A man classified as a sexually violent predator (SVP) will be released from a state hospital and moved to a home in Jacumba Hot Springs, potentially displacing another SVP who was placed there recently. This news raises concerns about community safety and the challenges of housing individuals with a high risk of re-offending.
Herman Smith, 78, a man classified as a sexually violent predator (SVP), will be conditionally released from Coalinga State Hospital and move to a home in Jacumba Hot Springs . This release is likely to displace another SVP, Merle Wade Wakefield, who was placed in the same home two months ago. Smith was convicted and sentenced to prison for crimes including forcible rape.
SVPs are individuals convicted of sexually violent offenses and diagnosed with a mental disorder that increases the likelihood of re-offending. After serving their prison sentences, SVPs can undergo treatment at state hospitals but may also petition courts for continued treatment in outpatient locations under stringent monitoring and conditions. Smith's conditional release was initially ordered to the Desert Rose Ranch Road home but was later revoked after requests from state hospital officials and the San Diego County District Attorney's Office. While Smith's revocation proceedings were ongoing, Wakefield was temporarily placed in the same home as officials searched for a permanent placement for him. Last week, San Diego Superior Court Judge Howard Shore rejected requests to revoke Smith's outpatient release, but the reasons behind the revocation requests and Shore's reasoning remain undisclosed. Wakefield, convicted of lewd acts on a child in 1981 and rape by means of force, violence, or fear in 1990, was ordered released on 'transient status,' meaning any housing he receives will be temporary. Liberty Healthcare, contracted by the state to operate the conditional release program for SVPs, has been instructed by a judge to continue searching for a permanent address for Wakefield. Despite evaluating nearly 7,000 properties, no suitable permanent location has been found. Three fixed housing recommendations in Poway, Mount Helix, and Borrego Springs were either rejected by a judge or rescinded by state hospital officials. Wakefield's current placement remains uncertain, but Judge Yvonne Campos ordered that if a permanent residence like the Jacumba Hot Springs home is unavailable, he be housed in a recreational vehicle purchased by Liberty Healthcare. Additionally, Wakefield will be monitored via GPS and have 24/7 security guards or law enforcement presence during his transient release
Sexually Violent Predator Conditional Release Jacumba Hot Springs Coalinga State Hospital Public Safety Community Concerns
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