'The Olmsted County Housing and Redevelopment Authority voted Monday to table a request that it withdraw applications for two conditional use permits and a variance for houses at 1119 Seventh Ave. S.W., and 1813 First Ave. S.W.
Since the demolition of Maxwell House and changes at Civic Inn barring released prisoners, the county has struggled to find places to put the homeless portion of the roughly 300 prisoners per year released here.
"How do you think it is appropriate to have sex offenders 500 feet from a Toys 'R Us?" said Dr. Ferris Tamimi, who lives near the 1119 house. "It just doesn't seem logical." Some senior citizens said they are afraid for their
own safety, too. '
The question: What do we do with released prisoners?
I think a better question is to ask:
Why are we releasing people who are a continuing threat to our city?
Is it appropriate to have sex offenders 500 feet from anyone at all?
Their release promotes fear for a good reason: many of these ex-prisoners re-offend. Repeatedly. Sex crimes and drug crimes and robberies redux.
The salient question is: How long should these guys stay in prison?
Because clearly it is not long enough now.
1 comment:
Seems like Rochester is becoming a "Sanctuary City" without officially proclaiming it as such. Rehabilitation? As my husband says, "They have to be "habilitated" before they can become "rehabilitated." No one wants the sexual predators, which I personally don't think can be rehabilitated, the drug pushers and violent crime offenders in any of our neighborhoods. Perhaps the only solution is to put these houses right next door to the ones who think this is a good idea.
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