Sex offender debate sparks emotion

GREENVILLE, Ohio (WDTN) - Greenville residents battled over sex offenders Friday morning. Emotions overflowed as residents who support and oppose new buffer zones, met face-to-face.

A special committee considered making sex offenders live farther from schools, daycares and bus stops. Instead of the 1000 foot zone that's already Ohio state law. Officials are looking to increase it to 1500 feet. Some, like Katrina Draving say that's unfair to the offenders.

"All these people want to sit here and talk all this crap you know what I have two kids I could leave my brother with my children completely unsupervised and I have no worries."

Draving is tired of what she calls sex offender hate speech from residents. Her brother is in prison, branded as one.

"I just think its all a bunch of BS that everybody wants to bring up this stupid crap you know these people have a right to come back and try to make a life for themselves."

Some like Lisa Francis said sex offenders don't deserve a second chance, believing they've already taken what some can't get back.

"What about the victim, what about the child, that child does not get a second chance. That's all I have to say."

At the center of this buffer zone controversy is Doctor John Graham. "I'm very concerned with the conflict in the community," Graham said. He's given sex offenders a place to live after their release from prison.

"I recognize that this is a very unpopular program and the truth is this is not something I chose to do. This is something I was asked to do because there was a need, a tremendous need in Ohio."

Graham said he may have a solution to put everyone at ease without increasing the zone.

"We are offering a way to limit so there would be no growth of these reentry houses beyond the six beds we've had for three years."

But others like John Baumgartner aren't so sure about Grahams motives. "You cannot make a deal with this man his word is not good," Baumgartner said.

The next meeting on the issue will be held September 17th at 8 a.m.