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| Richard Wagner Jones (corrections.utah.gov) |
Richard Wagner Jones wants to be on the Granite School Board. He’s running for election.
His biggest problem is that he's also on the sex offender registry. Jones doesn’t see that as an issue.
"23 years ago I was convicted of a sex offense, a crime and that's all been taken care of and is behind us," he told ABC 4 News.
Utah prison officials say Jones isn't on probation and can run for school board. But there are restrictions.
"One of those restricted zones that he cannot go is schools,” says Steve Gehrke with the Utah Department of Corrections. “People say if he's running for school board doesn't that create problems. There are exceptions carved out in the law.”
Gehrke says if there is a school board meeting inside a school he would be allowed to attend the meeting. But he could not visit a school whenever he pleases.
According to prison officials sex offenders who are rehabilitated rarely commit the offense again.
Gehrke says recidivism rates among those who graduate from a treatment program are 19%. That’s compared to 47% who don't go through a treatment program.
And he says of those who are rehabilitated they reoffend less than one percent.
“It is impressive and that's looking at graduates in the program,” Gehrke says.
“There is a stigma out there. People just assume sex offenders are always sex offenders.”
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