Laserfiche WebLink
CALIFORNIA REFORM SEX OFFENDER LAWS (CA RSOL) <br />8721 Santa Monica Boulevard, Box 855 <br />Los Angeles, CA 90069 <br />(805J, 896-7854 <br />May 21, 2012 <br />Miguel A. Pulido, Mayor <br />City of Santa Ana <br />60 Civic Center Ptaza <br />Santa Ana, CA <br />Re: Proposed Ordinance Amending Chapter 10, Article X11 of the Santa Ana Municipal <br />Code Pertaining to Proximity of "Registered Sex Offenders"' to Children's Facilities <br />Dear Mayor Pulido and City Council Members: <br />The City Council is scheduled today for a first rcadtng of a proposed ordinance that includes a vast array <br />of prohibitions for "registered sex offenders" within the Gity of Santa Ana. The stated purpose of the <br />proposed ordinance is to increase the safety of CIty residents, in general, and children, in particular. <br />However, the ordinance as currently drafted would have the opposite effect, that is, it would reduce the <br />safety of the City's residents. In addition, it would expose the City to significant legal liability which <br />would be costly to defend. <br />The proposed ordinance, as currently drafted, would prohibit all "sex offenders", that is anyone required <br />to register pursuant to California Penal Code section 290, from being on or within 300 feet of "a <br />children's facility". in Its definition of "children's facility", the proposed ordinance includes all schools, <br />day care centers, parks (excluding Sasscer Park), the Discovery Science Center, the Bowers Kidseum, the <br />McFadden Learning Center, the Newhope Branch Library, the Main Library, Kidworks and the Orange <br />County Children's Therapeutic Art Center. <br />California Reform Sex Offender Laws (CA RSOL), a statewide non-profit organization, is opposed to the <br />proposed ordinance for the reasons stated below. CA RSOL respectfully requests that the City of Santa <br />Ana delay further consideration of the proposed ordinance in order to allow further research on this <br />important and complex issue. <br />The [proposed ordinance is based upon inaccurate data <br />The proposed ordinance is based upon Inaccurate data which is included in both the background section <br />of the report from Police Chief Paul Walters as well as Paragraphs D, E, F, G and H of Section 1 of the <br />proposed ordinance. Specifically, both Chief Walter's report as well as Section 1 of the ordinance <br />contain inaccurate information, including but not limited to, the statement that there is a high <br />recidivism rate for "sex offenders", a rate which exceeds the recidivism rates for other offenses.