It’s time to Show Up, Stand Up and Speak Up! The first two cities in L.A. County have proposed ordinances that would prohibit all registrants, regardless of type or date of offense, from visiting parks, libraries, museums and other public areas. These ordinances must be stopped before L.A. County duplicates Orange County where most cities have such ordinances!! We effectively stopped the City of Cerritos, the first city in L.A. County, from passing its ordinance on August 23 when that city honored the request CA RSOL’s to stop further consideration…
Read MoreYear: 2012
Meeting Draws Negative Attention
An organization aimed at reforming sex offender laws chose an Albuquerque hotel to host its fourth annual conference, but safety worries prompted the city to beef up security at nearby parks and schools. The city held a meeting Tuesday evening to address residents’ concerns, but it was sparsely attended. Albuquerque Police Cmdr. Kevin Rowe, who organized the meeting, assured the public that police were prepared for the conference. He even sang a song he said he had written for the occasion. One of the seven people in the audience stormed out…
Read MoreLocals remain concerned over reform sex offender conference
People have expressed concerns about Albuquerque hosting a national conference on sex offender laws this week. After the announcement Monday, Albuquerque police said they would hold a special meeting Tuesday to answer questions about safety and security surrounding the conference. The handful of people who showed up to the meeting said they left feeling even more disappointed and confused than before. Full Article
Read MoreFederal Sex Offender Civil Commitment Process Under Fire
Among other provisions, the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 allows the federal government to indefinitely detain “sexually dangerous” offenders through a civil commitment process, which requires mandatory court hearings after such offenders have been certified by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) as eligible for commitment. The Adam Walsh Act was named for the kidnapped and murdered son of America’s Most Wanted host John Walsh. [See: PLN,June 1996, p.12]. Full Article (pdf) (at www.prisonlegalnews.org)
Read MoreUK: Ruling allows sex register appeals
Sex offenders can appeal against having to register with police for life from Saturday, despite concerns raised by a children’s charity that they must “always be considered a risk”. Thousands of sex offenders will be able to apply to have their names removed after the Supreme Court ruled it was a breach of offenders’ human rights to be put on the register for life with no review. The Government has already expressed concern about the plans, with Home Secretary Theresa May saying “the minimum possible changes to the law” would…
Read MoreTX: “A Child Protection Act That Doesn’t”
On June 29, 2012, Texas Congressman Lamar Smith introduced H.R. 6063, a bill which, on its surface, is as noble and well-intentioned as a piece of legislation can possibly be. Titled “The Child Protection Act of 2012,” it would be difficult for anyone to find fault with its lofty purported goal – to protect children. While I cannot find fault with the goal, the bill itself is a misguided, misinformed, and useless piece of pompous political puffery and does little if anything at all to protect any child from anything.…
Read MoreNational Conference on Sex Offender Issues, Sept. 6-9, Albuquerque, NM
“Children’s safety is at stake,” asserted Robert Combs, this year’s Reform Sex Offender Laws (RSOL) conference committee chairperson. “And it will remain at stake until the sex-crime panic can be countered with factual information to ensure public safety.” “Inclusion on the sex offender registry does not signify the person is any sort of a threat whatsoever,” agreed Brenda Jones, RSOL’s executive director. “And therein lies the problem. We as a society need to educate ourselves, and the 4th annual RSOL national conference taking place in Albuquerque, NM, September 6 –…
Read MoreNew law orders libraries to oust sex offenders
LANCASTER – In a unanimous vote, the five-member City Council this week gave its initial approval to an ordinance that, among other restrictions, bans registered sex offenders from going near public libraries and museums. A Santa Barbara County attorney, who traveled about 100 miles to the Antelope Valley to protest the proposed ordinance, said it will be contested in court. “The one thing I forgot to say in there is, ‘You will be sued,’” attorney Janice Bellucci said outside of City Council chambers Tuesday night moments after she publicly addressed…
Read MoreLake County man gets prison in killing of neighbor he thought was child molester
A Lake County man was sentenced Wednesday to 32-years-to-life in prison for killing a neighbor he mistook for a convicted child molester. Ivan Oliver, 34, was convicted two weeks ago by a jury of first-degree murder for stabbing Michael Dodele 65 times at a Lakeport mobile home park. He also was found guilty of a special allegation of using information from the Megan’s Law website to commit a felony. A confusing entry led Oliver to believe Dodele was a convicted child molester. Dodele, 67, was listed for being a serial…
Read MoreCity of Lancaster: Parks, Museums, Libraries, Bus Stops, Movie Theaters, Halloween – pretty much everything – Ban
VIDEO: On August 28, 2012 the City Council of Lancaster, California unanimously approved the first reading of an ordinance restricting residency and presence of persons required to register as Sex Offenders. California RSOL attended the meeting and spoke in opposition and sent a letter in advance to the City Council. This comprehensive ordinance includes (transcribed from Presentation by Criminal Justice Commission): A. Residency Restriction / proximity to schools and parks (per Jessica’s Law) B. Residency Restriction / multiple Registrants per residence / hotel C. Presence Restriction prohibits presence 300′ from…
Read MoreIN: Indiana sex offender list violates due process
A federal appeals court said Indiana’s sex and violent offender registry unconstitutionally violated the due process rights of thousands of registrants because it did not give them a chance to fix mistakes. The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago rejected arguments by the Indiana Department of Correction that it was not directly responsible for errors in the registry, which contains about 24,000 names, and that registrants had other procedures to challenge mistakes. Full Article
Read MoreCity of Cerritos – City Council Meeting re. Parks and Library Ban [Video]
The Cerritos City Council decided unanimously at its August 23 meeting to postpone indefinitely further consideration of a proposed ordinance that would have banned all registrants from city parks, libraries, senior centers, etc. The Council’s decision followed action by California Reform Sex Offender Laws (CA RSOL), including a letter stating the proposed ordinance was unconstitutional and and preempted existing state law as well as testimony from three representatives of CA RSOL. In her testimony, CA RSOL President Janice Bellucci stated that the proposed ordinance, as drafted, would result in a…
Read MoreNew Cerritos ordinance bans sex offenders from city parks, libraries [updated / Video]
California RSOL will be attending this ordinance’s second reading (August 23) to speak in opposition. See letter sent to City Council here. CERRITOS – Registered sex offenders won’t be allowed in city parks or many other public facilities under an ordinance approved last week by the City Council. Gary Berg, the city’s director of community and safety services, told the council Thursday that passing the ordinance isn’t going to prevent crime and enforcing it is problematic. Nevertheless, the council passed the ordinance 4-1. Council members Jim Edwards, Bruce W. Barrows,…
Read MoreSimi Valley sex offender law on track for Halloween [updated with video]
The Simi Valley City Council on Monday night introduced the latest version of a proposed Halloween law aimed at protecting trick-or-treating children from having contact with sex offenders. As initially put forth, the ordinance applied to all 119 of the city’s registered sex offenders. The version introduced at Monday night’s council meeting limited the application of the proposed law just to those convicted pedophiles living in Simi Valley who are publicly listed on the Meagan’s Law website. Full Article
Read MoreSimi Valley council to reconsider Halloween sex offender law
With Halloween just over two months away, the Simi Valley City Council on Monday night will again consider a proposed law aimed at protecting trick-or-treating children from contact with the city’s 119 registered sex offenders. The ordinance is slightly weaker than a previous version, no longer requiring registered sex offenders to post signs on their front doors saying, “No candy or treats at this residence.” Full Article
Read MoreLong Beach police unveil citywide camera system
LONG BEACH – Criminals who come to Long Beach should beware of, and remember to smile for, the cameras. That’s 400 cameras citywide, both publicly and privately owned, that have been linked to the Long Beach Police Department’s communications center as part of a new program that combines law enforcement data with real-time video feeds from parks, beaches, business corridors, the Police Department helicopters and other sources throughout the city. Full Article
Read MoreFilm produced by registered sex offender pulled from festival
A movie filmed partly at Oceanside’s El Camino High School has been pulled at the last minute from the Oceanside International Film Festival, a week after organizers learned the man who made the movie is a registered sex offender. “Music High” – produced, written and directed by Mark Charles Maine of San Diego – was yanked from the lineup Wednesday, a day before the festival was scheduled to start, said festival director Dmitiry Demidov. Full Article More on this story: August 3: Film festival troubled over whether to show sex…
Read MoreSimi Valley – Halloween Ordinance First Reading
Simi Valley City Council Meeting August 20, 2012 – 6:30 PM The City of Simi Valley • 2929 Tapo Canyon Road • Simi Valley, CA 93063 • (805) 583-6700 4B. A public hearing to consider an ordinance adding Title 5, Chapter 43, to the Simi Valley Municipal Code establishing restrictions on registered sex offenders on Halloween. Staff Report – City of Simi Valley
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