The people living in this encampment at Westchester Park, should be live scanned.
Anyone who has ever volunteered to referee or coach at a L.A. City Recreation Center or for a youth sport team or activity knows they need to be fingerprinted (live scanned). Those who come near kids, are also often required to take a course such as Safe Sport, which allows them to understand what forms bullying or sexual misconduct may look like.
It must be inconceivable to parents that homeless are allowed to throw up tents in a L.A. City Parks, can come into contact with children, but are not vetted like parent volunteers. Is it possible that someone has moved close to a park to be close to children might be a pedophile?
According to the textbook, “Criminal Psychology: Nature, Nurture, Culture,” Author Laurence Miller writes “in terms of recidivism, pedophilic sex offenders are more likely to sexually reoffend than any nonpedophilic rapists.”
Several of the young girls that are taking tennis lessons, and an instructor, at Westchester Park have been approached, and followed by those illegally living in public spaces. Is that person a pedophile? Who knows – because there is no vetting.
If the City says it cannot move the population because it does not have alternative places for those who are illegally camping, the least they can do is require live scans and a free course about how to interact with children to the people on the park grounds. (The same is true of those living by schools and libraries.)
Those who do not wish to be fingerprinted and do not want to take the course, will be asked to move to a location where these people will not come into contact with children.
To be clear, this is not targeting a specific population, all types of individuals are required by state and federal governments to get Live Scan, including (but not limited to): realtors, licensed DMV professionals, notaries, foster parents, teachers, appraisers, caregivers, stockbrokers, contractors, nurses, doctors, surgeons, security guards, volunteers, lawyers, volunteers and even cosmetologists.
Since I referee soccer, AYSO, club and high school, I was required to take a Live Scan. I’m on the field for 90 minutes at most—and generally not closer than five feet to the kids. Those people who have chosen to illegally camp in parks are around youth 24/7 and can come in close contact to youth, especially in the restrooms.
Once a live scan is done, fingerprints are transmitted directly to the Department of Justice. The Department of Justice conducts a criminal background check, based on fingerprints.
The results are sent back within 24 to 72 hours. Parents and L.A. City Recreation and Park officials will no longer have to worry if there is a pedophile in the midst—
Additionally, since fire-arms are not allowed on L.A. City Parks, and the people in tents and other makeshift shanties are illegally camping, weapons search warrants should routinely be allowed. It is imperative that we keep our must vulnerable, our youth, safe.