HOULTON, Maine — Residents will soon see new signs posted at Community Park, the Gentle Memorial Building and local schools declaring each of those areas to be a “Sex Offender Restricted Zone.”
The signs are not being placed at the locations to deal with any specific problem involving convicted sex offenders hanging around schools or playgrounds, according to Houlton Police Chief Butch Asselin.
Rather, they are being positioned to take advantage of a provision in Maine law that elevates the penalty from a Class E to a Class D crime when a sign is present and a violation occurs in that area, he explained in a press release issued Tuesday. Instead of facing a potential six months in jail and a $1,000 fine, the violator could be sentenced to up to 12 months and a $2,000 fine.
Similarly, a sign marked “Drug Safe Zone,” located at Community Park enhances the penalty provision for anyone apprehended furnishing or trafficking in drugs in the area. Wording on the signs follow state guidelines.
The “Sex Offender Restricted Zone” signs measure 18 inches by 18 inches and are made of fiberglass. A total of 10 signs were ordered.
Asselin said he has been in contact with school officials, the recreation program director and civic center director about the placement of signs which may be secured to buildings, fencing, posts or poles.
“Where the signs are ultimately placed will be determined by those officials in charge of their particular building or parks area,” the chief said. “However, they will be clearly visible to the public.”
He added that signs are not being provided at the present time to day care providers.
“I have been in contact with one local day care operator who expressed concern [about] the perception of having a sign visible,” Asselin said. “She already provides a safe environment for the children she cares for and didn’t want to unnecessarily alarm the parents who drop their children off.”
The chief also stressed that parents and guardians should remain diligent about watching children whether they are playing in such a restricted zone or not.
“Observe, question, stay informed and involved in your children’s activities,” he said. “Report any suspicious activity to the police department, school authorities or park directors.”
For information about the sex offenders residing or working in the community, check the sex offender registry by going to www.maine.gov/dps/Sbi/sor.html. Questions also may be directed to Asselin or Detective Kris Calaman, who is responsible for tracking and making sex offender notifications in Houlton, by calling 532-2287.
Hmmm, not sure how I feel about this one.
On the one hand, the automatic increase in charges if a violation occurs with the signs present is a good thing.
On the other, I’m not sure I want to have to explain what a sex offender is to my just learning to read child, when all I was looking forward to was a trip to the park.
In this day and age every child should have this explained to them. Sad but it is reality now.
I agree, to a point. My child knows what bad touches are, and that she needs to come to me immediately, no matter what threats she may receive. However, the words ‘Sex Offender’ are not yet in her vocabulary. I would like for them to stay out of her vocabulary as long as possible. If these signs came to a town near me, I fear they wouldn’t.
Also, shouldn’t it be up to ME when that conversation is had, not some sign?
Just don’t park next to it! Jhc. Do you agree with anything?
yes. true. At the earliest age possible.
I would love to hear your explanation. Be careful though….it’s not as easy as it may appear. Dudes who got caught pissing outside their dorm rooms are on the Sex offender registry….and, frankly, I don’t think anyone’s child needs to fear them.
LOL. As if. I mean really . HPD thinks they can enforce this. I mean they are to busy stopping kids for HID headlights, tinted windows, lift kits, no front plates. That is keeping them so busy they can’t even bust the drug deals down town, or catch all the meths heads stealing stuff and break in to places. But hey if they think this will work. Great for them, and enjoy that donut.
Being a ricer is a gateway lifestyle that leads to worse lifestyles.
Just say no to ricers
These signs are about as useful as no weapons signs.
The purpose of the signs is to automatically increase the penalty for any violator, I do not think that the Chief thinks that this will be an effective tool in keeping the fox out of the hen house.
Put these signs on all the roads as they cross into Maine and you will have life the way it should be.
Another stupid sign….
Sign, sign, everywhere a sign
Blockin’ out the scenery, breakin’ my mind
Do this, don’t do that, can’t you read the sign?
This state is overrun with police and laws. Yes worry about sex offenders, but also worry about your kids being stopped for the slightest things so MDEA can get a crack at them to justify more police grants.
Great point and one they want you to overlook.Houlton is an alphabet soup of badges-
local cops,county cops,state barracks,DEA,ICE,DHS,INS,sheriff’s dept-did I miss any?
U. S. Border Patrol?
Houlton has always had a contingent of armed law enforcement officers. The future of slow drivers in the town square is even at risk
Those signs are enough to scare anyone off. Who’d want their child in any of those places.
Thanks.I knew there had to be at least one more.If they really want those signs to be in the right places they will force every Catholic church in the world to buy and post at least one.And that 25 mph speed limit is enforced like never before.
The only thing these signs will do is make kids feel less secure and remind them that their parents are scared. Which is odd, considering that the population of Houlton is rather scarce. I’m guessing everyone in town knows who the perps are. Why not deal with them directly, rather than through some silly passive-aggressive sign initiative.
They have things called tourists and transients that come through town. Why not let them know where the sex offenders can’t go? They also have the 4th of july fair which brings in some strange folks.
Exactly. This will only contribute to misplaced hysteria and more false-awareness pretense.
First they they will tag sex offenders, then they will tag people who get caught for OUI at bars then other stuff. The constitution doesn’t allow for a person to be punished twice for the same crime.
Next they will come for You! Because the government won’t stop until everyone is a criminal.
the restriction is part of their punishment. not a second punishment.
i have heard cases of a persons trespassing, thrown out of court because
the judge said a sign had to be posted of no trespassing
i am not sure, maybe that is the case with the sex offender signs
Click on that web sight link provided in the article then enter the zip code “04730” then a radius of 15 miles,the sight will bring up 31 registered sex offenders.
I don’t know if 31 offenders is a large number given the fact that a 15 mile radius would include about 8 thousand residents.about 6 thousand in Houlton and another 2 thousand in the 15 mile radius,that would include Hodgdon,Monticello and Ludlow.
But I would think even just 1 sex offender out in the population would be hard to keep on eye on let alone 31.Are they ever fully rehabilitated ?
Do you actually think these SIGNS are going to stop the perverted pedophiles??? They are lurking everywhere and even places that are unexpected…like churches, schools…etc and so on. It is up to the PARENTS to TEACH their own children that there are bad people out there and how they need to scream like a banshee when someone tries to touch them. May it be a teacher, family friend, babysitter, preacher, coach whatever…they deserve to know about these monsters and to be aware. I told my daughter when she was 8 years old…and we talk about it often. When she was 10 we watched the movie AMBERS STORY…and it really hit home. It is MY child and I am responsible for her…no sign will protect her…but I can.
All child molesters and rapists need to be hung from their neck until dead, that way no signs are needed and the rest of us can live in a safer society.
I agree mostly, but these signs are about “sex offenders” not molesters or rapists.
A sex ofender could be, and some registered sex offenders are, just an 18 year old that had consentual relations with his 17 year old girlfriend. To be sure these cases are rare but do exist.
If an 18 year old had consensual sex with his 17 year old girlfriend, it would not make him a sex offender. It is not a crime at all.
While some states have recently created a buffer zone where the older partner has to be more than 4 years older than the “victim”, not all states do so and not many that do made that provision retroactive. There are people on the registry for this exact thing, a number of who are currently married to their “victim” and are still on the offender registry where the states refuse to remove them. So yes, it is a crime in much of the country and does make them sex offenders.
From Maine statute:
17A § 254. Sexual abuse
of minors
1. A person is guilty of sexual abuse of a minor if:
A. Having attained the age of 19 years, the person engages in a sexual act with another
person, not the actor’s spouse, who has attained the age of 14 years but has not attained
the age of 16 years, provided that the actor is at least 5 years older than the other
person
Your argument about the 18 year and the 17 year old is invalid.
OK, it can’t happen in Maine.
It has happened in other states and a sexual conviction in any state makes a person an offender in every state.
The knucklehead that supposidly had a camera lense in a shoe, will have to regester in every state as a sexual offender if convicted.
The childish act of trying to look up a skirt is the same as a violent child rapist? Or do we need different levels of offender? a 16 year old peeping tom is a “sexual offender 100” and a multiple child murdering rapist is a “sexual offender 1”?
northernmaine: I pray to God that your children end up on a sex offender registry. Karma is such a wonderful thing.
I don’t think God works that way. Sounds like I hit close to home on that one.
Actually, God does work that way. See ya in church. You need to get there.
If comments like yours are what you get for being brainwashed wherever you go to church don’t count on me going there, people like you are the prime reason I won’t get caught in those places.
I place a comment about punishment fitting a crime and you wish ill on my children? you can keep your church.
That is a horrible thing to “pray” for. Maybe there needs to be a evil prayer registry.
So long as you don’t equate the term “sex offender” with “child molester” I might be able to go along with you. However, there are a great many people labeled “sex offender” who never harmed a soul. Surely you wouldn’t suggest hanging them too??
I personally don’t believe that a 18 year old kid that has a 16-17 year old girlfriend is a sex offender unless he actually forces (rapes) his girlfriend. My comment is directed at the true sex offenders in this world, the violent ones.
Violent rapists, murderers and predators that prey on young children have no place in civilized society and need to be removed promptly and permanently.
I don’t like the idea of the signs. Penalties for sex offenders can still be increased if the sex offender goes where they’re not supposed to be even without the signs. The signs are a public eye sore.
This is a sign that says goverment has failed us. It’s a failer of a civilization to let pedophiles run free throughout our society. Carlson knew the just penalty for his crimes. Our we cowards for not insisting on the death penalty? To expensive? I don’t buy it. Found guilty in the afternoon, fireing squad at sunrise–move on.
Anytime I see that thought-terminating cliché (they should have known / thought of that before…), it makes me wonder how it is people can’t seem to acknowledge that you can’t possibly make provisions for changes that may be made 5, 10, 15 years down the line, a standard of justice that is being implemented now which hasn’t existed for hundreds of years.
If the government decided tomorrow that anyone who’s ever had a speeding ticket for more than 5 miles over the limit automatically gets their license suspended for 5 years, regardless of the speeding occurring and having been disposed of 10 years before the enactment of such a provision, then just before the suspension was up decided to change that to revoked, would people be saying the same?
As for the an assembly-line form of death penalty, I think the thousands of people once found guilty then later released on new evidence showing they were no so, sometimes 30+ years later, speaks to why things are structured the way they are.
OK…. the last sentence of my comment a little careless, out of frustration with the problem. We gripe and gripe and nothing of real value is being done. I stand by my comment, the goverment has failed to protect it’s citizens, thats the way I read that sign.
All those who are against sexual predators please raise your right hand. Feel better now? Great, now put up some magic signs.
PeterTaber: Too funny. That is exactly what these people who love big government are doing. Perhaps they should pay attention to their children.
Stupid signs. Too many of them and these aren’t necessary/
Hurray for predator panic!!! This law has NOTHING to do with signage (http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/statutes/17-A/title17-Asec261.html – took 5 seconds to find – the google is your friend). The sentence enhancement applies in pre-defined areas at all times and to certain people and activities (rather poorly phrased).
It has everything to do with increasing public concern, shall we say hysteria, over this issue and ultimately lead to requesting more funding for law enforcement. With your tax dollars, of course, at the expense of other purposes. That actually might benefit your child. At least the sign making company will be happy….
Sheeple!
That is funny. I read the statute and saw nothing about “increasing public concern, shall we say hysteria”. You must be able to read between lines of laws. What an amazing power.
Or, perhaps he/she just has a brain.
I must correct myself – typing too fast….
It = putting up the signs as well this article. Which indeed is intended to whip up hysteria and implies that the signs offer any kind of protection. Having the signs up or not has no impact on the law being in place. The article is very poorly written and researched.
That sign should take care of all sex offenders. Why didn’t I think of that? What a simple solution. Geez !!
Hey, I used to see those in the deep south all the time, only differences it said something like “no coloreds allowed”
In all fairness, the signs and the statute they advertise do not restrict anyone’s presence in any area. They really serve no legal purpose as the enhancements are automatic based on area and conviction date and type. What is very ambiguous though is prohibited conduct. ” Intentionally or knowingly initiates direct or indirect contact” (link to statute a few minutes ago) Does that include a person picking up his / her own child from school asking little Susie how she is doing?
So are you are saying we should do away with the signs and legalize sex with small children? I am just wondering because you are drawing a comparison between the unconstitutional issue of racial segregation and the constitutional law that protects children from sexual predators. It would indicate that you want the signs and the laws to protect children to go away.
Banishment has no hope of protecting children from sexual predators. It is pure theft. Plain and simple. By criminal regimes and the terrorists who support them.
Where can we order these? I want to place them around Bangor at all of Bob Carlson’s favorite locations as a warning to any future ne’er do wells that we take this sex offender stuff very seriously in the Queen City!
Why not just increase the penalty in the whole State?
This is just silly.
This is why Houlton is not the sex offender capital of Maine – BANGOR IS. Bangor’s city council refuses to do anything at all to restrict the influx of convicted child rapists to the city, where they get free food and housing…and they can live wherever they want, including near parks and schools. Bangor’s city council, in its refusal to act, has laid out the red carpet for sex offenders, who are sent there by other cities and even other states.
Just another criminal regime committing crimes. What did all the people who “need” the Registries and this stupid BS do before they got their nanny big governments? Why are those people not paying more taxes for this BS?
Also, where are the rest of the Registries? The criminal governments that run the SEX OFFENDER Registries have no excuses to not have created the other Registries a decade ago. Get it done. Modify these “SEX OFFENDER” signs to include anyone ever convicted of a crime. It is the only legitimate thing to do. Won’t someone please think of the children?
Perhaps you should simply mind your own business. Only bad parents “need” Registries. The rest of us keep our children safe from everyone, especially busy-bodies like you. I protected all of my children without any help from any nanny big governments and their billion laws.
awesome about time!
Its about time! Personally i think it is good at least they would get more time and a fine personally i don’t think that they should be able to live near where children are.. but what to do?? And I think the sentencing here is a little lax for Sex Offenders.. it needs bettering our system of law anyways.. so anyways that is good.. hopefully they think twice..
Yes, because someone who is considering harming someone is certainly going to pay attention to a sign. They were not really going to pay attention to the law anyway, but now that there is a sign. That is going to protect children.
So, any particular reason that the sign doesn’t say “All people who have been convicted of a crime that harmed someone”? Was that just too long to fit? What are the excuses of the criminal governments for that?
People like you who love nanny big government need to pay some taxes. I am tired of carrying you people.
You folks are weird! Is Cotton Mather the mayor, too? These fancy signs protect whom, exactly? It’s Maine, for crying out loud. You guys are supposed to be chill. Now this?? Sounds like something you’d find in Orange, California.
This town is putting themselves in a precarious position! Why? Well the assumption with the public (see the comments here) is that the folks they have to worry about will be thwarted off by this “sign” when the politicians and law enforcement KNOW the true threat comes at a rate of 95% and from within the family unit, acquaintances and those known to the family. NOT from a registered former sexual offender since the recidivism rate for another “sexual” offense is less than 5%. So the sign and the false sense of security it provides could lead to accountability for those making these decisions if a child is attacked within those parameters.
There are many folks on the sex offender registries across the country. Over 760,000 men, women and children are required to register for offenses such as rape, streaking, incest, mooning, exploitation, sexting, prostitution, playing doctor, viewing suggestive or abusive images of anyone under the age of 18 and not knowing the true age is NOT a DEFENSE, endangering the welfare of a child, false accusations by a soon-to-be ex-wife who has groomed her children, an angry girlfriend or spiteful student. Multiply the number of registrants by 2 or 3 and you can clearly see there are over 1,500,00 wives, children, mothers, girlfriends, grandmothers and other loved ones suffering the collateral damage of being harassed, beaten, ridiculed, homes set on fire, vehicles vandalized, families asked to leave their church and associated groups, signs placed in their yards, forced to move…all because they are supporting someone who has paid their debt to society and wants to be a productive citizen.
So, instead of making a statement that parents should watch their kids and placing these signs around why don’t you take that money and develop programs to educate parents, teens and kids about behavior directed at them as well as behavior coming from them. Do you think Jerry Sandusky would have heeded your sign? Oh, wait he was not on any sex offender registry. Think about the safety of your kids, please.
Vicki Henry
Women Against Registry dot com
Unconstitutional – again. Denying U.S. Citizens access to public resources and areas that they fund “equally” via taxation is a foolish municipality just begging for a Class Action.
I can’t believe the stupidity of some people.Any thing that will protect your children,whethcr it be a sign or simply talking to them should be embraced.I think it should be taken 1 step further and “All” people on the registry in the county should be posted on a local tv channel,with their pictures;and level and town their residing in.It’s done in other states with good results. And no it is not an invasion of their privacy,they lost that when they touched your child
How proud you must be. I can see it now. Inside of homes, young children are playing in front of the television when a picture of mommy or daddy comes on, and the “voice-over” is warning about the danger these people are to the community. When the kids quit crying and calm down enough to ask mommy and daddy about it, they are told that years ago, when Daddy was ten, he and his little cousin were playing doctor. In another home the explanation is that Mommy and Daddy fell in love when Mommy was 18 and Daddy was 16. Another dad, with tears in his eyes, tries to explain to his children that years ago he did something bad that he regrets with all of his heart, that he hurt someone, that he was punished as he should have been, that the person he hurt, who had been a friend, has long ago forgiven him, that everyone he knows has forgiven him, but that people he doesn’t know, people he didn’t hurt, will not.
Oh yeah, sooo proud.
I see t shirts being made with that sign as the logo for children to wear. Then any molestation will have happened near one of the signs.
Just another criminal regime committing crimes. What did all the people who “need” the Registries and this stupid BS do before they got their nanny big governments? Why are those people not paying more taxes for this BS?
Also, where are the rest of the Registries? The criminal governments that run the SEX OFFENDER Registries have no excuses to not have created the other Registries a decade ago. Get it done. Modify these “SEX OFFENDER” signs to include anyone ever convicted of a crime. It is the only legitimate thing to do. Won’t someone please think of the children?