Marc Sarnoff Creates a Park to Quell New Sex Offender Encampment

By Kyle Munzenrieder Mon., Apr. 16 2012 at 2:51 PM

Categories: News

via NBC Miami

Yesterday marked the two-year anniversary of the day the final sex offenders moved out from the infamous encampment under the Julia Tuttle Causeway. However, the problems that created the camp in the first place haven't been totally eased, and earlier this year sex offenders started popping up in a road side encampment in Shorecrest. In hopes of preventing anymore sex offenders from moving into the area Miami city commissioner Marc Sarnoff has decided to open a tiny pocket park a few feet from the new encampment.

A county ordinance restricts sex offenders from living within 2,500 feet from a school or other places where children congregate. Even after some of the more restrictive points of the law were scaled back in the wake of the Tuttle camp, there are still very few places where registered sex offenders can live within Miami.

In March, the Miami Herald reported that almost two dozen men started camping out at the Southwest corner of Northeast 79th Street and 10th Avenue in Shorecrest where they stayed from 10 p.m. until 6 a.m. in the morning. Though the Florida Department of Corrections denies it, the campers said they were given the address by probation officials after they were released from jail.

According to NBC Miami, Sarnoff has now created the The "Little River Pocket Park," on Northeast 10th Avenue just south of 79th Street on an empty lot just across the street from the encampment.

The sad little park includes two springy playground fixture, and not much more. Though the new park will preclude more sex offenders from setting up camp on the corner. Those were already live there will not be forced to move, but the new park means that the area is off limits to any more offenders.

City officials plan to sue the Department of Corrections over the new encampment.

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Valerie Parkhurst

I get sick to death when articles like this dont include real numbers and real facts. Florida has more sex offenders for no other reason than the weather. Rather than trying to fit 10 lbs of offenders in a 1 lb. sack why doesnt anyone ask where these offenders are from? How many committed their crimes in other states but were freely allowed to move into Florida? How many offenders (especially) in Dade are foriegn nationals that should have rightfully been deported but for complicated or lackedaisecal deportation weasel clauses are still here? This state is a dumping ground for sex offenders from all points North or anything that floats up on our shores. Look at those aspects of "our sex offender problems" before some liberal genuis proposes we lower our Residency restrictions and allow these freaks to live closer to us. Tackle those issues and our Homeless Sex Offender Problem will disappear over night!

Rudy101

You don't understand, Valerie. Your registry is a lot less comprehensive than you think. The registry can't stop a person not on parole or probation from moving from one State to the next. What the State has done is build up a comprehensive system of regulations, all under unproven theories and all done ex-post facto, and all done without hearing or appeal.

Residency restrictions are ILLEGAL and this article shows exactly why. A residency restrictions is only a banishment law. Banishment laws are, per se, illegal. Setting up a park for no other reason BUT to banish groups of people is VERY illegal.

The registry has no credibility and can be fled from in any way possible. Until the State has a due process hearing, the registry, as a matter of law is VOID.