![[Spencer Daily Reporter nameplate]](http://www.spencerdailyreporter.com/images/nameplate.png)
RSS
Print
Email link
Respond to editor
Read comments (9)
Share link
Facebook
Twitter
del.icio.us
Digg
StumbleUpon
Technorati
Newsvine
Reddit
GoogleAs of Monday evening, there were 19 sex offenders on the online Iowa Sex Offender Registry listed as living in Clay County. In the surrounding counties, there were 39 in Buena Vista, 59 in Cherokee, 12 in Dickinson, 13 in Emmet, 22 in O'Brien, 11 in Osceola, five in Palo Alto and eight sex offenders listed as living in Pocahontas County.
"First, I should emphasize there are two kinds of sex offenders for purposes of our consideration: Those who have committed an offense against a minor, that's a person under 18, and those whose victims were adults. Only those whose victims were minors are subject to the prohibition," Hemphill clarified. "Sex offenders whose victims weren't minors can come in and use the library like everybody else. But, sex offenders who have committed offense against a minor are banned from library property or from loitering from within 300 feet of the library property. However, the statue specifically provides that these offenders may live within 300 feet of the library. So, they can live next door in the new middle school."
Hemphill also explained there are two technical exemptions cited in this prohibition: Released offenders are authorized to come to a library to drop off their child. They may also be allowed in a library for voting purposes.
Hemphill then informed Spencer Public Library Director Kay Larson and library board members, "You don't have to enforce this law. You don't have to prepare a listing of these offenders and make sure they never set foot in the library. The standard is like any other person in the library: If somebody is acting in a way that causes you concern or suspicion, then you probably have a duty, as a reasonable person, to make some investigation. But, no, you don't have law enforcement authority or affirmative duty to try to list all these people."
As board members discussed the new law and whether they should develop a policy relating to it, the city attorney indicated there are a few existing policies they may want to consider.
"They can be on the premises with the approval of the library administrator. So, you need to think about under what circumstances, if any, should Kay authorize one of these persons to be on the library premises. I saw a suggestion that that would have to be a board decision. You could take the other extreme and leave it up to Kay to do whatever she wants," Hemphill told board members.
He continued, "The latest questions are: Are we going to serve these people even if they can't come to the library? Can they get a card? Can somebody come and get those materials for them?"
"I suppose there could be a criteria that they could come for the purpose of getting a card. Maybe they'd only come at 9 a.m., when children wouldn't be present," Hemphill answered. Or, convicted sex offenders whose victims were minors might make arrangements to visit a library while being supervised by a law enforcement official, one board member added for the sake of discussion.
The library's director then explained that individuals wanting a Spencer Public Library card can only apply for one on site. Online applications, which are "the trend in libraries," are not done locally, Larson said.
Board members directed her to crosscheck the online Iowa Sex Offender Registry registrant listings for the surrounding area with the library's current database. Larson was also told to invalidate their library cards, denying them this certain class of library service.
"I don't think that would take too much time and I think it would give our staff, if nothing else, peace of mind that we've blocked these people from just coming in here arbitrarily," she said.
While board members agreed with Spencer Public Library staff that homebound deliveries would not be allowed, it was clarified that they would be able to access the library's Wilbor and EbscoHost systems. The online systems allow users to download audiobooks and to access full-text articles from magazines, scientific journals, newspapers and reference books.
"And, if any of those offenders have this urgent need for checking out a book, surely there'd be a friend or associate who could use their card to do that to pick up a book for them (at the library)," board member Roger Littlefield said.
Note: The nature of the Internet makes it impractical for our staff to review every comment. If you feel that a comment is offensive, please
Wake up People! This is an example of the problems with trying to enforce basically unconstitutional laws.
According to this article, it was proposed that to give the library staff 'peace of mind' they arbitrarily block 'these' people from coming in to the library. The PUBLIC tax-funded library. No access for only ONE class of people, to the place where information is stored, and the foundations of our American freedoms are represented; the place where all citizens have access to magazines, scientific journals, newspapers and reference books. All are welcome there, except those specified individuals , whose civil liberties are continually ignored and erased, and punished, AFTER they have served their sentences for crimes they once committed.
Registered sex offenders are the ONLY former offenders that have such restrictions and continued penalties. They are routinely and systematically denied normal everyday freedoms that everyone else takes for granted, in the name of 'protecting the children'. Now denied from going to any public place where children may be, at the very places where they are the MOST supervised! Even the 'reasoning' is wrong.
How much peace of mind should ANY of us have when lawmakers so carelessly concoct, and voters accept, restrictions on any group or class of people. This law is so frivolous that it doesn't even have any reasonable or uniform way of enforcing it. That is one of many symptoms of these kinds of un-American laws.
NONE of us should look for or expect peace of mind when our country has gone this far into a downward spiral. Who do you think will be losing their rights next? How do will it be done?
Do your homework. Read about the Nazis and pre-war Germany at the library! It will seem too familiar.
Obviously you have never had a molested child...
I HAVE been molested as a child.
I have also had a child denied due process rights promised by the Constitution.
I watched my children carefully so they were safe.
I had no way to save my child from injustice.
Sex offenders pay taxes just as you and I do. Their taxes fund the library, just as your's do.
If you don't want them using the library, stop taxing them.
It's taxation without representation - it's what our country's independence was founded on.
So those are my two suggestions.
Watch your children or stop taxing people who are no longer allowed to enjoy what their taxes pay for.
It's the American way.
"Registered sex offenders are the ONLY former offenders that have such restrictions and continued penalties. They are routinely and systematically denied normal everyday freedoms that everyone else takes for granted, in the name of 'protecting the children'. Now denied from going to any public place where children may be, at the very places where they are the MOST supervised! Even the 'reasoning' is wrong."
Posted by Wolfwyfe on Tue, Jun 16, 2009, at 1:36 AM
A Level 3 repeat sex offender sits behind bars, accused of molesting a five-year-old girl at a public library in Lakewood.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
10 year old girl molested in St. Paul Library
Saint Paul police released a sketch of a man suspected of sexually assaulting a 10-year-old girl at the Riverview Library.
He's described as a heavy set, white male in his 20's.
The girl was assaulted in the library's downstairs bathroom Wednesday afternoon.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
BOSTON -- A Level 3 sex offender was arrested after police said he molested a 6-year-old boy in the children's room of the New Bedford Public Library.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Yup , no reason to keep the sex offenders out of the library at all.
I believe that these laws are constitutional. There is a long legal history of convicted felons not being able to vote (even after they served their time). These laws have held up in court. I think the sex offender laws follow the same logic.
I also think that these laws are in the library's best interest. Library's can be cavernous, understaffed, and have a lot of nooks and crannies where it would be easy to hide. A child molested on library premises would present a huge liability that many places (including Spencer) would find it difficult to accommodate.
One last point. Being a sex offender to a child is a choice. We are all the sum of choices we have made. This is just one additional consequence of such a choice.
Well how can you put all offender in the same group when eveybodys charge is completely different and the time length between when the crime happen and now has to say something if the offender hasn't done anything at all since his releasement from prison or jail. And also they dont get any help with housing at all but the only answer to the county to put them in jail without trying to help them. That would make them want to try but oh no the county need the money i guess right.Can we try and. Help them at least by guiding them in the right direction is a start in my eyes
Every sex offender has cost the taxpayers just by going through the system (that's how they got on the registry in the first place). It is ludicrous to have sex offenders not pay taxes because they can't use the library. You could collect on them for eternity after they go through the system, and I guarantee you that they will never break even for what they have taken out of the system, or cost other taxpayers for their selfish, horrific choices. The library is a privilege, not a right. Why should the offender get a second chance? Does the child or the victim get one?
Yes, I have had a molested child. She was NOT molested by a stranger. I did NOT know what to look for to protect her, because that type of education was not available at the time. I trusted close family friends.
Now, I know better, and she knows how to protect her children. It is NOT by any laws, it is through her information and vigilance. Further,she knows that her children are NOT protected by any laws in a blanketed movement to deny any American citizen of their civil rights. We need to focus on the roots of the problem, and educate people to defend their own families.
Black and white opinions are always easier to arrive at, than well researched facts. MOST children are molested by someone they are familiar with, and not perfect strangers lurking in the bushes. Come on people, listen to the ones who have been there, including me, who know first hand about this subject- victims aren't the ones calling foul when ridiculous laws are enacted as a type of bandaid placed over a gaping wound! Get to the root of the problem- start with your own kids, educate them, talk to them, be open with them, supervise,and spend time with them! Where do you draw the line? Should someone convicted of an OWI be able to drive to your library and use your parking lot, after all, they may be drunk ! Heaven forbid, they should NEVER drive again! You are pathetic , Roger and all the others! Quit trying to be PC and use your logic!