Has Jessica's Law Increased Homelessness in CA?

Could a law meant to protect children from sex offenders result in a massive increase in homelessness?

A California state appeals court thinks so. Last week they ruled that an unprecedented increase in homelessness among registered sex offenders in California can be traced directly to Jessica's Law.

Jessica's Law prohibits sex offenders from living within 2,000 feet of a school or park. Since it was passed two years ago, however, homelessness among sex offenders has increased a whopping 800 percent. The CA appeals court found the shortage of housing options and resulting increase in homelessness amounts to "additional punishment" for sex offenders.

According to KGO-tv in San Francisco:

Before voters passed the law in November 2006, only 88 registered sex offenders statewide were homeless. A year and a half later, it jumped to more than 1,000. That's 800 percent higher and the Sex Offender Management Board blames it on Jessica's Law.

"It has created less and less places to house these folks. So you're seeing higher concentrations of offenders, and you're also seeing higher concentrations of offenders in places you may not necessarily want to have them, like hotels," said Suzanne Brown-McBride, from the California Sex Offender Management Board.

The unfortunate irony in this situation is that homelessness increases the likelihood of recidivism among sex offenders (and other ex-offenders). In other words, Jessica's Law could be causing the very crimes it was meant to prevent. A lack of stable housing makes it near impossible for offenders to maintain a job and receive counseling. Furthermore, when sex offenders are not registered at a home address, it is difficult to track where they are staying, which could be concerning for parents wanting to safeguard their children.

It's unclear what measures will be taken now that a causal link between Jessica's Law and homelessness has been confirmed by the courts.

But clearly, the case for getting sex offenders off the streets and into housing is too overwhelming to be ignored.

[Picture: Corrections parole agent Dan Roumbanis looks for a sex offender parolee who was tracked by his Corrections Department-issued GPS device, who was not located, at Alamo Square Park in San Francisco.]