New Neighbors are Very Special!

It’s always interesting to go through your mail when you have been away for a few days. Other than the ubiquitous bills, promotions for various credit cards, and shopping bibles from the likes of Pottery Barn, Renovation Hardware, or Crate and Barrel, one of the very special postcards that we receive on a regular basis is the notification of sex offenders that have moved into our neighborhood.

This is one of the those advantages about living in my little piece of heaven close to downtown Cincinnati. We don’t receive these special announcements everyday. Nevertheless, these postcards do seem to show up in our mailbox on a regular basis. The local constabulary has become our pen pals alerting us that some sex offender has taken up residence within miles of our home.

If you have a special interest in learning more about your new neighbors, there is website at www.familywatchdog.us that will provide you with a map of their residences and their pictures, descriptions and criminal histories. You just type in your zip code and, wah la, like map quest you can find out far more than you really want to know about your new, special neighbors.

When I typed in my zip code, the map located all the residences of sex offender types including rape, sexual battery, offense against children and other. I learned that over 223 sex offenders have taken up residence within a few miles of my lovely home! No wonder those special postcards just keep coming and coming!

Now don’t get me wrong, I do have my bona fides as a good knee-jerk liberal. Fatboy is a firm believer in second chances, probation and rehabilitation. Most importantly, the vast majority of the convictions that trigger a sex offender label do not involve children. These men need a place to live and an opportunity to make their lives whole again.

Is this the kind information included in the real estate listings for properties in my neighborhood?

Here’s a recent listing: Four bedrooms, 2 and half baths, newly remodeled kitchen, wonderful views of downtown Cincinnati and friendly neighbors including doctors, teachers and 6 sex offenders.