By C1 Staff
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — Sex offenders in Iowa are living in motels instead of halfway houses due to a lack of space.
KCRG reports that even though the offenders might be required to serve a term of supervised probation, there aren’t enough beds in residential facilities for all of them.
Offenders like Matthew Brown, convicted of incest with a girl under the age of 14, are living out of motels and are free to change their location as long as they notify the DOC of their new location within five days to remain in compliance.
Those also renting space in the motel can ask if there are sex offenders on the premises, but such notifications are a courtesy and not an obligation, according to one motel owner.
And rules that used to limit proximity to schools, parks and other locations no longer apply to most.
The offenders are still under supervision, and law enforcement is making an effort to notify the community of their locations, as in the case of Brown. But Brown was free to switch motels when fliers including his name were distributed by officers.
Brown is on a waitlist of 61 people who have yet to be assigned to a unit to serve their time. Of about 340 convicted sex offenders in Linn County, a significant number live in motels.