The Spartan Defender

Kristin Piotrowski

In the area of Sparta there are 41 registered sex offenders. A registered sex offender could have been charged with different crimes such as first, second, and third degree sexual assault, child pornography, statutory rape and many other crimes. Many rules and regulations have been set against sex offenders and for the school to ensure that every student who is attending a school is able to feel safe and protected while they are there. During an interview with school liason Officer Kyle Seubert he stated that if a sex offender were to come in contact with the school when he/she is not allowed to, then they would be arrested for violating those conditions. Seubert also said that his main concern is of the students safety.

"A student must be enrolled in any school, private, home or public," Sam Russ, principal of Sparta High School, said. He then went on to say, "If a student is court ordered to stay away from schools, then a public school must provide packets to the student to complete." There are those students who have been charged with a sex offender crime that are no longer able to come onto school property and then there are the students who have been charged but are still allowed to be at the school. These students that can still attend school have committed a less serious or less dangerous crime.

Every member of the community has the right to know about where the sex offenders live and what their charges are, and they can find out relatively easy. There are many websites out solely dedicated to informing people of potential dangerous situations such as www.watchdog.com. "An article comes out when the offender is released, notifying the community of where they are living, they also do things like broadcast it on the radio," Kyle said. Although these things are out to help people, then cannot say names of juveniles that have committed a crime. The police are also notified and they will step up their patrols. "Someone is assigned to them when they are released, they check up on them during the day to make sure they are abiding by the sanctions they are on," Kyle said. He also said that the person who is assigned to them, helps them find a job and a place to live until they can get back on their feet again. The department of corrections (DOC) assigns them that person who looks after them. The offender also has things paid for such as food and housing until they are able to take after themselves. Although they have become independent again they will always have their assigned case worker checking on them regularly.