DA: Sex Offender Ordinance Not Working
By: Caroline Rowland
Updated: July 3, 2012
Brown County District Attorney David Lasse said it's not working and it needs to be changed.
"It's not working the way it's supposed to work, it's just not manageable and not effective," said Lasse, "I think it gives residence of this community a false sense of security."
Back in 2007, the city passed an ordinance that prohibits sex offenders from living within 2,000 feet of schools, parks, anywhere children gather, which makes up for about 90-percent of the city. If sex offenders, want to live in a prohibited area, it must be approved by the sex offender residence board.
"When we first started, everybody that came out came to green bay, it was overwhelming and we had to do something about it," said City Alderman Tom De Wane.
De Wane believes the ordinance is working and supports keeping it.
In the past five years the ordinance has drawn criticism for being too restrictive and law enforcement believes it's encouraged sex offenders to live "underground", not reporting where they live.
Those who work with sex-offenders, like Jedd Neuman a Corrections Field Supervisor, from the division of Community Corrections, have seen the ordinance make it more difficult for them to succeed upon their release
"The non-compliant rate increases, the instability is present as far as the residence, it impacts their ability to re-integrate successfully into society," said Neuman.
The Department of Corrections can't take a side on the ordinance, saying they just follow it. But, they have noticed the changes.
Lasse is the latest public official to support repealing the ordinance. He does supports the proposal brought by the city attorney's office that is a 150-feet barricade around schools and parks.
"It's less restrictive in terms of the area, but more restrictive in terms of when they can be in those areas," said Lasse, "there is no research out there that says where they lay their head, is related to whether or not they will re-offend."
De Wane supports the new proposal, on top of the ordinance already in place. The City Council will continue to debate the issue of repealing the ordinance at their next meeting, July 17.
