The sexual predator guys who live in my hood: First of all there is a park within 1000 feet. It could also be said that they plunked down the school bus-stop RIGHT BETWEEN these two guys' home. hmmmmmmmmm Last time I posted about these guys they rubbed all up on their buddy-ness with certain people to be sure I knew how they were connected. I was duly unimpressed (as ever) and wanted them to know that my problem here is really NOT with them (although I don't admire their lifestyle) It appears they're not obviously able to get the 'fundamental out of their reading'. My problem is with the city and the stupid NAZI rule, the fact that the city of Tampa seems to run COUNTER to the STATE laws on predators and that the Hillsborough County lovely school district has a busstop plunked down in what could only be called the midpoint between the homes of two related sexual predators. I hope I'm not confusing them with all the big language. I can't tell you what a thrill it's not to attract sexual predators to my blog but, hey, maybe if they're not too careful they'll learn something. Bills are stalling but Nancy Argenziohaopsfiuape whatever would prefer (it seems) to take them out in the street and shoot them but that's not legal. Well --- Nancy, there's always next session for that. If you stand at the busstop by my corner babe, you can get both of them with the right gun. Sheeesh.
Many Sex Predator Bills Run Into Resistance
By JOSH POLTILOVE The Tampa Tribune
Published: May 2, 2007
TALLAHASSEE - The state Legislature won't force sexual offenders and predators farther from schools and playgrounds this year. It won't require many to wear electronic monitoring devices.
And it won't prevent them from wearing Santa Claus costumes at holiday events.
Most bills affecting them stalled this legislative session. About 15 bills specifically addressed sexual predators, and a handful are poised to pass before the session ends Friday.
Sexual predator bills have been a legislative priority for the past several years, since the slayings of Bay area girls Jessica Marie Lunsford and Sarah Michelle Lunde. However, several bills involving electronic monitoring or increasing distance requirements for sexual predators met with resistance this year.
Sen. Nancy Argenziano said those bills likely will die because of their "reactionary" nature. She said removing predators from a neighborhood might cause the predators to go into hiding.
"If you make it so hard on predators, they won't register, and we're going to have a harder time with knowing where they're going to live," she said.
"There's only a certain amount you can do besides taking them out and shooting them in the street - which is illegal."
Legislators Must Be Cautious
Lawmakers are concerned about what to allow or deny sexual predators but must be cautious in what legislation they offer, Rep. Rich Glorioso said.
The Plant City Republican's sexual predator bill is among the ones that will not pass.
"You're walking that real fine line with these bills," he said. "To stay on that fine line, you've got to allow the predators to still have their rights, but also work to protect our children."
State law prohibits sexual offenders and predators from living within 1,000 feet of a school, park, day care center or playground. The prohibition applies to offenders and predators whose victims were younger than 16.
That excludes offenders from living in about half Tampa's residential area. ummmmm, the two guys in my neighborhood live within 1000 feet of a park and playground. Maybe two of them !! I guess they're grand-fathered in due to city connections and so much family in the area ....
The Tampa City Council in March backed away from residency restrictions imposing limits of 1,000 to 2,500 feet from schools, parks, playgrounds and day care centers.
Instead, the council created child protection zones that prohibit sexual offenders from being present, loitering or prowling within 300 feet of a school, day care center, park, playground, school bus stop or library, among other places, when children are present. You could toss a frisbee into both yards from the busstop between the two houses -- how much ya wanna bet that busstop'll be byebye by next week??
Distance Requirement Bills Fail
At least five bills this year tried to increase the state's distance requirements for sexual predators or restrict the places where the predators could congregate. The bills failed.
Sen. Burt Saunders, R-Naples, tried boosting the distance the most - to 2,500 feet.
Sen. Dave Aronberg's bill increasing the requirements to 1,500 feet also won't pass. His goal was that if a local ordinance was greater than 1,500 feet, the predator or offender could ask to abide by state law instead - if he agreed to wear an ankle bracelet keeping track of his location.
Aronberg's bill was crafted to prevent predators and offenders in areas with stricter requirements from being pushed to live illegally or move to under bridges and causeways.
"These people are dangerous, they have high recidivism rates and they're not being monitored by technology," said Aronberg, a Greenacres Democrat.
Jennifer Dritt, executive director of the nonprofit Florida Council Against Sexual Violence, said electronic monitoring is costly and that a better solution is to monitor offenders through parole and probation officers trained in a predator's behavior.
Glorioso and Sen. Victor Crist, R-Tampa, filed another doomed bill that attempted to regulate the whereabouts of sexual predators.
It would have prevented sexual predators from loitering or prowling within 300 feet of schools, day care centers, playgrounds or parks. Predators within those boundaries without "a justifiable reason," such as attending parent conferences at schools, would have committed a first-degree misdemeanor.
It also would have prohibited sexual offenders and predators from participating in holiday events involving children, including distributing candy to children on Halloween or wearing a Santa Claus costume during Christmas.
"We'll get the wrinkles out of the bill, and we'll bring it back next year," Glorioso said.
A Strong Chance To Pass
Only about five sexual predator bills have a strong chance of passing through both chambers before Friday.
Three were filed in the Senate by Argenziano, a Crystal River Republican who had Jessica Lunsford as a constituent.
One of Argenziano's bills amends the Jessica Lunsford Act, requiring more school contractors to face background checks. It requires fingerprint-based background checks for some contractors to be performed at least every five years.
The bill also requires predators and offenders to have distinctive markings on their drivers' licenses and identification cards.
Another Argenziano bill requires the state Department of Law Enforcement to see if it's feasible to include mapping capability to a registry of sexual predators. The capability would help plot the proximity of offenders and predators to off-limits sites.
The third Argenziano bill would help state law conform to the federal Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006. It would allow some offenders who committed a first-time lewd or lascivious offense on a victim between the ages of 14 and 17 to not be required to register as a sexual offender - as long as they weren't more than four years older than the victim.
"This differentiates the sex offender from the kid dating the younger girl," she said.
The bill also would require sexual predators and certain sexual offenders to maintain registration for life without a possibility of petitioning for removal. It would force sexual predators and certain sexual offenders to report in person to a sheriff's office every three months instead of every six.
Using Force To Ensure Safety
A fourth bill, filed by the Senate's Children, Families and Elder Affairs Committee, also might pass. Under some circumstances, it allows employees of the Florida Civil Commitment Center in Arcadia, which works with sexually violent predators, to use force to maintain order and ensure safety.
A bill filed by Sen. Ronda Storms, R-Valrico, has made its way to the Senate floor as well. It requires courts to impose life sentences for people receiving a third or subsequent conviction for lewd or lascivious molestation where the victim is under the age of 12 and the offender is 18 or older. A House bill requiring life sentences after the second or subsequent conviction received approval in March.
House Minority Leader Dan Gelber, a Miami Beach Democrat, said it's good that the Legislature is paying so much attention to sexual predators but that some of the bills filed this year aren't the solution.
"My opinion is the best way to track these guys is a roll call in the morning - extra long incarceration instead of some sort of GPS or tracking thing," he said.
"Locking them up is the easiest thing to do."
Reporter Ellen Gedalius contributed to this report. Reporter Josh Poltilove can be reached at (850) 222-8382 or jpoltilove
WHAT'S NEXT
Senate Bill 988, which requires more school contractors to face background checks, received full Senate approval last month and awaits a vote by the full House.
Senate Bill 1604, which helps state law conform to the federal Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006, received full Senate approval last month and awaits a vote by the full House.
Senate Bill 230, which relates to mapping of sexual predators and offenders, awaits a hearing by the full Senate. It does not have an identical bill in the House.
Senate Bill 2866, which allows, under some circumstances, for employees of the state's civil commitment center for sexually violent predators to use non-lethal force, received Senate approval last month. House Bill 7109, which is similar, awaits a hearing in the full House.
Senate Bill 2544, which requires courts to impose life sentences for some people receiving a third or subsequent conviction for lewd or lascivious molestation, awaits a hearing by the full Senate. House Bill 41, which requires life sentences after the second or subsequent conviction, received approval in March.
SPONSORS
SB 988, 1604, 230: Sen. Nancy Argenziano, R-Crystal River, argenziano.nancy.web
@flsenate.gov, (850) 487-5017
SB 2866: Children, Families and Elder Affairs, chaired by Sen. Ronda Storms, R-Valrico, storms.ronda.web
@flsenate.gov, (850) 487-5072
HB 7109: Rep. Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton, bill.galvano
@myfloridahouse.gov, (850) 488-4086
SB 2544: Sen. Ronda Storms, R-Valrico, storms.ronda.web@ flsenate.gov, (850) 487-5072
HB 41: Rep. Dick Kravitz, R-Jacksonville, dick.kravitz
@myfloridahouse.gov, (850) 488-1304
TRACK BILLS
www.flhouse.govand www.flsenate.gov
@tampatrib.com.
THE NUMBERS
IN FLORIDA: 42,640
•Offenders: 36,346
•Predators: 6,294
•Known absconders: 971
•Under federal or state supervision: 8,903
•Detained at county, federal or state facilities: 12,129
IN HILLSBOROUGH: 1,470
•Offenders: 1,346
•Predators: 124
•Known absconders: 59
•Under federal or state supervision: 538
•Detained at county, federal or state facilities: 81
Figures as of May 1.
Source: Florida Department of Law Enforcement
God, it's kind of embarrassing in a way. None of this does any good and look at all the time wasted on it.
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