Sex Offender Talk Prompts Task Force Creation

An attempt to strictly regulate registered sex offenders in Kent evolved into a plan to educate community members about sex offenders during Wednesday night's meeting.

Council members voted during committee Wednesday to create a safety task force charged with educating the Kent community about the classification, registration and other aspects related to sex offenders living in the area. The task force, as proposed yesterday, will be comprised of administrators from the city, and .

Initially, Kent Planning Commission member Anthony Catalano that would require sex offenders to register with the city — something they already do, as required by law, with the county sheriff — and create new "child safety zones" barring sex offenders from entering libraries, playgrounds and other areas not restricted in existing state sex offender laws, which the city adheres to.

Catalano said the goal of the proposed ordinance, which has been adopted in cities around the country but is more restrictive than Ohio law, was to improve safety for children visiting Kent parks and other spots.

Among Catalano's proposed changes was increasing the proximity a sex offender can live to a daycare or school from 1,000 feet to 2,500 feet.

"My thought generally would be to make (the regulations) as restrictive as possible in order to be as safe as possible," Catalano said.

But testimony from Kent Police Chief Michelle Lee at Wednesday's meeting suggested the opposite is true.

Lee said her initial research showed a small percentage of the 60,000 to 70,000 sex crimes committed in the U.S. annually involve children with strangers. She added that research shows sex offenders in communities that have more strict regulations often are more likely to commit another offense instead of reforming.

"There’s a lot of questions that need to be answered," she said. "Safety zones, including playgrounds, libraries, if they’re just in the area, to what point do we start enforcement and to what point do we not enforce. That’s an enforcement headache as far as I’m concerned.

"The bigger problem is the offenders are actually known to the victims," Lee said.

Kent Law Director Jim Silver said information provided to council from the Portage County Adult Probation Office indicated sex offenders who have basic restrictions and reporting requirements while also having access to employment, housing and social counseling are more likely to reform. Whereas limiting their access to housing, employment — like increasing reporting requirements — can lead them to commit more offenses.

Councilman Garret Ferrara said the evidence seems to suggest the biggest problem is offenders who are related or close to the victims and not strangers.

"It appears that education and awareness of the issue is the most important defense, and the best defense," Ferrara said.