Lobbyist Ron Book called released sex offenders, being placed under the Julia Tuttle bridge to live for about a year, "Monsters" on camera. See :48 on the counter of this video. Also on this video he said onerous housing laws for offenders released from prison are his personal crusade and admits he has advocated for the adoption of the laws that put the sex offender under for the Bridge in the first place.Under threat of an ACLU lawsuit, who do we now have looking for housing for these guys: You guessed it, Ron Book! It was reported today in the Miami Herald: In the first step, eight camp dwellers will be moved to a private apartment building in South Miami-Dade in coming days, and officials are looking for a bigger place for the remaining people to be housed, said Ronald Book, chairman of Miami-Dade's Homeless Trust, who is leading the effort.
So the very guy who harbors hate for them and helped enact the laws to "UNHOUSE" them, is now leading the charge to help? Well this makes a lot of sense...that is...it makes sense only in Miami!
21 comments:
Meh. Control freak at work.
Leave Book alone, he is a great man who has done more for this community than write a ragsheet blog.
This is like commissioning a poacher to protect an endangered species.
Book should simply decline to be the front person for this issue as his personal history with a particular sex offender has definitely biased him towards all of them -- and he is the first to admit it...he did say it on the video. If he didn't like the limelight so much, that would be the prudent thing to do: bow out of the issue saying the truth: this hits too close to home for me. Everyone would understand that. Then we would leave him alone. It is his big mouth and his boasting that attracts the attention...
Book gets things done; that's why he's asked to take on these tough projects. He is also heading the Homeless Trust, which is the logical agency to handle this matter.
You would be hard pressed to find anyone in this society who isn't biased against child molesters anyway.
Someone that calls them monsters isn't the right person.
We aren't talking about a bias against child molesters, this is an issue of a law that is cruel and unusual that punishes offenders after they have done their time in prison.
This would be like having a law that if you are convicted of theft, serve your couple years in prison, upon your release you are not allowed to go inside any store, restaurant, or place of business for life. How would that person function in society?
It is one thing to have a sex offender registry, so people know who lives in their neighborhood and they can keep an eye out for actual suspicious behavior - and being on that list and labeled a sex offender is a humiliating life-long punishment/parole. But prohibiting them from living X feet from 'any place children congregate' is pretty ridiculous. If they live X + 100 feet from one of those places, what is going to stop someone who wants to break the law again from walking that extra 100 feet?
People need to stop using pure emotion to make decision... Logic is a pretty useful part of your consciousness.
Ron Book is responsible to why they are under the causeway. He talked Mayor David Dermer into enacting the 2,500 ft distance requirement from the state mandated 1,000 ft. Other cities followed. So Ron Book is responsible.
Ron Book has had YEARS to do something and has refused because he hates these "monsters". His Homeless Trust has been begged by advocates, to find home for these people...no go.
Now, with negative publicity threatening to cause a forced reduction in his rediculous residency restrictions, he comes up with a brilliant idea that can suit his objectives perfectly...house them in a old jail. I think he has always wanted them re-institutionalized, and this rukus provides a perfect chance for him to promote some kind of "jail like setting" for these men. This must not be allowed. The answer is to END the extended residency restrictions that do not work anyway. Notice, that is not an answer that is in his bag of tricks. I think it is obvious that he has a plan and it has nothing to do with "helping" these former offenders in any way.
This problem could be solved very quickly with a change in the ordinance.
It is amazing how far this blog will go to protect persons who have damaged innocent children. These people can leave Miami if they don't like it here. Get on a bus and settle somewhere else, preferably somewhere 1000 feet from where children congregate.
Mr. Book, as we have tried to tell you over and over, it is not just a matter of protecting the former offenders, but of protecting the very children you are talking about. I won't go into the whole "homeless offenders are more of a risk than ones with homes argument, you have heard it and understand it, but it just does not fit into your hate and revenge agenda.
Then there is the fact that this is America where people should have certian rights after they have paid for their crimes.
And lastly, there is the fact that the re offense rate is so low for most of these former offenders.
But common sense and logic does not fit into your agenda either so you just keep on using the accusations that advocates for effective laws are on the "sex offenders" side, and that we don't care about protecting children. Your words are designed to inflame and cause hysteria among the public who are not given much of the truth to compare your obsessive rhetoric. The paradox here is that your hatred and revenge is hurting the very people you say you are interested in protecting. I think you should be ashamed of yourself.
I am a victim of sexual abuse by my dad from 6 till 13. He never stopped abusing till he died. He was never arrested.
Still, I feel what is being done to sex offenders is not in anyone's best interest. I am surprised that Book is leading this charge in light of his daughter. Commenters don't put the people in a slot because they are against inhumane treatment...because I am too even though I understand the nature of the crime. I don't hate children, I just don't condone what is going on.
The newspapers and tv news are trying too hard to make this about Ron Book to sell stories.
This is about the State Dept of Corrections abdicating their responsibilities. They don't want to set the precedent of funding housing for offenders as they are released from jail. Both the Co and State should fund a solution.
This IS about Ron Book because he has used his enormous power and wealth to push laws for greater residency restrictions which CAUSED this problem to begin with. The areas that have stuck with the State Mandated 1000'have not had nearly the problem that those areas who feel that they are somehow "special" and want to move all the former offender to those "other backyards" have had.
The answer short and very very simple is get rid of residency restrictions. They cause more harm than good. They put our children in more danger. New Jersey, Iowa, and other states have gotten rid of theirs. Many states actually studied the issue before instituting RR and found them ineffective and decided not to use RR. But here, we have the almighty Ron Book who says he knows everything there is to know and wants offenders to drop off the face of the earth. Well that ain't gonna happen so we need to take experience into consideration, and move on to better ideas. It is called being SMART on Sex Offences not soft.
So,are you, the taxpayer going to pay for this transitional housing? Transitional housing is a GREAT idea and has been needed for a long time. But we are not talking about going from one jail to another. We are talking about real transiional housing. That is going to take some State help and it is going to take neighborhoods that will allow a transitional housing area to be built in their area. There we run into more NIMBY. Think about it, no residency restriction would have stopped the horrible crime comitted against Loren Book. None would have stopped the probably 95 or more % of molestations that have taken place in the past and will take place in the future
Ron Book is a fox and we must stop letting the fox run the hen house.
It is too easy for people to focus on Ron Book and not solve the problem.
It is too easy to write phony scandalous stories blaming Ron Book for this problem. Everyone in this town knows if they write about him it sells papers. It's easier for YOU to blame him rather than learn the issue. (Learn an issue? Come on now!)
I say, don't sexually offend against children and be a burden to the state and local governments in the first place.
Oh for heavens sake! I have researched this subject for 6 years now. I know just about all there is to know about the research, professional and State and Federal. I have done this with an open mind, not fueled by hate and revenge. Book IS THE PROBLEM. He has fed the public and other agencies with a bunch of myths and bull hockey. Book does not sell papers in my area, but I sure know about the harmfull effect his obsession has caused.
Wake up! Do the research yourself.
I am not on my home computer or I would give you some links to read but try www.uncomfortabletruth.org
THat just has a few of the studies on it. Read Jill Levenson Ph.D work in research along with scores of others. There would be no problem without the 2500' restrictions and the stupid bus stop inclusion.
I have the facts and the research behind me. If you have it, give me some links. I am happy to do more research
Ron Book convinced Mayor David Dermer and many other politicians to enact the 2,500 ft distance limit. Too bad they did not study the issue first. Now 80 people live under the Julia Tuttle Causeway.
Keep in mind that if you get caught peeing in public, or mooning someone, you too can be deamed a sex offender. I understand that it is quite easy to get on that list.
I like you Magister, keep coming back!
Anon, thank you making the clarification regarding just how easy it is for someone to be deemed a sex offender in the state of Florida.
I as well have observed Mr. Book over the past several years and I would bet my life that his sudden interest in moving citizens from beneath the Julia Tuttle (to a former prison facility, I might add) is just one step towards further segregation from society.
Additionally, his friend, Charlie Crist is starting to be pressed by the press on the Julia Tuttle, which might help explain the sudden change in Book's heart to assist in housing those under the causeway.
He should step down from as Chair and take Dan Gelber with him.
Ron Book caused this mess. It is Ron Book's fault 80 or more people are using Biscayne Bay as their toilet bowl, every day. If boaters get stuck in crap they can thank Ron Book.
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