Sex Offenders Banned from Hamilton Twp. NJ

To give you an idea of where Hamilton is...It's the "Anthrax Capital of the World"...outside of Princeton and Trenton.


Sex Offenders Could Be Banned from Hamilton Township
HAMILTON, N.J. -- Hamilton Township's council is expected to introduce an ordinance Tuesday night that would ban convicted sex offenders of living within 2,500 feet of a school, playground or park.

If the ordinance is approved, sex offenders would have a difficult time finding a place to live in the Mercer County community, which has 30 schools and more than 30 parks.

Hamilton is where Megan Kanka lived. The namesake of "Megan's Law" died at the hands of a sex offender who lived on her block in 1994. "Megan's Law" requires community notification when a convicted sex offender moves in.

The planned ordinance is similar to one proposed in Keansburg. The Monmouth County town wants to establish a "pedophile-free school zone" within 1,000 feet of schools, parks and playgrounds.

The state chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union says restricting where sex offenders live would violate constitutional protections of due process and double jeopardy.

http://www.nbc10.com/news/4444282/detail.html

What do you think? I lived there for a short period of time and I think its really good. I mean in Hamilton Township alone, there are 17 elementary schools, 3 middle, and 3 high schools.

Discuss...

I don't know. On one hand I see your point, but I think there are other constitutional issues in limiting where " certain residents" of the population may reside. The words "Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of hapiness" come to mind when I read the above post. Even though the offenders in question violated the rights of others, I'm sure a lawyer could argue the point that these people (pedophiles) are entitled to the same rights as you or me, on where they can live, etc. I'm not saying that it's right, but with the litigious society we have nowadays, I think they may face an uphill battle in trying to limit where a group of people may reside. ( On a side note: This reminds me of a battle some towns in my area faced a few years back in trying to legislate limits on where "group homes" for people such as developmentally delayed, handicapped, social/emotional problems could be placed in neighborhoods.) :2cents:

damn time for me to move!!

I see good and bad in it idk with out some thought but top of my head i'd say no. Just watch your kids and teach them ..... oh yea people dont do that nowadays.

I think it's a damn good idea personally. Those people want rights to live where they want...to bad, they fucked up.

I think it is great. I have to say the Jersey Child protective laws are a lot better then here in NY. That is probably the only a couple good things about jersey. That's being said with no offense to anyone that lives there.

The thing about child molesters is that the vast majority of them do it over and over again. I think it's reasonable to keep them away from temptation, for both their own good and the good of the children they'd be abusing.

Give them a chance, yes. But to make a parallel comparison, don't put the heroin addict in charge of the pharmacy.

OH, damn! I just reopened an old thread. Sorry.

As far as i'm concerned once you commit a crime you waive your constitutional rights. I think this is a great idea, and would support it in my own area as well.

edit: oops sorry it is kinda old. hard to tell when its only three or four posts down.

I'm thinking about retiring here..
Jerry Sandusky.