Why There May Be A Sex Offender in Your Budget Hotel
Jackie Reddy March 17, 2019
Service, please. Closeup of a businessman hand ringing silver service bell on hotel reception desk
Some recently released sex offenders are being housed in hotels and bed and breakfasts because of a lack of probation housing. This method of housing released offenders has been criticized by members of the British government, who say that it presents a real risk to members of the public.
In the UK, some freed sex offenders are being accommodated in budget hotel and B&Bs because no interim probation housing is available, reports Express.co.uk.
Speaking to parliament in January, Rory Stewart, the nation’s prisons minister, said that 25 freed offenders were offered spaces in hotels due to this lack of accommodation. Many of these offenders do not appear to be monitored.
Speaking of the level of risk involved in accommodating freed offenders in hotels, victims’ rights campaigner Harry Fletcher was quoted by the site as saying, “There appears to be a chronic shortage of housing for seriously convicted offenders, including sex offenders. This is totally unacceptable. The government must conduct risk assessments to reassure the public that these people are not dangerous.”
This method of housing offenders has been criticized by members of the British government. Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons, which monitors the conditions of detention facilities in England and Wales, has advised that the current way of housing prisoners does pose a risk to the public.
Speaking of the current situation, Dame Glenys Stacey, chief inspector of probation, said, “It’s not acceptable to put a convicted sex offender in a budget hotel or other accommodation which will be shared by the general public. These are convicted sexual offenders that are in accommodation where other people – families, women, children – are sleeping or staying and they are not being supervised.”
“It’s a desperately uncomfortable mix. On the first night of this individual’s freedom when they are most at risk of reverting to their former behavior, they are in accommodation where opportunities are present as opposed to approved premises where they would be under curfew and locked in,” she added.
[Image Source: iStock]
In the US the cheaper Extended Stay hotel apartments are full of meth heads, drug dealers and assorted felons.
Rehabilitation of sex offenders is generally regarded as ineffective. Recidivism, however, is high. In doubt, the courts will keep business as usual and come down in favour of the sex offenders, not the (potential) victims.
I mean, citing the Daily Express is worse than citing Wikipedia.
completely disagree with bostontraveler sorry but a person who is a sex offender does not suddenly after being released from jail stop being a sex offender.. given the opportunity I am sure he /she will do the same
A bit of sensationalism here (shocker, in the British press!). By no means do I support sex offenders but there is such a thing as rehabilitation. If this person has served his sentence than he should be able to live his life. Further punishing them (like we do in the US with "criminal records" which include misdemeanors impede people from getting jobs or housing) is unnecessarily punitive.