HI: Hawaii considering sex offender residency restrictions.
Hawaii, like Arkansas, is considering imposing a residency restriction on persons required to register as sex offenders.
According to a news report, the 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.
The bill is introduced by Rep. Scott Nishimoto, but another Senator noted there will be some issues with the new law. State Sen. Karl Rhoads, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said the proposed changes could cause problems by drastically limiting the places people on the registry can live.
Stakeholders in Hawaii should be contacting their legislators to oppose this law.
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This would probably force registrants to Kauai, the only island not very densely populated.
Is that sort of like a leprosy colony?
There seems to be a constant “Sex Offender Panic.” Most of these people are Not sexually violent predators. These are men and women that most likely screwed up because an opportunity arised. California used to have a ban on where sex offenders could live and that caused 60% of these people to be in violation of that ban. California has since lifted that ban so these people can move on from their past and start to live a responsible life back in society. Keep in mind to, that these people do have probation officers, wear GPS monitors, are on the registry and the laws for a reoffense are Very stiff. If you do your homework with the DOJ, you will find that the recidivism rate for sex offenders is far lower than that of drug offenders and other violent felonies. This is something the media doesn’t show you. Another thing the media doesn’t show you is the fact that there are more minors that are registered sex offenders than that of adults (Psychology Today.) Before we get all caught up in what these politicians are spilling to you, look at the fine lines to their messages. Creating this barrier will actually do more harm than good.
I have a 4th degree csc against me did 2 years not on parole, didn’t have sex with my victim, but treated like someone that raped or took the girls virginity, which I didn’t, but am a tier 2 and have the same restrictions as someone who did 30 years, I’m looking for a state that will see I’m not a terrible person and give me a chance to live in peace
I’m just trying to find out what the law is in Hawaii on sex offenders to date there’s nothing on here that says what it is please respond
Brilliant idea! Out of an abundance of concern over a couple dozen sex offenders residing in parks, let’s propose a law that over time will result in more homeless registrants, living — where, exactly?
A smarter and less costly approach might be to find out why these people are living in parks (registry perhaps?) and help them find adequate housing. But that would mean treating sex offenders with the compassion and dignity one might afford to a fellow human being. And that would be totally unacceptable, wouldn’t it?
Having lived in Hawaii, I’ve seen the how the high cost of living can drive military families into near homelessness. I would not be surprised if the registrants found in these parks were simply homeless individuals seeking relatively safe places to bed. This bill would not only exacerbate an existing problem but go further to criminalize the problem of homelessness itself.
This reminds me of a message I wrote to an unrelated news organization in regard to another article on homeless registrants. I’m copying it here as my two cents in the public discourse:
“It’s good to see some reporting that shows the collateral impact our tough on crime attitudes in this country are having on families. You cannot fathom the degree to which our current registry policies are causing damage to our communities. The willful and unending harm being perpetrated as retribution to those on the registry and their families directly impacts almost a million households presently in the US. These attitudes not only harm those targeted by these public sanctions, but they harm the rest of us as well. How? When a society cultivates and promotes the public banishment of entire subsets of the community due to a largely unsubstantiated fear and mistrust, it has the effect of entrenching and cementing these attitudes, searing, in effect, the public conscience….”
If history is to be any indicator, we should be duly forewarned. Our public conscience is becoming seared regarding these injustices, if it hasn’t already. Read up on the racial policies of Nazi Germany toward the Jews and see how similar the attitudes and laws enacted against the Jews are to what we are currently seeing today with respect to registrants. It is alarming at best, potentially terrifying at worst.
I urge all to take every opportunity to inform the public conscience while they may still have ears to hear. Our future may depend on it.
Thoughtful, accurate and specific. Very well put.
Disgusting proposal. Just look at the url:
http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2019/01/25/proposal-would-put-tighter-leash-where-hawaiis-sex-offenders-can-live/
“Tighter leash.” Wow, see how the media incites? This terminology dehumanizes the registered citizens, thus effectively reducing them to animal status.
Once again, the media whipped up the frenzy for the politicians to feed on. “The measure is in response to a Hawaii News Now report that found 28 sex offenders are registered as living in Oahu parks and beaches.”
Only Hawaii News Now interchanged predators with offenders to maximize the hysteria:
http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/38743071/dozens-of-sex-predators-are-registered-as-living-in-oahu-parks-review-shows/
The news report also implies the “measure” will be retroactive, “I know there are some sex offenders living in my condo tower, for example. There’s a park directly across the street so they would be required to move. I suspect there would be quite a number of people in that situation.” -State Sen. Karl Rhoads.
I hope the Hawaii ACLU goes to the hearings (and promises a lawsuit) that Nishimoto “anticipates in the next couple weeks.” The vaguery of the date is done purposefully to reduce opposition voices.
As other posters have stated, a 1,000 foot rule will effectively banish registered citizens from the crowded island of Oahu. By the way, there’s no such thing as “affordable housing” on Oahu. These facts are apparently lost on the mindless media and politicians.