September 3, 2013
Contact: Gail Colletta
561.305.4959
Lake Monroe, FL— September 3, 2013.
Zoning out Sex Offenders
A community in Daytona installed a pocket park for the express purpose of exiling RSOs. (see: http://www.news-journalonline.com/article/20130826/NEWS/130829582/-1/OPINION?tc=a) The article states, “The playground was strategically placed to cover an open zone where sex offenders could have moved into the community off LPGA Boulevard. The playground appears to be the first in either Volusia or Flagler counties built to block sex offenders from moving in to a community.”
This is the same thing that happened in Miami Dade’s Shorecrest neighborhood (see: http://www.miamihomeless.org/documents/Miamicreatespop-upparktostanchflowofsexoffenderstoShorecrestside.pdf). Residency restrictions caused the Julia Tuttle debacle, which drove many to the pocket in Shorecrest, which was closed off by the park and, in turn, drove many to the trailers on 27th Avenue, which was now closed off – causing 80 people to live homeless by the railroad tracks on NW 71st Street and 36the Court in Miami.
Just like city after city started passing ordinances to drive out RSOs, leaving only small pockets of land available for them to live, the current trend is to install parks in these “pockets” to close the holes. This practice will likely have a domino effect, as one community completely closes themselves off, driving RSOs to their neighbor, the next city will be forced to do the same to avoid becoming a “dumping ground”. Banishment of RSOs has become part of the city planning process.
Florida Action Committee (FAC), founded in 2006, is a state-wide consortium of concerned citizens and professionals whose purpose is to promote the prevention of sexual abuse while preserving the safety and dignity of all citizens through carefully structured laws targeting the truly violent, forced, and/or dangerous predatory acts of sex. FAC believes that many aspects of the current approach to sex offenders seriously undermine justice and actually increase the threat of sexual assault against others, particularly children. FAC opposes a publicized registry of sex offenders and seeks to bring an end to the humiliation of people who have already paid for their crimes. FAC asserts that only by supporting justice for all people—offenders and victims alike can a truly safe society be built and secured for all Americans.
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