Sexual predators abound

February 2, 2004
Mansfield News Journal

MANSFIELD -- Connie Hostettler is well aware of Richland County's dubious distinction as the sex-offender capital of Ohio.

Now she is trying to determine why.

Hostettler, records supervisor for the Richland County Sheriff's Department, has been in charge of the sheriff's sex-offender notification and registration program since Megan's Law went into effect in 1997.

With slightly more than 20 sex offenders per 10,000 residents, Richland County ranks first in the state in number of offenders for an area of its size. Even without about 70 offenders living at the Volunteers of America halfway house, 290 N. Main St., the area would rank third.

Hostettler said the department is trying to get a grant to study the issue.

It is an issue that never would have come to light without the registration law. Hostettler tracks offenders' whereabouts and updates the sheriff's Web site regularly.

"I'd say we are pretty much on top of it," she said. "I would hate to think what Cuyahoga County and those people are trying to do."

Click on the "Read More..." link below for more.

Critics of the program contend it can provide a false sense of security to the community when a significant number of offenders are not registering as required, or are improperly moving to another state to gain anonymity.

Failing to register is a felony, but it has been charged locally only 13 times since the program's inception in 1997, Hostettler said.

"Most of those have been within the last several years," she said. "Many of the people we find out of compliance, we go out and check and find out they have gone back to prison, so the charges are never filed."

"The concept of Megan's Law is to alert potential victims that a sex offender is in the area," said Richland County First Assistant Prosecutor Bob Castor. "Does it have problems with administration? Of course, but there's not a law that doesn't."

Castor said sex offenders are treated differently from other criminals because of the likelihood of repeat offenses and the difficulty of rehabilitation.

"Sex offenders are different. They have a compulsion and rehabilitation is highly unusual. If one of them moves into your neighborhood, it's appropriate that you're aware of it."

Story edited for space - click here to read the entire story.

Commentary:
No word on what "unusal compulsions" CHL holders, who have committed no crimes, are considered to have, since they are soon to be treated with a similar registration scheme, thanks to the open records provision inserted into the new Ohio concealed carry law by Governor Taft.