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The village of sex offenders

Do the residents of the Restoration Destination community deserve a second chance?

Set among endless sugar-cane fields in a remote part of southern Florida, Restoration Destination is a community made up of registered sex offenders.

Created by a Christian ministry as a response to state laws which ban them from living close to where children gather, it's now home to more than 100 men who’ve been placed on Florida’s sex offenders register for life. Through therapy, counselling and support, Restoration Destination aims to reduce their likelihood of reoffending and help them reintegrate into society.

With the future of the community uncertain and claims Florida’s sex offender residency laws are driving people into homelessness, journalist Conor Garrett goes to Restoration Destination to ask if the men who live there deserve a second chance.

This programme contains interviews with convicted sex offenders, references to sex crimes and other scenes which listeners may find upsetting.

Producer: Conor Garrett
Executive Producer: Georgia Catt
Sound mix: Giles Aspen

Available now

27 minutes

Last on

Sun 16 Mar 2025 23:32GMT

Broadcasts

  • Thu 13 Mar 2025 02:32GMT
  • Thu 13 Mar 2025 09:32GMT
  • Thu 13 Mar 2025 20:06GMT
  • Thu 13 Mar 2025 21:06GMT
  • Sat 15 Mar 2025 17:32GMT
  • Sat 15 Mar 2025 23:06GMT
  • Sun 16 Mar 2025 05:32GMT
  • Sun 16 Mar 2025 05:32GMT
  • Sun 16 Mar 2025 14:06GMT
  • Sun 16 Mar 2025 23:32GMT