Judges, lawyers, probation officers and mental health professionals have had their hands tied when it comes to managing sex offenders. The current system is ineffective and dangerous. They are searching for a better way to get sex offenders out of our neighborhoods and away from preying on innocent people.
The Watch House concept originated with professionals who work in the everyday trenches managing sex offenders. The Watch House has developed a politically and financially feasible way.
The Watch House will house and manage sex offenders serving their time while living in the community. It will be a secure, 300-bed residential facility in the metro Denver area. Sex offenders will live there for life, or until their sentence is up or until they truly change.
The Watch House will be a collaborative, government supported non-profit initiative to monitor repeat sex offenders and how they spend their free time - 24 hours a day, seven days a week under a zero-tolerance policy. Residents will go to work, pay taxes and earn money to cover the costs of their living and management.
Why hasn't The Watch House been built? Because until now a politically viable solution has not been presented. The Watch House answers the following questions:
• Who will build and run it?
• Is it really worth the effort?
• How much safety will it really provide?
• Do we really need to change the way things are now?
• Why isn't the criminal justice system doing this already and why must the public ask for it?
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