City of Miami Sends Sex Offenders to Live Under a Bridge

Javier Diaz lives in Miami and has four other "roommates." They use fishing poles to catch food. They use battery powered TVs and radios. And they keep all of their earthly possessions in plastic bags. These men live under the causeway which connects Biscayne Bay with Miami Beach; they were sent to live under this bridge by the city of Miami.

"YOU CAN'T STAY HERE..."

The five gentlemen living under the bridge in Miami are all sex offenders. Javier Diaz is even required to wear a GPS tracking device. But he states that recharging the batteries is a problem, since his home under the bridge has no electricity.

The five men have been convicted of a number of sexually related crimes---among them are molestation, sexual battery, or offenses against children. In Dade County, a 2005 ordinance was established which states that sex offenders can live no closer than 2,500 feet away from schools, parks, or other places where children congregate.

As a result of the ordinance, the men were unable find suitable housing that met the requirements. Thus, they took up residence in an empty lot. But when it was discovered that the lot was adjacent to a center for sexually abused children, they were "evicted" and forced to find alternate living arrangements. Unable to find housing affordable enough, that met the county's criteria, the city of Miami moved the men under the Julia Tuttle Causeway.

INTRICATE LAWS, FOR AN INTRICATE ISSUE

Javier Diaz, and the other men are in constant fear for their lives. Diaz states that people who know about the men living there could come and attack them for being sex offenders. The men are required to remain at their "home" between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.; a parole officer checks in on the men each night. Per Gretl Plessinger, a representative from the Florida State Corrections department has confirmed that these five men are the only ones who have officially been authorized to live out doors. She states:

"This is not an ideal situation for anybody. But at this point we don't have any other options."

But the public is worried that the laws will drive sex offenders so far out of sight, that their actions cannot be adequately monitored. This, experts have agreed would essentially yield the kinds of results the laws were set up to prevent.