08/12/2011
By Jami Kinton
MANSFIELD -- A new transitional housing unit is causing controversy in the city, but members of Ohio Reform Sex Offender Laws were pleased to open the local center.
The Residential Community Center, a 21-bed facility offering support to homeless sex and other offenders who have served all their prison time, opened at 303 W. Fifth St. on July 1.
"Someone sent me the story with all of these people complaining and I thought, 'Oh my God. Here we go again,' " said Mary Kendall, a member of the ORSOL, noting her disgust with Interim Service Safety Director Phil Messer's previous comments against the facility. "He is perpetuating the stranger-danger sex offender myth."
According to the ORSOL website, its goals include educating the public about sex offenders, reforming existing sex offender laws and abolishing registries.
"The registries don't help anything and they just create more panic," Kendall said.
Kendall said only 8 percent of sex offenders return to prison for new sex offenses. She said 14 percent return to prison for a non-sexual crime.
"But that's based on ones who have gotten caught," said Connie Walls, records supervisor for the sheriff's office. "If you don't get caught, it's not going to be counted."
Walls said residents have the right to be concerned about a facility like the Residential Community Center.
"Let's face it: A lot of people count on their neighbors to watch their children, too -- but in this day and age, it doesn't seem like you'd want to do that anymore," Walls said.
- And it's all due to the sex offender mass hysteria and moral panic spread by the media, politicians and other groups.
Walls said there are 366 sex offenders, including juveniles, residing and registering in Richland County.
There are 532, counting those incarcerated.
The Community Residential Center is operated by Nothing Into Something Real Estate Inc. The facility is licensed and funded by the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction.
Michele Johnson, CEO of NISRE, did not return calls Wednesday or Thursday.
