Sex offenders in a clown car
September 13, 2019 11:31 PM Subscribe
How accurate are the addresses on the sex offender notifications? If the offender is homeless, do they just assign him a real address in the general area?
The reason I ask is because I’ve gotten a BUNCH of sex offender notifications. Like, one week I got five different ones. Now, I’m not really that concerned about the sex offenders themselves (their crimes were all pretty long ago and were all against people known to the offender) but the notifications ALL have the same address. It’s a house that I walk by fairly often. Thing is, it’s not that big of a house and going by the notifications, there are like 12 different people living there by now. What’s going on?
The reason I ask is because I’ve gotten a BUNCH of sex offender notifications. Like, one week I got five different ones. Now, I’m not really that concerned about the sex offenders themselves (their crimes were all pretty long ago and were all against people known to the offender) but the notifications ALL have the same address. It’s a house that I walk by fairly often. Thing is, it’s not that big of a house and going by the notifications, there are like 12 different people living there by now. What’s going on?
It could be a group home for people re-integrating into the community after institutionalization for mental health or jail time. I used to live a few doors away from one. It looked like a small, slightly run down low rise apartment and housed maybe 20 people in tiny apartments.
There was one resident who had really obvious mental health stuff that led to unpleasant street harassment and borderline sexual assault (he would scream sexual threats out his window at me when I walked home, and once he blocked my path on the sidewalk while leering at me really explicitly, which was terrifying), but it didn’t escalate beyond that with me, nor anyone else as far as I know. There was some weed smoking on the sidewalk, which was illegal but usually ignored by law enforcement in that city at that time. Also there was a mild fire once, I assumed from a cigarette or hot plate, but no major damage. I lived there for 8 years and the rest of the many tenants were all fine.
posted by nouvelle-personne at 6:36 AM on September 14, 2019
There was one resident who had really obvious mental health stuff that led to unpleasant street harassment and borderline sexual assault (he would scream sexual threats out his window at me when I walked home, and once he blocked my path on the sidewalk while leering at me really explicitly, which was terrifying), but it didn’t escalate beyond that with me, nor anyone else as far as I know. There was some weed smoking on the sidewalk, which was illegal but usually ignored by law enforcement in that city at that time. Also there was a mild fire once, I assumed from a cigarette or hot plate, but no major damage. I lived there for 8 years and the rest of the many tenants were all fine.
posted by nouvelle-personne at 6:36 AM on September 14, 2019
Does it notify you when they move out?
Perhaps it's a temporary dwelling until they find more permanent residence.
posted by dobbs at 6:37 AM on September 14, 2019
Perhaps it's a temporary dwelling until they find more permanent residence.
posted by dobbs at 6:37 AM on September 14, 2019
The city assessor's office, whatever it is called in your area, knows who owns the house and pays the property taxes. That is a matter of public record.
posted by yclipse at 7:45 AM on September 14, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by yclipse at 7:45 AM on September 14, 2019 [1 favorite]
In my neighborhood there’s a rooming house we call the Hobo House where sketchy guys live and there are always several sex offenders listed at that address. There’s usually a room for rent sign on the porch so most don’t stay long. I wonder if some of yours are old and don’t live there? Or its a group home situation where there are 2 to a bedroom, and/or other rooms have been made into bedrooms. It seems you’d be aware if it was housing that many people though so you might contact someone in your city gov’t and inquire about this. Or ask in a local fb group or nextdoor, but thats not always trustworthy info and can put the house on the radar of people who could hassle the residents etc.
posted by RichardHenryYarbo at 8:31 AM on September 14, 2019
posted by RichardHenryYarbo at 8:31 AM on September 14, 2019
This is something I work directly with and while it’s pretty dependent on state law how offenders register addresses (actually having a true street address viewable by the public is not super common) I’d assume it’s sex offender specific housing. If you memail me with the state and what tool you’re using to get the notifications I can poke around a bit.
posted by LastAtlanticWalrus at 9:41 AM on September 14, 2019
posted by LastAtlanticWalrus at 9:41 AM on September 14, 2019
Laws differ state to state Contact your local law enforcement if you have questions/concerns, they keep a very close eye on these folks......
posted by patnok at 6:59 PM on September 14, 2019
posted by patnok at 6:59 PM on September 14, 2019
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posted by charmcityblues at 1:01 AM on September 14, 2019 [10 favorites]