New law further restricts sex offenders

A new law was announced to local reporters at Historic City News that bans sex offenders from going within 300 feet of parks and schools, and from loitering in areas where children play was signed into law and took effect yesterday according to an announcement from the office of Governor Charlie Crist.

The law also says those offenders cannot dress up like Santa Clause or the Easter Bunny because either costume could allow easy-access to children.

The new law prohibits loitering or prowling by certain sexual offenders and predators within a specified distance of places where children were congregating; prohibits certain actions toward a child at a public park or playground by certain offenders; prohibits presence of certain offenders at a child care facility or pre-K through 12 school without notice and supervision; providing exceptions and penalties.

Florida’s previous law addressed only the overnight residence of offenders — not where they could spend their days.

The law has the potential to impact practically all families in St. Johns County, including the Clay County neighborhood where Somer Thompson lived. Thompson was kidnapped, sexually assaulted, and suffocated last year after she strayed from her siblings while walking home from school.

Several months ago, Sheriff Rick Beesler and police investigators pointed out that there were dozens of potential suspects to look into; because about 150 sex offenders live in a five mile radius from the Thompson home.

St. Johns County currently has 178 sexual offenders and predators who have been released and are required to register, are supervised by the Florida Department of Corrections, are supervised by the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, are under U.S. Probation supervision or who have absconded from justice, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement

St. Johns County Sheriff David B. Shoar provides a leading registered sex offender management and community notification tool through his website called Offender Watch that allows residents to identify and be notified in the future as to the whereabouts of sexual offenders in their area.