Nov. 18--They served.
They're eligible.
Yet, they remain behind bars at the Beaver County Jail.
They are sexual offenders who have nowhere to go.
To be eligible for parole, either in Beaver County or at the state level, a sex offender must have a home address. No address means no release.
Warden William Schouppe said the number of eligible homeless inmates varies, but recently there have been several housed in the jail.
Many no longer have ties with family and friends because of the nature of their crimes, and halfway houses will not take sex offenders, District Attorney Anthony Berosh said. That leaves them nowhere to live after their release from jail or prison.
"I think that speaks volumes," Berosh said.
He said halfway houses already take on an inherent amount of risk by housing offenders, and keeping sex offenders is another hazard they're unwilling to take.
Without a place to go, homeless offenders serve their maximum prison sentences, which Berosh said is not a bad thing.
"Quite frankly, as for a group or class in general, they get no sympathy on my part," Berosh said. "One thing we all can ensure is that when they're in prison, they're not in contact with any children."
But what happens to these individuals once they've served their maximum sentences and can no longer be held, but still don't have a place to live?
In Beaver County, once sexual offenders have completed their maximum sentences and are no longer on probation, they are longer monitored by the courts. However under Megan's Law requirements, convicted sexual offenders must register with the Pennsylvania State Police following their release. They also must notify the police within 48 hours of any address changes, including becoming transient.
They also can register as homeless under Megan's Law.
According to the state police, there are 12,200 people registered under Megan's Law. As of Wednesday, 39 of those individuals were listed as homeless, though the number varies from day to day.
Trooper Adam Reed said prior to Feb. 18, there was nothing in Megan's Law to specifically track homeless or transient convicts. However, a new law requires these offenders to report to the state police in person each month as a public safety measure.
In addition, lifetime offenders who also are classified as sexually violent predators are subject to additional monitoring, regardless of living arrangements. They also must report to monthly counseling sessions.
An occassional series on the issues facing the criminal justice system.
Copyright 2012 - Beaver County Times, Pa.
