by David Chapman
Staff Writer
Several years following the adoption of a three-part local ordinance regarding sexual offenders, a part of the ordinance pertaining to sexual predator placement has become a point of discussion among several City Council members with one looking to address a problem before it becomes rampant.
Council member Glorious Johnson recently called a meeting with fellow Council member Clay Yarborough and Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Chief Wayne Clark to discuss the sexual predator residency requirement of residing more than 2,500 feet from any school, public library, day care center, park, playground or other place where children may congregate.
That requirement is more than the 1,000-foot radius issued by the State of Florida and Johnson said she wants to take a proactive approach to ensure that sexual predators have affordable housing and necessary services.
Miami has a similar 2,500-foot restriction and news reports of sexual predators forming communities under bridges due to the inability to find affordable housing in a non-restricted areas caused Johnson to take notice.
“Like in Miami, what we don’t want to happen is for that type of situation to happen to us,” said Johnson.
Cassandra Bush, executive director of Thorminic Ministries, was invited to the public meeting as a reference to how the changes have impeded those labeled as sexual predators from finding housing. Bush and Thorminic Ministries worked with the Florida Department of Corrections in ex-offender re-entry programs, including sex offenders.
The imposed radius has made it anywhere from difficult to nearly impossible for Bush and Thorminic Ministries to assist sex offenders and keep them off the streets and unmonitored.
“They’re extremely limited to where they can live now,” said Bush. “I know it’s an unpopular population, but it’s a difficult situation ... it’s setting them up to fail.”
The solution, said both Johnson and Bush, isn’t to revert the bill back to a 1,000-foot radius but instead to renovate dilapidated or foreclosed facilities and centers outside the main areas of the City — a place where sex offenders can live, be monitored and receive any additional treatment — while working with the Department of Corrections and implementing strict residency policies.
“We know how to do it,” said Bush. “It can be done.”
As chair of the Council’s Public Health & Safety Committee, Yarborough said he was interested in hearing about the issue and wanted to do more research, especially for the sake of area children.
“If there is more discussion in the future, I’d like to be a part of it,” he said.
Johnson noted that more discussion will take place, but that the initial meeting was to shed light on the situation while trying to find feasible solutions to the problem before they escalate.
“What we’re trying to do is find out how to get there,” said Johnson. “We want people to understand the situation.”
Bush agreed and wanted to see the public educated about the situation and need, but noted how she didn’t want the unpopular topic to be tackled using fear tactics.
“The community can be safer,” said Bush. “Just having a 2,500-foot rule doesn’t make people safe ... Education on the part of the community is important.”
Johnson said she’d like to see the City take an active role with assistance in the matter moving forward with a potential solution.
“We have to try another method,” she said. “I’m concerned because I live here and I see it for myself.”
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