Where There are Children, There are Limits
People who are convicted of certain sex crimes must register with the
Texas Sex Offender Registration Program (SOR), which is available to the public. Identifiable information such
as their name, address, hair/eye color, height, weight, ethnicity, birthday
and offense details are listed in the SOR, adding several restrictions
to the offender’s daily life after being released from prison. Essentially,
registrants must think twice before stepping foot in places where children
may be present or typically gather.
SOR restrictions include where offenders can live, work, shop, eat, and
socialize. Practically every area of their lives can be impacted in some
way. When children are involved, however, many registered sex offenders
are legally prohibited from being within a certain distance of them. Depending
on Texas community supervision and patrol laws, along with city ordinances,
“child safety zones” may be implemented to prohibit registered
sex offenders from entering.
Examples of “child safety zones” include:
- Schools
- Parks/playgrounds
- Amusement parks
- Daycares
- Kids’ sporting events
- Youth centers
There are exceptions to these restrictions. If an offender is under community
supervision or parole, they are typically mandated to stay away from children
and cannot participate in programs involving children ages 17 or younger.
After being released from community supervision or parole, those rules
may change.
Six Flags Has the Right to Ban Sex Offenders from Entering
Although the amusement park company does not run background checks on every
guest, Six Flags employees have the right to refuse a sex offender from
entering the park. If a sex offender is already in the park, employees
can kick them out at their discretion.
There have been several incidents in which registered sex offenders were
kicked out of Six Flags parks across the nation, including a
situation in 2014. This particular situation involved a registered sex offender entering
the premises, where he was then arrested and charged with a Class D felony.
Six Flags responded with a statement saying “’The safety and
well-being of our guests is our top priority. Registered sex offenders
are not allowed at the park and are asked to leave if we discover they
are on [our] property.’” This serves as a strong reminder
that companies, including amusement parks, have the right to refuse service
and/or entry to registered sex offenders. Thus, even when your prison
sentence is over, you are subject to several other “imprisoning”
limits that can hinder your day-to-day life.
If you have been charged with a sex crime, it is crucial to
retain legal representation immediately. Our Fort Worth sex crime defense lawyer can work to reduce
or dismiss your penalties so you can avoid the harsh consequences associated
with sex offender registration. Call (817) 591-7850 today!