Dyersville May Ban Sex Offenders Completely

December 6, 2005

Dyersville, Iowa might bring the sex offender dilemma to new heights, as officials deliberate an ordinance that would ban sex offenders from living anywhere within city limits.

Current Iowa state law, implemented in 2002, restricts sex offenders from living within 2,000 feet of schools or day cares. Several cities across the state have extended this ban to enough public places to essentially restrict sex offenders from living in the city at all, but Dyersville is the first to propose a straightforward ban on offenders.

Opponents of the ordinance site the difficulty of enforcing such a law, and declare that the rise in local ordinances has practically made the entire state of Iowa off-limits to sex offenders. Others are concerned with the false sense of security that having no registered sex offenders living within city limits might create.

Iowa officials assert that if instated, the ban will send a clear message of non-tolerance to potential sex offenders and likely re-offenders.

For more information see the WCF Courier