Prospective home buyers and registered sex offenders
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Buyers have a duty to do their due diligence, which would include going to the police station in the neighborhood and inquiring about crime, checking crime statistics online, checking the registered sex offender web site, driving around the neighborhood at all hours of the night and day, and knocking on neighbors doors and talking to them.
I live in an urban community and there are a lot of tear downs with new, big houses going up. Most of those big houses are bought by families in this area. At the other end of my long street, which is very long and broken by a large street that intersects (so it's not very near me or my kids) there is a registered sex offender. The details say he had possession of child pornography.
I do these sex offender registry checks every few months as a mother and started doing them a decade ago as we moved around a lot and the info was useful. So, ff to the dilemma...the latest tear down is right next to the sex offender. The tear down property was bought by a large builder in the area so my fear is that a family may likely be looking at the new house once it's on the market.
I feel so compelled to do something and cannot just turn my back saying it's not my business. Can you imagine buying a home for your new family to later find out you live next to a pedophile? I was thinking that once the home is build I could have a dialogue with the realtor so they are well aware of the man and then put the onus on them for full disclosure. Does anyone else have another angle for me to consider in order to help keep a family from moving there--or at least warning them beforehand? Thanks.
The easiest thing to do is to send the builder and the Realtor a certified letter stating that there is a sex offender at XX address and it is within XX distance which will impact the properties value. The idea is putting them on the hook.
I wouldn't go so far as handing out fliers etc, but the above would be due diligence. Though if they aren't legally required to tell
God - makes you want to put rules into the HOA to prevent sex offenders It can really *********r property value.
A better idea is to repeal Megan's Law and all similar laws entirely.
I'm inclined to agree - I just did basic research and definitly in the case of this law. . the juice isn't worth the squeeze. Chances are the only thing this law does is reduce home values. . .
"The overall conclusion is that Megan’s law has had no demonstrated effect on sexual offenses in New Jersey, calling into question the justification for start-up and operational costs. Megan’s Law has had no effect on time to first rearrest for known sex offenders and has not reduced sexual reoffending. Neither has it had an impact on the type of sexual reoffense or first-time sexual offense. The study also found that the law had not reduced the number of victims of sexual offenses. "
But repeal it? yeah - I don't see any politician showing that kind of leadership and thought.
The report from your link was specific to New Jersey. It's also four years old.
Got anything for how the law affects the 49 other states?
BTW: I don't think any law should be repealed because "chances are".... whatever. I'm kind of hoping our lawmakers put a little more thought into decisions. Especially decisions of this magnitude. Chances are I'll never drown in the Pacific Ocean. That doesn't mean I want all the lifeguards fired.
Please debate Megan's Law on Politics & Other Controversies. This thread is about the extent to which a homeowner is responsible for telling parents that a sex offender lives nearby, a topic only minimally related to Parenting anyway. Thanks.
I think it's none of your business. When we moved into our new house I didn't do a search of a sex offender registry even though we had 3 (now 4) young children. Those things are a waste of time without details, and we watch our kids so they aren't going to hang out with people we don't know.
The report from your link was specific to New Jersey. It's also four years old.
Got anything for how the law affects the 49 other states?
BTW: I don't think any law should be repealed because "chances are".... whatever. I'm kind of hoping our lawmakers put a little more thought into decisions. Especially decisions of this magnitude. Chances are I'll never drown in the Pacific Ocean. That doesn't mean I want all the lifeguards fired.
The point about data is that you can execute a sample and apply it to the majority. I'm thinking you have never participated in a qualitative study?
Seriously, faulting an age of a study. What you ready to throw out Loui Pastor's work on Bacteria? its like really old!!
If you have another study that refutes it, i'm sure we are all ears. As far as I can tell, one state is as good as another regarding a law like this.
Yet its people jumping at their shadows like you that limits our ability to provide leadership. But its a human fallacy, so I'll live with it
BTW - I checked, Lifeguards are associated with a reduction in risk of death at beaches (unlike Megan's law). Nice swing, but you missed. (Source: CDC Injury Prevention Lifeguard Effectiveness 2001 )
Please debate Megan's Law on Politics & Other Controversies. This thread is about the extent to which a homeowner is responsible for telling parents that a sex offender lives nearby, a topic only minimally related to Parenting anyway. Thanks.
Seriously - sex offender = Megans law. They don't exist without each other?
Also the data to refute the idea of having Megan's law is a direct imapct on this person. i.e. if Meghan's law is statisticaly invalid against sex offensives (i.e. a law without merit or impact), then why would this person have ANY duty to report the sex offenders status.
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It can really *********r property value.