Jessica's Law Knocks Sex Offenders Off the Grid

In 2006 California passed Jessica's Law, with the intent of monitoring and regulating the 67,000 sex offenders who call our state home. Yesterday NPR reported that maybe Jessica's Law kinda, sorta doesn't exactly do what it's supposed to. In fact, one of its "unintended consequences" is that it's making it harder for the state to track released sex offenders. Part of the law requires that sex offenders released into the community not live within 2,000 feet of a school or park where children gather. The restriction has driven many offenders into homelessness, where they have escaped any form of monitoring at all. Dr. Tom Tobin, vice chairman of the board monitoring California's management of sex offenders, said, "What we know is that the number [of sex offenders living on the streets] has increased from the low 100s to the, I believe, 400 or 500 number since the law has passed." –Andy Wright