Under Ohio Revised Code 2950.034, registered sex offenders are not allowed to live within 1,000 feet of a school, preschool or daycare center (as defined in that section). However WCPO news reported on February 20, 2008,  that the Ohio Supreme Court has ruled that a sex offender may not be booted from a home within 1,000 feet of a school if he owned it and committed his crime before the distance restriction became law. Gerry Porter was convicted of sexual battery in 1999. Part of the property where he lived fell within the 1,000-foot limit established by the Legislature in 2003. The court stopped short of deciding whether the rule was intended to be retroactive, which would raise questions of its constitutionality.

What does this mean for you and your family in your current residence or if you plan to move? First and foremost, take note that not all sex offenders are violent or have multiple offenses. It is best to err on the side of caution and to be informed of sex offenders in your community because this ruling will now be upheld in the state of Ohio. You may obtain additional information on the sex offender registry here.

Tags: children, schools. safety, sex offender