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Sunday, November 29, 2009
Law - "California's Jessica’s Law too vague to enforce? Most local offenders too close to schools, parks"
A story today by Denise Zapata and Kevin Crowe from San Diego's Union-Tribune includes this overview:
Background: One of the aspects of Jessica’s Law, which California voters passed in 2006, limits where registered sex offenders can live.The story itself begins:What’s happening: The law is rarely enforced because of a legal challenge, funding shortages and its vague provisions. Meanwhile, at least 70 percent of offenders in San Diego County live in restricted areas.
What’s next: The California Supreme Court is expected to rule on a case challenging residency limits in February.
More than 70 percent of registered sex offenders in San Diego County are violating a state law by living too close to schools and parks.Jessica’s Law, which was approved by California voters in November 2006, toughened sanctions against sex offenders and bars them from living within 2,000 feet of a school or park. In San Diego County, 1,266 of 1,731 offenders whose addresses are made public by the state live in those restricted zones, according to an analysis by the Watchdog Institute, a nonprofit investigative journalism unit based at San Diego State University.
That finding surprises virtually no one in law enforcement. They say the law is vague and has holes, making it nearly impossible to enforce.
For example, the law doesn’t specify whether residence restrictions apply to all convicted sex offenders or only to those who were convicted or paroled after it passed. There are no penalties for violating the restrictions.
Posted by Marcia Oddi on November 29, 2009 04:14 PM
Posted to General Law Related