A proposal before lawmakers would make it illegal for any registered sex offender to temporarily or permanently live within 1,000 feet of a school, childcare facility, playground or park. Full Article
Also see
HI: Dozens of sex predators registered as living in Oahu parks
To repnishimoto@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Re: http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2019/01/25/proposal-would-put-tighter-leash-where-hawaiis-sex-offenders-can-live/
Dear Representative Nishimoto,
In the article, you said, “We have to make safe environments. Especially in schools and playgrounds.” and “We can flesh out all the arguments. But I really thing we have to err on the side of public safety with this one.”
Creating restrictions where registered sex offenders can live or be present does NOT make society safer. To the contrary, it will drive them to homelessness and possibly hiding. Would you rather know their whereabouts or let them be hidden and homeless?
95+% of registered sex offenders NEVER commit another sex crime, so how will the public be safer if you drive them away into hiding or homeless?
Please do not make laws based on fear and hysteria; in the end the State of Hawaii will lose, not only from them committing MORE crimes (yes, homelessness has shown to increase the recidivism rate) but also from law suits directed towards this heinous proposal.
If someone wants to commit a sex crime, whether they are registered or not, they will commit it. Also, they are committed usually (95% of the time) by parents, teachers, coaches, clergy, law enforcement, counselors, siblings, etc… those close in relationship to the victim, NOT THOSE CLOSE IN PROXIMITY.
Regards,
[me]
Wow!!! There are still idiots talking about “residency restrictions”?! Unbelievable. It really is. People proposing such things are immoral un-Americans who deserve harsh punishment.
And still “people” saying “$EX offender”. Stupid, clueless.
Full open revolt in the state of Hawaii is required if this bill passes. This is nothing short of kicking them off of the islands themselves.
They have to do this because they cannot control the meth problem, other drug trade, international gang problems, or any other of the major criminal activity that happens on the islands. This is low-hanging fruit to spotlight because the other ones are black holes they can’t put any light on and solve.
Homelessness is a huge issue in Hawaii because of the drug problem they have. When you live in a temperate zone like that you can live in a park and it’s acceptable though it is a problem for tourism. Just as Hawaii ships their prisoners to the mainland for incarceration, they want to do the same with other folks such as registrants, who may end up incarcerated. Much like Florida, this is truly about the tourism dollar.
If they want to “err on the side of safety,” they should immediately STOP talking about creating the conditions that make it less safe for the very children/potential victims they aim to protect by destablizing a population that has proven not to reoffend.
The rep says he is just making laws that fall on line with other states.
So if other states outlawed surfing, would you ban it on all beaches, because it followed other states? A little extreme, but the point is made. Stupid laws need not be repeated just to make points with an uninformed public.