Sexual Offender's Shanty Towns

Miami and Atlanta are going through the same stuff. Both cities have designated unhabitable areas for sexual predators who can not find housing that complies with the law.

In Miami, some sexual offenders are being directed to live under the Julia Tuttle bridge. The local law here in Miami, forbids sex offenders from living within 2,500 feet of places where children gather.

The City of Miami is suing Florida's Department of Transportation administrators for placing convicted sex offenders and predators under the Julia Tuttle Causeway. The city is asking the courts to grant a temporary and permanent injunction requiring the sex offenders to be moved from under the bridge and no longer be issued identification listing the Julia Tuttle Causeway as their permanent address.


The city contends that the "shantytown,'' which lacks electricity, sanitation and permanent housing, has become a public-health hazard. City leaders also argue that the colony is within 2,500 feet of a city park -- which violates a city law banning sex offenders from living within that distance from anywhere children gather.

The Circuit court ruled that the dispute should be held in Miami. However, the Miami appeals court overturned that decision and ruled that the dispute over the sex offenders' makeshift living quarters should be held in Tallahassee, where the state Department of Transportation -- the defendant -- is headquartered. The appeals court held that the state is protected by its "home-venue'' privilege, which allows state government to litigate where agencies are based.

A switch of venue from Miami to Tallahassee can mean a lot.

In Atlanta however, decisions have already been made. The group of homeless sex offenders have been ordered to move from a makeshift camp in a densely wooded area behind a suburban office park. Many of them had been directed to the camp by probation officers as a location of last resort as sex offenders are barred from living in many areas.

Now the other problem is where will they(sex offenders in Atlanta) go next? If the City of Miami does win its injunction where do the people go?

1)Do you think that the safety of the residents of Miami and Atlanta are better served when they know where sexual offenders and predators are?

2)Do you think that the sex offenders are being treated inhumanely?

Here are some interesting articles -for and against- sex offenders living in shanty towns:

~still chasing honey