Joliet, Illinois, City Council members unanimously voted Tuesday night to buy a house, with plans demolish it and turn the land into a park — a tactic they hope will legally allow them to force out convicted sex offenders who are living in an apartment building nearby.
The move has drawn the ire of the company that houses the sex offenders and some legal experts who argue that the city’s actions are inhumane and actually make the public less safe by making it difficult for people who have completed their sentences to find stable housing.
The dispute over the building erupted earlier this year when Joliet officials learned that about five sex offenders were placed there, a conflict that highlights the difficulty of finding housing for people paroled after being convicted of sex offenses when community members object to placements. Illinois law prohibits people convicted of sex offenses involving minors from living within 500 feet of schools, playgrounds and day cares.
