NORTHWEST — Residents of Jimani Apartments on Lowell Road in Springdale share the complex with four registered sex offenders, all assessed as individuals with relatively high probability of re-offense, according to the Arkansas Crime Information Center Web site.
Changes in state laws in 2003 and 2007 created small concentrations of sex offenders throughout Northwest Arkansas near many residential neighborhoods. Laws restrict how close sex offenders can live to businesses and institutions.
“Certain offenders can’t live within 2,000 feet of a school, public park or a licensed day care center,” said Detective Leonard Graves, Fayetteville’s representative on the Northwest Arkansas Sex Offender and Violent Crime Task Force. “That starts eliminating a lot of a city.”
A city like Fayetteville, with about 65 schools and day care centers and numerous small parks, doesn’t have much space left that is eligible, Graves said.
Springdale has a larger number of offenders living in its city limits than other towns in Northwest Arkansas. Affordable housing is the attraction, said Detective Jared Pena, Springdale’s representative on the task force. “We tell them what areas they can live,” Pena said. “They have to find a place they can afford.”
No law requires a perspective landlord to tell a renter about his neighbors — even if he knows. It’s renter beware.
Management at the Jimani Apartments said they did not know why the four sex offenders live there and the owner was out of town and not available for comment.
The task force keeps tabs on offenders on a daily basis. The force is made up of officers from the Benton, Carroll, Madison and Washington counties sheriff’s offices, Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, Siloam Springs and Springdale police departments, the U.S. Marshal’s Service and the Arkansas Department of Community Corrections.
John, a convicted sex offender who wanted to remain anonymous, didn’t have to register when he was paroled years ago. John was convicted of first-degree sexual abuse.
The sex offender assessment committee tagged John as a level 3 offender. Level 3 indicates a high risk of re-offense by the offender and has higher levels of notification to neighbors when he moves. John has tried to be reassigned to a different level, but has not been successful, he said.
“Every year there’s more restrictions,” he said. “When I got out of prison, I could live anywhere I wanted to. Now I’m on the registry for the rest of my life. If I was a murderer who was paroled, I wouldn’t have to do anything now.”
It’s been 20 years since John was paroled. He spent 10 years on probation after his release. He has never been in trouble since leaving prison, he said. His good behavior, however, didn’t mean anything when he moved the last time, from an apartment building to a house next door.
“People left nasty notes in my mailbox, they put a sign in my yard, they broke out windows trying to get me to move,” John said. “My neighbors told me it wasn’t them. They said it was people who didn’t know me.”
Arkansas set up its database after the passing of the Sex and Child Offender Registration Act in 1997. Those convicted of a sex crime, or those found not guilty of a sex crime on the grounds of mental disease or defect, must register. They are required to register in each law enforcement jurisdiction where they live, attend school or are employed.
The state Sex Offender Assessment Committee places an offender in one of four categories. The categories determine the type of public notification required. Information on high level 2 offenders is available from the state and on the registry Web site. Individuals in the offender’s neighborhood who fall within the offender’s target group, or families with members in the group, are notified.
Notification is required to be given face to face by law enforcement officers to people living in the offender’s neighborhood for level 3 and level 4. However, those moving into a neighborhood near an offender are not required to be notified, including renters at apartments.
Stricter laws forcing people out of more neighborhoods are not the answer, said Paula Stitz, manager of the Arkansas sex offender registry. Tougher laws in other states have led to situations such as in Miami, where sex offenders live under bridges, Stitz said.
New legislation in Florida eliminated most of Miami as a living site for sex offenders, according to a story by the Associated Press. In 2007, five male sex offenders started living under the Julia Tuttle Causeway when they couldn’t find a place to live. The number of offenders living under the bridge and nearby grew to 52 by March 2009.
“That’s not a good situation,” said Marc Klaas, founder of KlaasKids, a foundation formed to prevent crimes against children. Polly Klaas, Marc Klaas’ daughter, was kidnapped from her home in California and murdered in 1993 when she was 12 years old.
Sex offenders in close contact tend to network and exchange information that could lead them to committing another sex crime, Klaas said.
“It doesn’t help with the No. 1 priority,” Klaas said. “Making sure crimes like these don’t happen.”
Infoboxes
Sex Offender Assessment Levels for Community Notifications
Level 1
Low Risk — Individuals with no prior history of sexual offending and no strong antisocial tendencies, sexual compulsions or psychological factors impairing judgment.
Level 2
Moderate Risk — Individuals with limited history of sexual offending, possess some antisocial personality characteristics, predatory tendencies, or deviant behavior patterns that increase risk levels. They may have mild or well-controlled mental disorders and/or developmental disabilities.
Level 3
High Risk — Individuals with histories of repeat sexual offending, and/or strong antisocial, violent or predatory personality characteristics. Sexual compulsions are likely to be present, but controlled under treatment. Individuals with a relatively high probability of re-offense.
Level 4
Sexually Violent Predator — Individuals with impaired judgment or control who have sexual or violent compulsions. Includes disorders of sexual attraction, mental illness, or personality that distorts thinking, interferes with behavioral control and predisposes the person to acts of predatory sexual violence.
Source: Arkansas Crime Information Center
Comments
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rickysmom says...
Mark IMO needs to start telling the truth. A recent report from Colorado on clustering (offenders forced by laws to live near one anothr) shows fact based evidence that this does NOT increase risk of sexual abuse being committed because the former offenders actually turn each other in for new crimes etc because they want to live law abiding lives. There are expert reports on www.sosen.org which proves this argument and mark is spewing his own opinion based on his own tragedy...My heart goes out to his family for their tragic loss but not all former offenders are monsters like the individual who killed her. www.rickyslife.com, www.freebrandon.org Lets educate the public and citizens to facts and I have visited theJTC did a documentary and its horrifying there...its tragic we are forcing this type of living in a country we know as the United States. www.juliatuttlecauseway.blogspot.com read our visit and see photo's..its time we pass laws based on fact based evidence not knee jerk emotions and hate/revenge in a one shoe size fits all policy. Email me for more info our come debate on my radio show ARC www.americansrealitycheck.com
November 22, 2009 at 12:58 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
cfcamericadotorg says...
I truly hope people will read and realize a few things.
Watch the below video please from Congressman Bobby Scott
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtxT6R...
This article calls this man a SEX OFFENDER. He is NOT a sex offender, he is, if anything, an EX-OFFENDER. He served his time, served his sentence.
What one of you out there would stand for having been adjudicated guily of a crime, fined $1000.00 and having paid that debt years, decades ago, would go along with Sheriffs or Police officers knocking on your door and aresting you and telling you that you NOW have to pay another $25,000.00 for that same crime committed decades ago? Which one of you would agree to be placed on a public shaming registry for the whole world to see the crime you committed decades ago.
I think all who read this article and others about men or women who have served their time, should think of the words of Jesus. He told those who would stone a woman caught in Adultry, when they asked what should be done.."Let he or she among you who is without sin, cast the first stone"
The writer of this article, and all you out there who want to persecute people decades after they have served their time need to get a grip! This man in this story has rights too.
I am ashamed of this country. Americans watch rape and murder movies like Last House on the Left and call it entertainment, and pervert justice and the Constitution.
What a sewer this country has become.
“Every year there’s more restrictions,” he said. “When I got out of prison, I could live anywhere I wanted to. Now I’m on the registry for the rest of my life. If I was a murderer who was paroled, I wouldn’t have to do anything now.”
It’s been 20 years since John was paroled. He spent 10 years on probation after his release. He has never been in trouble since leaving prison, he said. His good behavior, however, didn’t mean anything when he moved the last time, from an apartment building to a house next door.
“People left nasty notes in my mailbox, they put a sign in my yard, they broke out windows trying to get me to move,” John said. “My neighbors told me it wasn’t them. They said it was people who didn’t know me.”
Citizens for Legislative Change, America
http://www.cfcamerica.org
November 24, 2009 at 9:50 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
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