An Arizona town, Huachuca City, is getting a lot of buzz for an ordinance, approved last Thursday by the mayor and council, that will ban registered sex offenders from all public facilities. In other words, by late October, they won't be allowed in schools, parks, libraries, pools, gymnasiums, sports fields, and sports facilities, which will be considered "child safety zones." If sex offenders violate the new law, they'll have to pay a $100 fine. Repeat offenders will be charged with trespassing. Police plan to enforce the ban by relying on tips from the community (which I hope they double-check) and heavy patrolling.
The ordinance is being called "bold" and "unprecedented," and while it may seem a tiny bit draconian, it actually makes a lot of sense for this town. Turns out, Huachuca was having an issue with a registered sex offender spending time loitering around the public pool and taking photos, which made parents and children understandably leery.
Honestly, the most humanitarian, bleeding heart area of my brain thinks it's kind of a shame, I guess, if someone is registered as a sex offender but has actually reformed themselves, lives a quiet life, and would simply like to take a walk in the park someday. Still, maybe they're better off moving on from Huachuca ... especially now that this ordinance is in place. No one says they have to stay there! Plus, it's not SO severe a law; there are exceptions. Sex offenders can enter public facilities to pick up their children, vote in an election, or discuss with someone their kids' health or education. Seems fair enough.
Ultimately, it seems like this "crackdown" is an attempt by the leadership in Huachuca to protect its kids, and being that they were having what they call a "serious problem with some pedophiles being a nuisance," I really don't blame them for taking this measure. Hopefully, the ban ends up accomplishing what they hope it will.
What do you think about this ban -- too severe or makes sense?
Image via ICMA Photos/Flickr
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Comments 86
Are you kidding me!! Rudy Johnson " almost never happens " my ass . The key word in this is almost , almost meaning IT DOES happen and Can happen . AND if the sick people didn't start this THEN we as mothers wouldn't have to worry about the unthinkable that " almost never happens" The very fact that IT DOES happen is why I have to explain it to my children , In the hopes if they are ever in that situation then they may have a chance , instead of not knowing anything and losing their innocence in the most horrible of ways and if people act as they should with children then there would be any false accusations . I don't doubt that there are many sick bastards not on the list when they should be , but I have nothing to bad to feel about the people on the list and as far as I am concerned they can stay the hell away from me and my children for whatever stupid sex crime they did to get on there. It can always lead to more severe crimes , that is how some of these people start out . I feel you are also someone I need to protect my kids from , you seem to be a little too much on the side of the people that DO do things to get on there. And your stupid statistic's about being killed in a car by me , I would rather have that then my sweet sweet babies being tortured by a pervert for God knows how long before they are finally granted the mercy of death .
@ mike, thanks but I don't have a lack of knowledge , I was speaking from one point , I do know that and I protect my children accordingly and I explain accordingly as well, my children are not confused about what I explain to them and understand what I am talking about
i think this law is GREAT i wish we had something similar here in Florida where i live. I think we should go back to hangings on the court house lawnfor people that are sick enough to get their rocks off with children. I know I know they say the perp was usually molested or what not as a child well speaking as someone that was sexually abused as a child THAT IS NO EXCUSE!!!! you know what you did or are doing is wrong you didnt like it when it was done to you why would you subject someone else to that torture
Jeesh, Jennifer. Your paranoia is on the verge of a pathology. But I understand one thing. You WILL protect your children, no doubt, EVEN from going on a registry. Think about that!
@ Rudy Johnson , only a sex offender would say something like that , maybe that is why you think I am paranoid , I am just careful and see the news on what DOES happen , I am not making this shit up myself , you nasty dirt bags that prey on small innocent children are the ones that started this whole thing
The last refuge of a person who has nothing to defend their position with, "you must be one of THEM" How very pathetic...
rudy you are so stupid, the lies from the government and media has nothing to do with this issue. there really are pedofiles and predators out there. there were couple cases that i personally knew about, all child rapists and pedofiles should be removed from society
It is not pathetic , you are defending the very people that steal from children when they molest , rape or whatever, If you had any children you would have the same fears as us with children have . Not defend them, I understand what you are saying about ones that don't need to be on there , but as a mother I truly don't give a shit and want all of you sick bastards to die, when one steals from children as what we are talking about , right? then I truly think there is no place on this beautiful earth for such crap. AND if you don't want to be on the sex registry then don't do shit that would get you on there!!