While some civil rights advocates complain that Iowa’s new laws restricting sex offenders are too harsh, some counties are contemplating actions that are even tougher. Scott County Board of Supervisors chairman Larry Minard is meeting with the county attorney to discuss stricter residency requirements. Minard says tougher standards cause some offenders to commit more crimes. Minard says truly dangerous sex offenders ought to be in jail but others would be better off getting the support from their family members to stay on the straight and narrow. He says the county doesn’t want to enact a law that is difficult and costly to enforce. He says they want to make sure they’re not compounding the problem. State law stipulates registered sex offenders can’t live within two-thousand feet of a day care or school, which virtually bans them from some cities. While Scott County is home to some of Iowa’s larger cities — Davenport and Bettendorf — Minard says supervisors are particularly concerned about the safety of residents in unincorporated areas of the county.
