SEATTLE – Thirteen registered sex offenders are being forced to move from a densely populated area just north of the University of Washington (UW), and the school hopes that the remaining 12 offenders will be forced out as well.
Sex offenders on probation have been living for the past seven years in homes near UW’s student rental housing, sororities and fraternities. According to corrections officials, none have caused any problems, but school administrators became concerned recently when they realized how many of them have been living near campus.
Parents and students have complained to UW about the close proximity of these predators, discovered through Internet searches of sex offender databases.
Two of the 13 being forced to move are considered to be the state’s most violent sex offenders (Level 3). According to a Department of Corrections official, the agency attempted to place predators in the UW area who did not have histories of assaulting adults. Most had convictions for crimes against children.
Removing registered sex offenders from the neighborhood is part of UW’s new safety plan. Additional campus police will also patrol the area.
