Should Convicted Rapists Be Allowed to Live in a Halfway House for Recovering Addicts?
Question by ??????? Mrs. Moses ???????: Should convicted rapists be allowed to live in a halfway house for recovering addicts?
A close male member of my immediate family currently lives in a halfway house, after completing a 28-day drug addiction in-patient treatment program. He has lived in the house, which holds a maximum of 13 men, for 5 months now, and will have completed the 6 month program very soon. It is important to him for personal and legal reasons that he stay living in the house until he completes the program. He is serious about his recovery, and has been working hard to change his old behaviors, ways of thinking, and coping mechanisms. He does everything he is supposed to do, including regularly attending NA meetings, keeping with the house rules, and being open about his thoughts, feelings, fears, etc. All in all, he is really on the right path for lifelong recovery. Recently a man in his late 40’s moved into the house. We will call him “James.” Shortly after James moved into the house, another resident was checking the Maryland sex offender registry, out of curiosity, to see how many sex offenders were living close by. He then made the shocking discovery that James was registered. He wasn’t extremely troubled until he read the details. James is registered as a “Sexually Violent Offender” and his charge is listed as Rape: 2nd Degree. My relative and I looked up James on the Maryland Judiciary Case Search for more detail on his charges. This is what we found:
(Each line is a separate case)
non-sexual offenses:
BURGLARY-FOURTH DEGREE
Unauthorized Use Of Boat
TRESPASS:PRIVATE PROPERTY
TELEPHNE: CALL REPEAT/ABUSE/HARASS
ALC. BEV./INTOX:ENDANGER + DIS COND-PUBLIC PLACE
DEADLY WEAPON-CONCEAL
ASSAULT W/INTENT MAIM ETC + BATTERY + DEADLY WEAPON – CONCEAL
******
all one case:
RAPE FIRST DEGREE – RAPE SECOND DEGREE – SEX OFFENSE THIRD DEGREE – BURGLARY-FIRST DEGREE – SECOND DEGREE ASSAULT – THEFT:PLUS $ 300 – CAR THEFT – RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT
*****
another rape case, very similar:
RAPE FIRST DEGREE + RAPE SECOND DEGREE + ASSAULT-FIRST DEGREE + ASSAULT-SEC DEGREE + SEX OFFENSE FIRST DEGREE + SEX OFFENSE SECOND DEGREE + SEX OFFENSE THIRD DEGREE + SEX OFFENSE FOURTH DEGREE + BURGLARY-FIRST DEGREE + BURGLARY-THIRD DEGREE + THEFT: $ 300 PLUS VALUE + MOTOR VEH/UNLAWFUL TAKING
… do we see a pattern here? (BTW – This guy only spent 18 years behind bars total.)
Anyhow, back to the point.. many other residents are concerned (to say the least) about having him live with them. A few of the guys expressed their feelings to the house manager, and all he had to say was “everyone deserves a second chance. There’s nothing I can do about it.” He hardly even showed them any inkling of caring about how THEY felt, the MAJORITY of the residents who are seeking recovery. I asked my relative to bring me a copy of the handbook for the halfway house, and this is what I found:
10. The following persons will be denied admission to the halfway house:
…
c. Persons who have a history of violent and assaultive behavior even when not under the influence of alcohol or dugs;
d. Persons who are suicidal, arsonists, or rapists;
…
g. Persons who are being released from prisons.
Well, obviously James falls under at least person’s listed in “d” and “c.”
We are currently waiting for a call back from the Executive Director of the rehab center that is in charge of the halfway house.
My questions are.. do you think James should be allowed to live there, even if it wasn’t stated clearly in the handbook that he shouldn’t be admitted? Do you think the quoted section of the handbook implies that the residents currently living in the house will be protected from people with a history such as James’? And last but not least if, after speaking to the Executive Director, if James is not removed from the house, is there anything that can be done further to get him out of there? I appreciate any help or suggestions we can get with this matter. Thanks.
I want to add that most of the men living in the house have wives and children. My relative has a wife (who is a rape survivor), and 2 daughters from a previous relationship ages 9 and 12. Therefore, he and most of the other men in the house obviously have to struggle daily with being face to face with this person, and their feelings of wanting to basically rip this guys _____ off, only making the situation that much worse.
And please feel free to share any feelings or opinions you personally have about this situation.
Best answer:
Answer by pragmatism_rules
No. Additionally, if the handbook says, “10. The following persons will be denied admission to the halfway house: c. Persons who have a history of violent and assaultive behavior even when not under the influence of alcohol or drugs; d. Persons who are suicidal, arsonists, or rapists;”, then James does not qualify as he is both violent AND a rapist. And it seems like this halfway house is breaking its own rules. I wonder what other rules are being broken.
If you don’t get any results from talking to the Executive Director, contact the owner of the facility. And if that doesn’t work, then contact the in-patient facility where your relative recently stayed and tell them the sordid situation and that you have serious concerns for your relative. Ask if they can compel the halfway home to live up to their handbook. If not, then you have two choices: you can contact the police and see if a rapist ex-con is permitted to live in a halfway home for drug addicts, OR you can leak a copy of the handbook to the local newspaper along with the name and rap sheet of James. If that hits the press, I think you will find that James is out of that home very, very fast. Mind you, the facility may not be too happy with your family member if they can trace the leak back to you and they might kick him out and/or “take it out on him”. In that case, you will need competent legal advice. Good luck.
Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!
The Corner (Episode 3) Fran’s Blues – (Part 3 of 6) This is a masterfully scripted, real-life drama styled documentary film series directed by Charles S. Dutton about the inner city drug culture in Baltimore, Maryland. The drama centers around the triumphs and tragedy of a Black family. Presented by Home Box Office in 2000.
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