A News 6 investigation found dozens of registered offenders living in close proximity in parts of Orlando, while some cities impose stricter residency restrictions.
Florida’s population growth has brought more people to the state in recent years, including convicted sex offenders and predators. But residency restrictions and limited housing options are contributing to clusters of registered offenders in some Central Florida neighborhoods.
Dr. Stephen Holmes, a University of Central Florida criminal justice professor who has spent decades studying violent sex offenders, said clusters are more common in economically disadvantaged areas.
“When you look at it in more impoverished areas of the city, you’re going to see clusters,” Holmes said.
Under Florida law, many registered sex offenders face restrictions on living within 1,000 feet of schools, child care facilities, parks and playgrounds. Those restrictions can significantly limit where they are allowed to live.
“When you map out the areas where they can live, there’s very few places they can go,” Holmes said.
News 6 Investigator Troy Campbell reviewed maps from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement showing where registered sex offenders and predators live.
In Orlando’s Azalea neighborhood, a map covering a five-mile radius showed numerous registered offenders, including people identified by the state as homeless.
The investigation also identified concentrations in other areas of Central Florida.
At a mobile home park along Orange Blossom Trail near Lee Road in Orlando, state records showed about 40 registered sex offenders or predators among nearly 80 homes.
On a street off North Powers Drive in Pine Hills, records showed roughly 25 registered sex offenders or predators living in the area.
Holmes said employment challenges and difficulty finding housing can contribute to the clustering, with some offenders living together as roommates.
He warned that concentrating people with sex offense convictions in a small area can create concerns for surrounding communities.
“I think that is what a lot of us are concerned about is that clustering individuals in that area because that becomes a hot spot of activity,” Holmes said.
Some cities have adopted stricter residency restrictions. Winter Park, for example, expanded its restrictions from 1,000 feet to 2,500 feet from schools, parks and day care facilities.
A map of the area showed fewer registered offenders within the three-mile radius examined under the stricter restrictions.
However, Holmes said residency restrictions can also create challenges for rehabilitation.
“The registry is a wonderful thing, but it comes at a cost and it prevents a lot of these individuals from truly being able to rehabilitate themselves,” he said.
Holmes emphasized the importance of community awareness, saying neighbors should know who lives nearby to help protect children.
