Are sex offenders the new lepers?

Via this article in Slate.com, a couple of articles here and here about how increasingly expansive exclusion zones banning sex offenders from areas such as schools, day care centers, etc. are leaving those affected with effectively nowhere they can legally live in many communities.

I know, the immediate response might be "Good. They're scum. Keep them away from kids." But, they have to live *somewhere*...and legally, the laws seem to be veering towards the territory of double punishment. "Yes, you've done your time and paid your debt to society, BUT you also have to register as a sex offender for the rest of your life, and stay away from society at large." The next step truly would seem to be sex offender colonies out in desolate places, as leper colonies once were used, and the NY Times article suggests certain motels and trailer parks are becoming ad-hoc versions of that.

Also, the articles make another point: there is an eventual tipping point on this kind of legislation where sex offenders starting saying "f**k it, my life is so miserable now, there's no point in staying legal," and goes underground, which makes tracking of them much more difficult.