California criminal defense attorneys have found it extremely unfair to offenders who have been released from prison or are on parole that they have severely limited housing options. However, more and more San Diego sex crimes defense attorneys are mounting successful challenges to these restrictions, and are winning reprieves. Most of the legal challenges against such provisions have arisen in Southern California. Approximately 856 offenders on parole have filed petitions in the Los Angeles and San Diego counties.
A provision in Jessica's Law prohibits a sex offender on parole from living within 2,000 feet of a school, day care center, or park or any other place where children regularly gather. However, these unreasonable provisions have meant that sex offenders, who have been released from prison on parole, cannot find reasonable accommodation after they are released from prison.
This is especially so in congested cities like Los Angeles, where accommodations are at a premium. Across California, this problem has led to large numbers of homeless sex offenders. When an offender is not able to find reasonable living arrangements, he is forced to live on the street. The increase in homeless sex offenders has also caused great concern, and many offenders have now been able to mount a challenge against these provisions.
Last year, a task force across California found that the ban on living too close to schools, day care centers and parks has led to a staggering 24 percent increase in the number of homeless sex offenders across California. The task force recommends the repealing of such limits on residency for sex offenders. Since Jessica's Law went into effect, the number of homeless sex offenders has increased from about 100 to more than 2,100.