2008 Woodie Awards
Sex offenders plan shot down
St. James Church wanted to have high-risk individuals on site
By Amanda Sheaffer
The Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services has rejected an informal proposal by St. James Episcopal Church, 833 W. Wisconsin Ave., to use the church's great hall as transitional housing for violent sex offenders.
The church wanted to house sex offenders on site as part of its commitment to social justice that already includes feeding homeless people and letting them sleep on the church lawn.
"We believe that our church is open to all, and there will be no outcasts," said the Rev. Debra Trakel, pastor of St. James. "Sex offenders are believed to be the scum of the earth. They are today's lepers and outcasts. This outreach is utterly in keeping with our mission."
Some members of the Marquette community were concerned about Trakel's initiative.
College of Arts & Sciences freshman Shanti Chu, who lives in neighboring Straz Tower , said she would feel uncomfortable knowing sex offenders were living next door.
"Many girls and individuals walk by there to get to class or go to work and it just seems unsafe knowing they too could be walking around or could escape," Chu said.
Trakel said the church vestry, or council, had been in contact with the Department of Health and Family Services about the plan since April but informed church members of the dialogue on Oct. 22.
Church members were not notified until that date because the vestry did not know if the church could even structurally support such an undertaking, according to an Oct. 22 letter mailed to church members.
Stephanie Marquis, communications director for the Department of Health and Family Services , said engineers from the department visited the church and deemed it a non-viable site for a variety of reasons, including its proximity to young children who frequent the church and to Straz Tower residence hall, which is next door, Marquis said.
Trakel's proposal offered St. James as a part of an existing transitional living program for Wisconsin Chapter 980 sex offenders, which are offenders categorized as most at risk to re-offend, administered by the Sand Ridge Secure Treatment Center in Mauston, Wis.
The church wanted to house sex offenders on site as part of its commitment to social justice that already includes feeding homeless people and letting them sleep on the church lawn.
"We believe that our church is open to all, and there will be no outcasts," said the Rev. Debra Trakel, pastor of St. James. "Sex offenders are believed to be the scum of the earth. They are today's lepers and outcasts. This outreach is utterly in keeping with our mission."
Some members of the Marquette community were concerned about Trakel's initiative.
College of Arts & Sciences freshman Shanti Chu, who lives in neighboring Straz Tower , said she would feel uncomfortable knowing sex offenders were living next door.
"Many girls and individuals walk by there to get to class or go to work and it just seems unsafe knowing they too could be walking around or could escape," Chu said.
Trakel said the church vestry, or council, had been in contact with the Department of Health and Family Services about the plan since April but informed church members of the dialogue on Oct. 22.
Church members were not notified until that date because the vestry did not know if the church could even structurally support such an undertaking, according to an Oct. 22 letter mailed to church members.
Stephanie Marquis, communications director for the Department of Health and Family Services , said engineers from the department visited the church and deemed it a non-viable site for a variety of reasons, including its proximity to young children who frequent the church and to Straz Tower residence hall, which is next door, Marquis said.
Trakel's proposal offered St. James as a part of an existing transitional living program for Wisconsin Chapter 980 sex offenders, which are offenders categorized as most at risk to re-offend, administered by the Sand Ridge Secure Treatment Center in Mauston, Wis.
Published: 11/1/05 Section: News
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