As early as Feb. 1, San Diego State could have had a convicted rapist living blocks away from campus. Douglas Badger, a repeated sex offender, is being released from Atascadero State (mental) Hospital. Prior to a Jan. 18 community meeting – in which many community members and city officials decried his entrance into the neighborhood – Badger was scheduled to move to Faith House, a privately operated halfway home on 63rd Street, an area full of families and college students, with an elementary school around the corner. The judge’s decision to block Badger’s placement is a boon to the elementary school and the SDSU community, as well as a sign that our system’s safeguards still work.

Badger is an officially classified repeat sexual offender. Badger has admitted to victimizing 20 people, ranging from young boys to grown men. On some occasions, he used a gun to kidnap male hitchhikers – his release is potentially disastrous for the community. At 62 years of age, Badger may not be in the best of health, but he still has a long history of hideous sexual acts. He is documented by the state of California as a high-risk, sexual predator.

When Badger re-locates, he will be subject to psychiatric treatment, lie-detector exams and drug tests. He will also be required to wear an electronic tracking device. Even though Badger would have been under tight surveillance, he still would have posed a threat to the college community.

In 2004, there were gruesome murders across the country, committed by sexual predators who were released from prison. Convicted sex offender Alfonso Rodriguez was released from a Minnesota prison. Following Rodriguez’ exit from prison, 22-year- old Dru Sjodin was abducted and murdered. Rodriguez is now in custody with relation to the crime.

In Florida, Joseph Smith was released from jail; following this release, he abducted and killed an 11-year-old girl. Smith committed a record of kidnapping and assault before he left the body of Carlie Brucia in the parking lot of a church in Sarasota, Fla.

These two cases are examples of why sexual predators must not be placed into a community with high concentrations of the types of people they have preyed upon. People such as Badger, Rodriguez and Smith are predators who must not be trusted.

If Badger was allowed to move to 63rd Street – and these previous cases are any indication of the effectiveness of prevention – he may very well have chosen another victim from our community. Fortunately, members of the College Area and Montezuma community spoke up and prevented such a violent sexual offender from stalking their neighborhoods.

-Tommy Gorman is a journalism senior.

-This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Daily Aztec. Send e-mail to letters@thedailyaztec.com. Anonymous letters will not be printed – include your full name, major and year in school.