How Close is Proposed Kennnewick Sex Offender Group Home to Schools, Parks and Daycares?

There will be a public town hall at Highlands Middle School Monday, January 26th at 6:30PM to gather public input, and give information about the proposed Sex Offender Re-Entry Group Home planned for Kennewick at 8th and Edison Streets.

In the meantime, as the project apparently is moving forward, just how close is it to sensitive areas?

   The Proposed Home is How Close to 1 Elementary and Middle School?

Based on Google Searches, the proposed offender home, which is set to be located at the corner of 8th. and Edison Streets, is close to some elementary schools. These distances include:

• Edison Elementary School  0.5 miles from the home, which is a 2 minute drive, 11 minute walk, 3 min bike ride (approximate times).
• Fuerza Elementary School 1.1 miles from the home. The Kennewick School District has expressed concern about walking routes to Fuerza, which would take some students directly past the location.
• Ridge View Elementary   1.5 miles from the home.
• Lincoln Elementary    1.7 miles from the home.
• Highlands Middle School    1.1 miles from the home
• Kamiakin High School   1.6 miles from the home
• Legacy High School   0.6 miles from the home
•  Mid Columbia Partnership  1.2 miles from the home
• Tri-Tech School   1.8 miles from the home

In total, there are 8 Kennewick schools, educational facilities, or child learning centers within 2 miles or less from the proposed home. All told, 17 such Kennewick facilities are within 9 miles.  These figures were first posted on the new 8th and South Edison St. Community and Safety Group-Kennewick Facebook page, but we re-crunched the distances, and they are accurate.

  WA State Law says such facilities cannot be within 880 feet of schools, playgrounds, daycares or other facilities that take care of children or youth. At first glance this home does not appear to violate that barrier, but a storm of opposition is rising against the plan to have multiple offenders housed there as part of their re-entry programs.

How Often to Sex Offenders Re-Offend After Completing Sentencing?

There are a wide range of recitivism, or re-offend statistics for WA state, some studies claim it's around 12 percent. However, another from the Justice Information Resource Network says the re-arrest rate is at 50 percent after five years, and 61 percent after 15.

That is from a study conducted with WA State Patrol Criminal History Data of offenders between 2000 and 2003.