| He was a quiet guy. Kept to himself, didn't socialize with
the neighbors. Then one day, a detective from the local police department came into the
on-site manager's office with a bulletin listing him as a Level II sex offender. Suddenly,
he was much more than just a quiet neighbor—he was a community menace. In 1990,
Washington State passed a Sex Offender Registration Law. The objective of the law was to
arm communities and law enforcement officers with knowledge. Sex offenders have always
been a part of our neighborhoods and apartment communities, but prior to 1990, we had no
way of tracking their presence. The law 's intent is not
to cause panic or fear, it is meant to be a preventive, safety measure. If the presence of
the sex offender is announced, neighbors, schools and churches can take steps to protect
the children in their community. Whenever a convicted sex offender is released from
prison, he is required to register. Information on Level I offenders (least-serious
offenders) is shared with law enforcement agencies only. Information on Level II offenders
MAY also be shared with schools, neighbors and community groups at the law enforcement
agency's discretion. For Level III offenders (most-serious offenders), a press release may
be issued in addition to community notification. Unfortunately, the 1990 law is an
unfunded mandate. That means while law enforcement agencies are required to collect and
track the information, they have no budget for distributing the bulletins to the
community. Most local police departments have at least one detective who handles sex
offender notification.
In King County, there are an estimated 2,000 registered sex offenders.
Approximately 900 live in Seattle, another 900 or so in unincorporated areas and other
cities. The city of Federal Way has approximately 51. Obviously, a landlord would prefer
to know ahead of time if his prospective resident is a registered sex offender.
A Washington State criminal check is an excellent front line of defense.
Research Inc. can provide that for only $10 per applicant. If your applicant is
clear, we can tell you within a few minutes. If the offender has moved in from out of state,
or offended in a county where he has no address history no information may
show up with a criminal search. In many cases, only law enforcement officials have
the information. Your second line of defense should be to contact the police department in
your area. Find out who handles the sex offender notification program and let them know
you want any bulletins they issue. If they have a neighborhood block watch program, SIGN
UP!
With thorough background screening, neighborhood involvement and the
help of local law enforcement agencies, your risk of renting to convicted sex offenders
can be greatly reduced. It takes a commitment of time and money on your part, but the
investment can be of incalculable value. |