WI - 'It's not working': Debate over Green Bay sex offender ordinance intensifies

Original Article

07/02/2012

By Scott Cooper Williams

New voices are joining the debate over Green Bay’s sex offender ordinance, with the top local prosecutor and others calling for repeal of the 5-year-old law.

Brown County District Attorney David Lasee has endorsed dropping the sex offender residency law because of concerns that it doesn’t protect the public.

On behalf of Lasee, Assistant District Attorney Kevin Greene recently met with city officials to express support for taking a new direction on the sex offender ordinance.

“Those who have looked at it seem to say it doesn’t work,” Greene said in an interview.

Also speaking out on the issue is state Rep. Karl Van Roy, R-Howard, who contends that Green Bay’s restriction on where sex offenders can live is costing taxpayers money, because some offenders must remain in prison.

Van Roy called the citx’s ordinance excessive and counterproductive.

“It’s not working, and it’s over the top,” he said.

Green Bay aldermen have debated for months whether to repeal the 2007 ordinance, which prohibits convicted sex offenders from living within 2,000 feet of any school, park or other place where children gather. The ordinance covers virtually the entire city and requires offenders to seek city approval before moving to a restricted area.

Police officials and others have called the ordinance flawed because it has driven many offenders to live “underground,” without reporting their whereabouts. City attorneys recommend replacing it with a 150-foot barrier around schools and parks — allowing offenders to live in the city while barring them from specific sensitive locations.

Supporters of the existing ordinance, however, have balked at such a change, saying they fear it would lead to a new influx of sex offenders living in Green Bay. A City Council committee voted recently to recommend maintaining the old residency restriction and adding the 150-barrier on top of it.

“It’s just finding a balance,” Alderman Jesse Brunette said. “I’m not saying it’s a perfect solution.”

The City Council is scheduled to debate the issue July 17.

A recent meeting of the council’s Protection & Welfare Committee brought out Greene, Van Roy and others who wanted to join the debate.

Green Bay Assistant Police Chief Lisa Sterr said she supports dropping the residency ban because it fails to recognize that Green Bay offenders are going to return to their hometown whether they can do so legally or not. Sterr said she would prefer a system that encourages offenders to report their whereabouts, allowing police to keep an eye on them.

“This really isn’t working,” she said of the current law. “Is there a perfect answer that’s going to make everybody happy? No, there isn’t.”

WI - Court: Woman (Barbara Patterson) abused process in sex offender fight

Original Article

06/20/2012

MADISON (AP) - A state appeals court says a Grafton woman abused the legal process when she filed a complaint against a sex offender's family.

Barbara Patterson put up fliers in 2009 announcing her neighbor, [name withheld], had decided to let her sex offender son move in. The [name withheld] family began receiving prank phone calls and drivers started gawking at their house.

After the family warned Patterson they planned to sue her (PDF), Patterson filed a complaint alleging family members threatened her.

The family filed a lawsuit alleging invasion of privacy, defamation and abuse of process.

A judge dismissed all three claims, but the 2nd District Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday that Patterson did abuse the process, saying she exaggerated her threat claims.

Patterson's attorney didn't immediately return a message.

WI - Public safety officials come out swinging against GB sex offender residency ordinance

Original Article

06/26/2012

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - After further discussion and debate, a Green Bay committee remains defiant and voted to keep the city's sex offender residency ordinance in place.

The Protection and Welfare Committee heard a barrage of testimony from public safety officials in favor of repealing the current residency ordinance.

Green Bay police, the City Attorney's office, the Department of Corrections, the Sex Offender Registration Program, and the District Attorney's office want the city council to scrap the ordinance in favor of establishing child safety zones that prohibit where sex offenders can go.

Public safety officials argue the highly restrictive residency ordinance is increasing the number of child sex offenders from registering with the state and not applying to live in the city.

Public safety officials say study after study shows residency ordinances don't work and have the opposite effect of sex offenders registering where they live.

Jed Neuman is with the Department of Corrections and says residency restrictions compromise their ability to keep the community safe, labeling it such as the perception of safety versus the reality of safety.

"I have yet to find a study that shows they are effective in providing community safety, I've yet to find anything anywhere that lessens recidivism, that they prevent assaults," Neumann said.

Alderman Jerry Wiezbiskie is in a unique position because he served on the city council that passed the residency ordinance.

He voted against five years ago.

Wiezbiskie was frustrated with the committee's vote, "Again here is the common sense factor, I predicted five years ago the ordinance would not work, and here we are today, almost five years later and it's not working."

Alderman Joe Moore is in favor of keeping the current ordinance and says he acting in the heart of what he believes his constituents want.
- Yeah, you don't want to go against what the sheeple want and not look "tough" on crime, which could possibly ruin your career, which the sheeple are paying for.  Also, since the majority of the people do not like or want taxes, are you also going to pass a law to eliminate taxes?  I doubt it.

Moore wants to see the child safety zones be added to the 2,000 foot residency restriction that also requires child sex offenders to apply to live in the city with the Sex Offender Residency Board.

Moore is calling for some changes to the residency ordinance that would favor a grace period for sex offenders to come forward with where they live and would not incur penalties.

"Until I get a majority of my constituents that come to me with a different feeling that that… I can't use my own emotion to do what I feel I have to do," Moore said.

Alderman Jesse Burnette, who serves on the committee, is in favor of the scrapping the residency ordinance, but doesn't think the public would be ready for it.

He would like to see new child safety zone proposal in place and some sort of grace period before throwing out the ordinance.

Green Bay resident Mary Barlament spoke in favor of scrapping the current residency ordinance in favor of child safety zones.

"This does not work, and I would hope that you would listen to that and the professionals who I think are doing a great job," Barlament said.
- You folks don't care about the facts or what professionals say, only what saves your jobs and makes you look good.

Brown County Assistant District Attorney Kevin Green says he has been dealing with 200% more failure to register and non compliant cases than before the residency ordinance went into effect.

The DA's office is recommending repealing the current ordinance and putting it up for a vote at the full city council.

Green said, "The simple fact is, what objective research they have simply says they are not effective, there is one study that says it is counterproductive, that is because it forces some people underground you lose the benefit of the registry."

Outgoing Green Bay Police Chief Jim Arts wrote the committee a letter asking for a repeal of the residency ordinance in favor of the child safety zones.

Arts recommended a three year trial period.

The committee voted 3-1 to recommend adding a proximity proposal to the current residency ordinance.

The child safety zones would prohibit child sex offenders from going within 150 feet of daycares, schools, and parks.

Aldermen Jesse Brunette, Tim De Wane and David Boyce voted in favor of the recommendation.

Chairman Mark Steuer voted against the recommendation.

"I suppose there is some frustration on my part, because talking to our police department, the state and other agencies, they all say it doesn't work," Steuer said.

WI - Green Bay's sex offender rules will stay the same, for now