Texas Sends Message to Sex Offenders, Can't Live Here

Many Texas Cities Limit Where Sex Offenders Can Live

By Michelle L Devon (Michy), published May 09, 2007
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TEXAS - Across the State of Texas, legislation is being proposed and passed to restrict where registered sex offenders can live. This legislation will or does require registered sex offenders to reside only in locations that are not within a certain distance from places children frequent, such as public parks, child care centers and schools.

Currently, Texas state law adopted in 1994 under the Child Safety Zone requires all registered sex offenders to reside in locations at least 1,000 feet away from any location where children congregate in public, such as those listed above. In 2003 the law was amended to include a restriction of movement inside the Child Safety Zone as well, providing exemptions to this rule for certain approved activities, such as parole reporting.

However, Texas does allow cities and municipalities to enact regulations that meet or exceed this 1,000 foot distance.

Because of this, some Texas cities, have taken steps to further reduce the areas in which sex offenders can legally register to live. Many cities have enacted a 2,000 foot rule, instead of the state's 1,000 foot requirement.

The Midland Reporter Telegram (MRT) indicates that, in Plano, Texas, this means less than 75% of the city meets the criteria for a sex offender to claim residence and properly register with authorities. In Dallas, even less of the city is available for sex offenders to make a home, with only 15% of the city meeting the registered sex offender residence requirements. (Retrieved May 9, 2007 from: http://www.mywesttexas.com/site/ news.cfm?
newsid=18317434&BRD=2288&
PAG=461&dept_id=475626&rfi=6)

Midland, Texas joins the ever-growing list of cities considering legislation to restrict where a registered sex offender can live. In the same article, the MRT also reported that there was growing concern in the City of Midland that due to tougher residential requirements on other, larger cities in Texas, many sex offenders may choose to relocate to the smaller Texas cities with less stringent residence guidelines.

 
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Texas Sends Message to Sex Offenders, Can't Live Here
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My brother was accused of molestation and found quilty with no evidence...he is in a Texas prison and is coming up for parole......I am deffinetely against a sex offendor but i know my brother is innocent...i agree with you GCTU..WHERE DO THEY GO?...WHAT DO THEY DO.?..RELEASE THEM AND THEY CAN NOT EVEN LIVE THEIR LIFE IN PEACE...NO WHERE TO GO...I THINK IT IS BULL.... AND AS FOR YOU.....SHANNA COON....why don't you move to an island with an attitude like that...you have never made a mistake.......give your self time ....you will...probably already have and won't admit it!!!!!!

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Posted on 08/06/2008 at 8:08:57 PM

 
There is an attorney in Texas that is incredible. He is truly an honest individual with integrity. He doesn't take your money and hate you because you are a sex offender. His name is Stephen Karns. He is in Dallas. For anyone seeking assistance with parole or a criminal sex case, he is by far the best there is. He will truly defend his client vigorously, and without predjudice. I would trust him with ANYTHING.

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Posted on 07/14/2008 at 1:07:09 PM

 
It is nice to see that there are actually other people in the world that get it. Those of us required to register know what is really going on. I agree that for the most part, most sex ofenders make a CHOICE, not a MISTAKE. I too am on the registry in Texas. Even the local S.O. detectives think that most of the laws are not working. They have even said to me that the lawmakers and politicians will not listen to them. This is something I find ironic, since these detectives are the ones that know us best, at least as far as law enforcement officers are concerned. I have no victim. I have a online solicitation charge. I did something wrong, that is for sure. But I am the one that stopped the solicitation, not the police. I found on very quickly just how dishonest the Texas justice system is. Please do no mis-understand me. I take responsibility for what I said online, and I know it was wrong to do so. That is why I stopped it. The laws put everyone into the same category.

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Posted on 07/14/2008 at 1:07:44 PM

 
The registry is wrong. And you folks are about to see just how wrong it is. The state of Maine is currently looking into posting registries for other felons and people convicted of misdemeanors on line. DUI's, Battery, Murder, Public Drunkeness, the works. Now you will all see what the SCARLETT LETTER really means. I can only hope that you all enjoy the humiliation of the registry just like the 500,000 "sex offenders" that are out there already. A couple of quick numbers. less than 6 % of registered sex offenders will ever reoffend again. (that is minimum of 94% of RSO's will go on to live non-offending lives). The number of RSO's that were convicted of actual 'violent' offenses where guns, knives, threats were used is less than 8%, 90% of all sexually deviant acts are committed by someone who is either related to or knew their victims as friends. Texas is the ONLY state where a person who has NOT been convicted can still be on the registry.

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Posted on 07/01/2008 at 9:07:02 AM

 
im courtney- i agree sex offenders should be punished but it depends on the situation in which they were accused. if a child is malested from a yound age til the age of 10, n thn at the age of 13 he interacts with a 10 yr old boy on free will on both sides nuthing was forced thn hw can tht be considered sex affending, girls being lesbians is happenin at younger ages n i never see nething happenin to them but if two young boys who grew up bein melested n thn interact with eachother n one is put in tyc til he is 18 n thn is made to file as a sex offender tht is beyond wrong. they were both yound 13 and 10 n it wasnt forced by either but yet the 13 yr old who is now 20 cant even marry the girl he loves becuz she has a baby. cant even live with her. i mean it would have been different had it been forced whn he was younger but it wasnt so if u look at it it would be like tellin a gay or lesbian tht they are sex offenders, there are 14 and 12 yr old girls havein sex n noone convicts them

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Posted on 06/10/2008 at 12:06:29 PM

 
Laws like these are a joke - nothing more than a trick to fool voters into thinking their "leaders" are taking decisive action. In fact, the vast majority of "sex offenders" are labeled thus for incidental crimes, like statutory rape between a boyfriend and girlfriend less than one year apart in age. Beyond that, whatever happened to the concept of a debt to society being paid? These people have already served their time! And what about *murderers*? Aren't those guys just the slightest bit MORE dangerous? But best of all: fewer than 3% of all sex offenders commit their crimes near where they live. In that regard, these laws are pointless. Some might even argue that, from a statistical standpoint, they invite the worst of the repeat offenders in to the "protected zones".

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Posted on 04/14/2008 at 12:04:46 PM

 
There are always circumstances that are not nearly so bad as the title "sex offender" portrays. Once a man or woman has served their time and paid the penalties, if they are still so dangerous to society that they cannot freely live their lives, why not just shoot them to start with and save us all a lot of trouble. The laws are out of control just like everything else. No one seems to have any common sense or any idea about what justice and time served means. We pay a lot of money to incarserate these men for years. When they are released, they have to hide out in the worst areas of the country and live under the direst of circumstances. That could make any of us crazy. My son has a 14 year sentence because of being on parole for a minor drug charge (marijauna, I can't spell that), going to a party where a mnor girl was there drinking and acting like an adult. They never had sex, only a conversation about it as well as conversing about a lot of things. But he broke his parole, is now

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Posted on 03/09/2008 at 10:03:26 AM

 
My son has to register as a sex offender because the female he went out with lied about her age and said she was 18. The female parents knew they went out a couple of times. The never had sex but because he touch certain body parts he has to register for the rest of his life while she goes on her merry way! He can't get an apartment , a job nothing. Why doesn't the girl get introuble for lying about her age? Why are all sex offenders place in the same light as those who actually look for little boys and girls? What's more shocking, God forbid if they have a child themselves..yes they can't even be in the same room with them! The law needs some revision and now!

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Posted on 02/02/2008 at 11:02:56 AM

 
where do I go to find a sex offender if there in a half way house? how do I bring up picturs of sex offenders in the state of texas? what site do I go to. if anyone knows plese let me know thank you very much

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Posted on 11/13/2007 at 9:11:00 PM

 
I am trying to find out when a sex offender gets out of prison. his name is Samuel Alfred Lansberry if anyone knows any thing about this person please let me know and I would like to know where he is at now. and if I can find out what state he is in. it should be Tx. but I cant find out where to go find out.

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Posted on 11/13/2007 at 9:11:00 PM

 
maybe they should all move to Pakistan and I'm sure Alqueda would be more then happy to give them a place to sleep food to eat and even a job!I think these laws are going to back fire on a lot of people soon enough with the way it is written.

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Posted on 09/17/2007 at 1:09:00 PM

 
I HAVE A SON THAT WILL SOON GET OUT OF TEXAS PRISON FOR TOUCHING A 12 YEAR OLD BOY. MY SON HAS SERVED HIS TIME AND IS READY TO TRY TO START HIS LIFE OVER. THE LAWS IN TEXAS ARE TOTALLY KEEPING HIM FROM EXISTING AND LIVING IN THE REAL WORLD AND NOT A PRISON. THE LAWS PUT EVERYONE IN THE SAME BRACKET EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF ALL OFFENSES. I STRONGLY DISAGREE WITH ALOT OF LAWS. HE HAS NO WHERE TO GO AND NO WHERE TO LIVE AND NO HALFWAYS HOUSE WITH A VACANCY OPEN FOR HIM TO LIVE AND TRY TO START OVER. IF TEXAS LAWS SAY IT IS TIME SERVED AND YOU ARE FREE TO GO THEN WHY NOT GIVE THEM A WORLD TO LIVE IN THAT IS SANE ENOUGH TO EXIST AS HUMAN BEING. THE REAL WORLD IS AS CORRUPT AS THE SYSTEM THAT HE IS LEAVING. GOD BLESS OUR LEGAL SYSTEM FOR AT LEAST TRYING BUT NOT AT ALL SEEING THE REAL PICTURE ABOUT THESE PEOPLE. THE NEXT PERSON ON THE STEET CAN GIVE MY CHILD A PIECE OF CHEESE AND IT BE A HARMFUL DRUG AND RUIN HIM FOR LIFE OR KILL HIM AND THAT PERSON WILL GET

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Posted on 09/15/2007 at 7:09:00 AM

 
While I agree that the "18 year old who slept with a 16 year old 10 years ago" should never see their name on a list like this, it is just what child molestors and rapists need. Put 'em all on island and let them molest each other.

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Posted on 08/02/2007 at 4:08:00 PM

 
The similar law in Michigan does not require registered offenders to move if they already lived within 3/4 mile of a school when the law was enacted. But if they move they must choose a location outside that restriction. There is no distinction between levels of registration, and what it has come to in practice is that no one on the registry can get a job. I realize that some people on the registry are real threats to society, but there is a growing list of men who had sex with a 16-year-old 10 years ago when they were 18, and are now stuck for LIFE on that list, and other similar humiliations. The Scarlet Letter lives.

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Posted on 07/26/2007 at 9:07:00 AM

 
My father was a cop my uncle was a cop my other was a sheriff and they all said and say that the offenders list is a load of crap. It was written with the intent of electing some politician. It has not brought the number of sex crimes down or halted attacks one bit. If the people who committed these crimes are dangerous enough to warrant a punishment beyond jail or probation then leave them in prison don't waste money or man power registering and watching people that have already been punished. Furthermore ask a lawyer if the Sex Offender Registration is legal and they will tell you no its not. READ YOUR CONSTITUTION! I am all for punishing these people harshly but when there time is done leave them be. Its hard enough finding a job or a place to live when your a every day Jo. Punish them? DUH of course. But when their time is done then its done. Drunk drivers kill and injure more people than Sex Offenders 10 fold and I see no laws restricting their movements or livi

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Posted on 06/06/2007 at 5:06:00 PM

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