The state of Iowa is considering building a facility to house and care for elderly sex offenders. According to a report in the Cedar Rapids Gazette, the director of the state’s Department of Corrections, Jerry Bartruff, supports the idea.
That’s because finding places for elderly sex offenders to live after they’ve served their time in prison is very difficult, Bartruff said Monday during a community forum in Coralville. Iowa recently had three sex offenders who had served their time, but because they had no place to go, died behind bars.
Perhaps they’d have more options were it not for the state’s residency restrictions.
Social workers help offenders find places to live at least 2,000 feet from schools and child care centers, as well as assist with identifying transportation, health care and a guardian, if necessary. If the offender has health needs, such as dementia, diabetes or depression, he may need nursing care.
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