Sexual Predators Who Live Near You

California has approximately 120,000 registered sex offenders and another 30-40 thousand who have decided not to register and currently live in violation of the law. About two thirds of all these sex offenders have committed crimes against children. Of course there are the estimated many thousands of offenders who have yet to be caught and convicted. Several California state operated institutions such as Atascadero, Patton and Coalinga treat high risk sexual predators. In truth, the vast majority of offenders are filtered out of the system and back into our communities because they retain experienced lawyers who find legal loopholes to escape incarceration. Many thousands of low risk and moderate risk sex offenders (persons not considered to be an imminent danger to society) end up housed in buildings, often residential, until they complete their community reintegration programs.

Once freed from residential programs, registered sex offenders must then comply with state laws in terms of where they can live. Most states require that offenders not live within certain distances from schools, private or public. However, the continued effects of increasing public intolerance for sex offenders may be producing some unintended consequences. For example, confining sex offenders together in residential settings as well as in jail pods and protective housing units when in prison, provides them incredible opportunities for networking with other persons of similar ilk. Let us not be naïve in thinking that sex offenders, once incarcerated, keep to themselves out of guilt, shame and remorse. Those few who do are the exception. Habitual sex offenders learn from each other just as any criminals do who are prone to recidivism.

Upon release from their various types of confinement they seek housing. If you are curious where they end up please take a few moments to consult your local sex offender registries. Many communities now have websites that monitor sex offenders who live near schools but within distances mandated by law. It is both amazing and frightening to see how sex offenders cluster as close as possible to schools where your children and grandchildren attend. Even worse is the growing awareness that sometimes sex offenders seek out other sex offenders to live with. Once together, sex offenders such as pedophiles and child molesters pool their criminal experience to target unsuspecting children.

Neil Havens Rodreick, II, a 29-year old male sexual predator posing as a 12 year old boy enrolled in 4 Arizona charter schools in search of victims. Along the way he teamed up with Lonnie Stiffler, 61, Robert James Snow, 43, and Brian Nellis, 34, all sex offenders, the latter two convicted but unregistered. When apprehended, all were engaged in various activities involving the procurement of children, child pornography and/or attempts to engage in sexual activities with children. In another case of child molesters and pedophiles teaming up, Dean Arthur Schwartzmiller, an unregistered convicted pedophile who has preyed upon hundreds of children in many states and other countries, was found living in San Jose, CA where he and his group of predators methodically targeted children.

Given the plethora of sex offending that occurs in America, we can no longer afford to be in denial of the predators in our midst. Indeed, facing such horrific crimes is a daunting task. Let us applaud law enforcement for their efforts in detecting, apprehending and convicting sexual predators. Let us also remember that the vast majority of sex offenders will return to our communities and in fact, some will re-offend. Be vigilant. Never allow your child to be alone with strangers or to be out of your sight in public settings. Predators go where they can have access to your children, whether that may be a local park, school, playground, shopping mall or the thousands of chat rooms found in cyberspace.

Crime Commentaries will explore in the next edition the less known but ever present world of female sex offenders.

Eric Hickey, Ph.D.
Director of the Center for Forensic Studies - Alliant International University
Criminal Psychologist & Crime Consultant
Biography

Be sure to follow Dr. Hickey's online blog.

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