If you take a look at the Texas Public Sex Offender Registry system , you'll find there are more than 1, sex offenders in Austin. The Austin Police Department's sex offender unit conducts compliance checks once a week.
Craig Smith says the checks are to ensure sex offenders are where they say they are. That's pretty big," he said. CBS Austin went on a ride with officers as they performed routine checks, while out we found some do fall through the cracks.
At one house, the homeowner stated the sex offender hadn't lived there in three years. Two of those compliance checks were also no more than a block away from Allison Elementary School. In the city of Austin there is no law that prevents a sex offender from living near places like parks and schools. That surprised neighbors we spoke to. That's huge," said Diaramis Walker. In Texas, the Department of Public Safety gives each municipality the authority to create their own restrictions on sex offenders.
It's called a 'Child Safety Zone. Most ordinances say sex offenders cannot live within a specified distance, usually 1, feet of a child safety zone. That includes schools, day-cares, parks and playgrounds. Leander Police Chief Greg Minton says their ordinance was adopted in After Cedar Park passed their own restrictions.
Opponents of these restrictions say an ordinance change will make it harder for sex offenders to find housing, and that statistically it's unlikely a sex offender will re-offend near their home.
