Bill in Works to Limit Number of Sex Offenders Allowed at Harrington Hall & Similar

CRANSTON, RI—If State Rep. Robert Lancia (R-District 16 Cranston) has his way, homeless shelters like Harrington Hall will once again be used mainly for the homeless and not for sex offenders.

The early release of serial child molester Dana Waters, who served 18 years in prison, spurred Lancia to act, given the fact Waters listed Cranston's homeless shelter, Harrington Hall, as his residence.

"Harrington Hall is a residential facility lodged between Pontiac Avenue and New London Avenue, and many Harrington residents are free to leave unattended during the day," according to the press release from the House Minority Office.

“There are three elementary schools very close to Harrington Hall, and Brayton Park baseball/softball fields and playground is literally ‘across the street’,” said Lancia. “Waters is just one of the many dangerous sex offenders with ample opportunity to re-offend.”

Lancia added, “I want to go on record saying this is a recipe for disaster. If we don’t do something now, the public can blame the General Assembly for any tragedy that occurs. This is a very crucial issue!”

He has introduced legislation (House Bill No. 5159) to restrict the number of sex offenders housed in shelters and other state-funded/state-assisted residential facilities.

If passed, his bill will stop the number of registered sex offenders from surpassing 10 percent of the residential facility’s units and prevent sex offenders from numbering more than 10 percent of the facility’s population.

“I am submitting this legislation as a proactive measure, before we have a tragedy on top of the heartbreak these offenders have already caused,” said Lancia. “For example, in my district, there are approximately 80 residents total at Harrington Hall and about 35 of them are sex offenders. That’s an unacceptable high-risk for my constituents, especially our vulnerable children.”

While he believes in rehabilitation, he will not leave his constituents susceptible to harm or ask them to put their children at stake, he added.

“Right now, reducing the number of sex offenders per facility will reduce any potential risk, but Harrington Hall is a growing problem in Cranston,” Lancia said. “Further, that’s just one facility in our state. I will work with state leaders to find an even better across-the-board solution to this disconcerting and outright alarming danger.”