Looking at a loophole
Dear Editor:
I noticed that the Boston City Council is talking about a public hearing on a loophole that allows sex offenders to register as homeless in public places such as the Boston Common. City Councilor Michael Flaherty states this loophole “puts the public at a huge disadvantage when trying to protect children from sex predators.”
According to the Herald, more than 200 city sex offenders including 75 Level 3s are on the lam after failing to register and 175 have registered as homeless. I think the hearing may help push Beacon Hill to actually investigate this serious issue of homeless sexual predators.
As a retired police officer with 28 years of service with the Department of Mental Health, I saw first hand all the issues regarding released sex offenders back in the community. Many of these leveled offenders often live in many of the Boston area homeless shelters. At one, I found upwards of 55 percent of the homeless residents were sex offenders.
The whole system of registered with local police departments is easy said than done. The restrictions placed upon this somewhat dangerous at times segment of the population never took into account, if you don’t have an apartment and if you aren’t in a shelter, where are you.
Where does a say a Level 3 those deemed most dangerous to re-offend go to register if they have no address to register at? There is nothing in the present law requiring these sex offenders to have an actual address. If they are living on the streets, where do they live, on the street?
How do we keep track of homeless sex predators? Where are they living on Thursday, the same place they lived yesterday or the same place they plan on living tomorrow?
It is tough enough to track those doing the right thing by registering, what’s to be done with homeless predators?
Once again it points out had badly public policy is created and implemented when it doesn’t deal with every aspect of the policy when put into law. The public thinks the system is working but most of the time, it is all just pretend solutions to calm the public and giving them a false security.
I hope if this public hearing is held, that the city councilors push hard to find workable solutions making society safer. We don’t need more useless solutions.
SAL GIARRATANI
East Boston
Thank you
Dear Editor:
To our many friends and neighbors of the late Joseph A. Guarino, I wish to extend my sincere thanks for your many kindnesses, and for the condolences that we have received.
My deep gratitude to Alex Leone, Steve Passariello, the Boston EMS Ambulance Staff for the medical assistance to Joe on January 5th as well as the Boston Police Department then, and for the Police escort of the funeral cortege.
My gratitude and appreciation to his Mass General Doctors of twenty years, Dr Charles Boucher and Dr Susan Seward, and to Dr David Steele and the MGH Ellison 9 and 11 Medical Staff for their care. To MGH Cardiac Rehab Program, Kate Trainor, Nancy McCleary, and staff.
Our thanks to his fellow parishioners and staff at St Joseph St Lazarus Church, The Boston Globe Obituary department, John Lynds and the East Boston Times Free Press, Anthony Roberto and staff at Spinelli’s, to our dear friends and staff at Kelley’s Square Pub.
Thanks to Mrs Clarinda Piscopo, the Nunzio Celona family, Josephine Ruggiero and Jim and to Chuck Vozzella of Central Sq Lanes and the entire bowling League members.
My gratitude and appreciation to the Ruggiero Family Memorial Home, especially to Joseph Ruggiero Jr, for the outstanding, compassionate care and assistance to me throughout the final arrangements. To Joseph Ruggiero III, to Catie Ruggiero and Chris Millerick for their fine display of Joe’s memorabilia. To the entire Ruggiero staff for their dignified service and tribute to my beloved husband Joe.
Guarino Family