why would you make a list and put dangerous criminals together with people who have made a mistake and will never do it again? How is this going to protect anybody when you lump them all together? It dilutes the entire registry and penalizes people who have already served what the judge sentenced them to.
If you kill someone, you go to prison and when you get out you're on probation for a while...but you don't have to register forever!
The land of the Injustice! And Freedom HA........
UN forgiven
In this land that we call free there is a lot of corruption and injustice. They say we are innocent until proven guilty but in reality its the other way around your are guilty before you are innocent. They use reverse psychology! And if you are of the minority it is worst because you don't have the means to hire a honest Lawyer you have to settle with Public Defenders better know as (Prison Directors) .You see the court system here in Florida is very corrupt. They have a tendency of not wanting to defend you in court they just like you to take pleas whether you are guilty or not. So they don't have to prove your innocence. They actually let you rot in jail for a long time until they make you think that any thing they offer you sounds good. And once you take a plea it haunts you for the rest of your life. Like in my case where I was falsely accused of 3 sexual battery on a 17 year old girl where she accused me of forcefully raping her. Now before I get to what really happen that day I would advise any one in my situation or similar to never take a plea even if it takes forever. If you do you will regret it for the rest of your life! This all happen in February 1996 Where I invited a so called friend I had met 2 weeks prior. She gave me her number and I called and she came to play cards (spades). Just so you can know my house was like a hang out. Every body use to come and hang out so you see it was nothing out of the ordinary that girls and guys would come to see me. And on this particular day she came to play cards with me. My bad was that I knew she had a crush on me but I was in a relationship with another girl at the time. She was at my house for about 15 minutes in between that time she asks me to be her boy friend and I told her I could not so she started to cry and left my home. later about 20 minutes past and she came back with her mother and called me out and her mother said I had rapped her and that they where going to call the cops and I told them to go ahead I was not worried be cause I had not done nothing wrong. So when the cops came they ask me what happen. And I told them so they took me to headquarters and they told me if I tell them the truth they would let me go. So I told the same thing the truth but they still arrested me. I was at Metro West detention center for 9 months And 3 months in T.G.K. And in that time they had offered me 45 years in prison and if I take it to trial they would give much more so I told them lets take it to trial. After some months then they offered me 12 years in prison and threaten me again that they would give me more and I told that I did not do anything so I want to go to trial couple months past and they offered me 5 years and I told them no I want to go to trial. Now going on the 12 month of incarceration my brother got ill with a tumor in his head and at that time they also offered me credit time served one years probation and withhold of adjudication which they said to me that I would not be guilty of any crime in this case if I would accept it. And also that I would not come out in any web sites saying any thing about my case. But in reality they had lied to me I do show up in the sex offender web site. I have to report to the cops 4 times a year the cops come to my house every month to see that I live there and now they are making me move out of my home because they say that I live to close to a school. Now thee only thing that I see here is they create hate from your neighbors with out knowing you or what really happened in your case. Make you hate as well. Break up homes because now I can't even be with my son for something I did not do! I have tried to call my public defender and he just hung up the phone on me. I also tried 2 years ago to contact the senator of Florida and he wrote back that he can't help me. I have written to the president, to the governor, to A.C.L.U., to the innocent project and I also have tried to talk to a private attorney and they told me it’s too late because I accepted a plea and signed the paper. It’s just a merry go round. Now I am going to tell you about the findings that the head doctor of Miami Jackson rape treatment center said on my deposition. She stated that she can not testify beyond a reasonable doubt that she the so called victim had sex that day. The doctor that treated the alleged victim also stated that she had a super facial laceration in her perineum that could have been caused by her self using the toilet. The alleged victim said she was a virgin and the doctor said she was not. The alleged victim said that I forcefully held her down and raped her but there was no bruising on her arms or legs (no where) that would show that I had held her down and forcefully raped her. There where no ripped clothing showing that I forcefully removed any clothing. There was no saliva, no pubic hair. No D.N.A.! The so called victim said I had cunnilingus with her that I digital penetrated and that I penetrated her with my penis. Just think of this scene do you think that it’s possible to have cunnilingus with some one and hold her down at the same time? I think not even superman can do that trick. Also the authorities never dispatched crime scene to my home so there can be more evidence to back up what happened that day. The alleged victim could not describe how my room looks like nor has how my penis looked like. I just don’t know this world has gone to the dogs. There is no justice. Nobody that cares and nobody that will help. But you see thee only thing that keeps me going is God! And the hope that somebody will help me some day and get my life back on track and finally see justice! GOD BLESS EVERY BODY.
I have a son who had been in prison for 11 years for a one night mistake, that he should of walked away from. Well he didn't , the issues behind what he did is where the whole story wasn't told and lies were said, not being able to afford an attorney, he had to have a court appointed one. I feel the main thing that was wrong with what happened at the time was the age of both parties and with my son being 22 he should have used his head, but didn't and the teen that was involved should have been honest with her parents. I know some of the facts as they came out and what was said in court because I the mom of the accussed was a victim.I got to know the father of the victim, by his request, and it was one of the stupidest things I ever have done. I was lead to believe by the father that he didn't believe that my son raped his daughter. This is a very in detailed story, bottom line is this my son made one mistake one night, and the incident was consented at the time till she got caught by the father and then it was rape. I beleive that not every sex offender needs to be label as one, they are different circumstances around every case, when there are lies told, who gets to the truth, and who knows the truth. The victim and the accusser. I personally beleive a person should be punished for a crime. Where is the justice of victims that have been incouraged by the accusser and the truth untold to the parents, because of the fact she got caught and didn't want to get into trouble for what was done so we send a man to prison for life. I said God knows the whole truth and he knows that some people do not need to be labeled for the rest of their lives. He also know that my son feels very sorry for the night in questioned but has been made, to believe he has ruin the victims life, who now would be 25. How many girls under 18 that dress and look like their 18 do wrongfully cry rape? God helps us all, to understand what society of life has turned into, to help us to believe that, You God are with us always, give us strength and hope for those who are decent people, are caught up in a case of truths not fully tolded and lies that can destroy a mans family. God be with you all