Predator's delight

California is about to put its foot in it bigtime: Bill Would Block Sex Offenders From Renting:

SALINAS, Calif. -- The state Legislature is considering a bill that would legally block sex offenders from renting some homes and apartments.

Now this is not a universal prohibition, but it allows the landlord to deny renting to a registered sex offender. It's not likely that there will be very many who will rent to registered sex offenders if given the choice, so the overall effect of this bill will be to eliminate stable housing situations.

After a few rejections, even the registered sex offenders who want to go straight will just shrug their shoulders, give up, become homeless... and drop out of society. A great recipe for re-offense.

And does this bill make the other tenants any safer? Consider: if the sex offender is unregistered, he is allowed to rent. If the sex offender hasn't been caught yet (and about half the convictions every year are first-time convictions), he is allowed to rent.

People will let down their guard, thinking they're safe because there are no registered sex offenders living in their building (or neighborhood or town), making the false assumption that all sex offenders are registered sex offenders. Some, and their children, will unfortunately learn the truth.

This bill will be a predator's delight.