Closer Watch Needed for Sex Offenders, Reps Say

Flashing a statistic that 85% of New York City's registered sex offenders live within five blocks of a school, two congressmen called for greater surveillance and enforcement yesterday in an effort to crack down on repeat offenders.

At a press conference, Reps. Anthony Weiner and Edolphus Towns announced a plan that would create $100 million in federal grants to help fund law enforcement efforts to monitor sex offenders around the country.

Within New York City, the congressmen said that serious sex offenders that live within two blocks of a school should be required to be tracked with a GPS device of sorts —giving police the ability to monitor their movements.

The plan comes in contrast with laws that have popped up around the country that wholly prohibit sex offenders from living within the area surrounding schools.

"We try to strike the balance between the civil libertarian of the ex-con and the security needs of the community, and I think we've taken the first step," Mr. Weiner said.