Business of Sex Offenders

I came out of my last drug rehab into 1/2-way House.  However, the owner's business model mostly offering sex offenders exiting prison an address for the nominal sum $200.  You see, sex offenders MUST have registered residence where they stay each night or it's a felony.  In the case of Alabama, if a sex offender doesn't have a valid address or residence 6-mths prior to their release, the State will add 10 more years to their sentence.

Once at the 1/2-way house they were slaves to the owner or staff while the "client" was always under threat of eviction for any reason at any time.  As I wasn't a sex offender that threat held no sway over me.  Eventually I became part of the staff due to my education & knowledge of tax prep.  I often worked 16 - 18 hours a day just for an $85 a week bed to keep from being on the streets homeless.  The gay owner often preyed upon the "clients" who were vulnerable, so I saw some strange shit -- especially since this was a "Religious-Based Program".   

I learned the differences between Sex Offenders & Sex Predators.  Someone can catch a sex charge for urinating in public or knocking up your 17-yr old girlfriend when you're 20-yrs old, but molesting an 8-yr old you are baby-sitting makes you a Sex Predator.  So, it was up to me to do background checks because our 1/2-way house couldn't take Predators.  Well, the owner got strung out on Oxycontins while at the same time making his drug dealer House manager.  I figured it was time to go.

Strange Days

I decided to return to the university before the 1/2-way House got busted by the police again & found another cheap 1/2-way house not far from the college.  Unfortunately, this one took both sex offenders AND predators.  I thought; wtf-ever, it was within walking distance (a few miles) to the college, so I stuck it out until I got arrested for hitting one of the perverts making jokes about little girls walking to the bus stop  ... I hit the roof, and him!  The guy I'd hit had been arrested for "Injuring Genitals of a Minor" & was recently released from prison.  He told the police he wouldn't press charges if I only apologized.  I couldn't do it.  No way was I going to tell him, "I'm sorry."   So, I spent a month in jail.

Ironically, I had to justify this before my acceptance to enroll for the first semester.  I got into the unviersity after a meeting with the Dean's Board, began classes & eventually got a job with the VA helping Homeless Veterans get work.  It was great too.  I had access to professional social workers, psychiatrists & academics at the same time.  I was homeless four times in my Senior year at college though, but quitting was not an option.