Kansas Transitional Living Mixes Sex Offenders and Foster Girls

Ozanam Pathways, the nonprofit provider that operates the program that houses sex offenders and foster girls in the same apartment building “isn’t the only provider that commingles offenders and foster teens. It occurs at programs across the state, Loyd said.”

Lamest excuse ever/more evidence that the world has gone to pot: “Ozanam is following state policies.”

“The state says it is beginning to move to a system that separates juvenile offenders and foster teens at facilities.

Wichita police Deputy Chief Tom Stolz said he is concerned about the practice of grouping young people who have committed serious crimes with “extremely impressionable” young people in the state’s care.”

“The Ozanam program came under scrutiny earlier this month after a former employee raised allegations that sex offenders living at the apartments have too much contact with foster teens at the property, that clients sometimes lack food and that some incidents aren’t properly reported.

The allegations led to investigations by Wichita police and the state’s Juvenile Justice Authority and Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services.

No crimes or serious violations were found.

Loyd, the Ozanam vice president, said that “everybody and their brother has been down investigating… and we come back as clean as a whistle.”

“There have been reports of trouble at the property.

Police records show that from January 2008 to July 21 of this year, Wichita police recorded 142 incidents at the West University apartments — including reports of battery, assault, runaways, drug crimes and three alleged incidents of rape.

Between December 2009 and October 2010, police investigated three reports of rape there.

In the most recent rape case, in October 2010, the alleged victim was a 17-year-old girl, and the suspect was a 17-year-old boy. In a July 2010 case, the alleged victim was a 17-year-old foster girl, and the suspect was an 18-year-old male offender.

And in a December 2009 case, the alleged victim was a 16-year-old foster girl, and the suspect was a 19-year-old man.

Charges weren’t filed in the three cases, partly because the alleged victims weren’t cooperative, police said.”

Oh, yes, “clean as a whistle”…..

Program has foster teens, sex offenders in same spot
[The Wichita Eagle 7/31/11 by Tim Potter]

REFORM Puzzle Piece