Growing up, I was taught that prison was a place where people went when they did bad things. It was simple then: There were good people and there were bad people.
As I got older, the picture grew more complicated. I saw good people do bad things, and I saw bad people do good things. But recently, when one of the best people in my world did something that landed him in prison, my beliefs about the justice system and how it punishes American citizens were completely upended. Full Article
How I wish I could (I mean, I can) but this is still a delicate journey we all travel. I wish I could post this to my Facebook feed, I wish I could share via email to everyone I know. Yet, I can’t. Not everyone knows, many do and they love us …. It’s a difficult journey.
But, if one by one people who are on the outside of knowing a registrant start to speak up (when they realize their life has been affected) …. Maybe, just maybe others will see it differently. I do love her sentence about having seen good people do bad things and also seen bad people do good things. It’s all true!! It will take ONE person in office that it makes a difference to for things to start to change … I wish no one the pain of being a registrant but if one from the “judicial system” makes a mistake … There would be change. No one really knows how the world affects you until it happens to you or one of yours ….
This is an excellent article. I would love to see more people become as enlightened about the reality of sex offender laws as this author.
Wow, this is nuts. Surreal. Now, I’ve been online and things pop up online. Furthermore, there have been times where I click something and something starts to download? The guy deleted the items and nothing else was found on his computer? Surreal. I would imagine the FBI has better things to do with their time rather then arrest some guy for such a silly thing/Boston Bombers? Its clear the gentleman’s life is ruined, he will come out of prison angry and who on earth will hire him for any type of job? It sounds like the FBI and overzealous or bored prosecutor wanted to put another chalk mark next to their convictions rate and perhaps get a promotion? No offense, but is the article accurate?
Im sad to say that this issue applies to me currently for possession. I currently am 24 young and have no options hut prison and sex registration. I cant afford for a program because I barely make enough money as a hair stylist to afford bills. I feel my only way out is to just end my life at times. I am not at risk and dont have urges and never did. I was molested as a child and as I got older I came across material on the internet and dit impacted me and I was later arrested for something that isnt fair. I feel im not being given a fair chance to prove im a normal none violent person and woukd rather take my life before I ever hurt anyone. I dont have any options andI dont know what to do anymore. My preliminary hearing Iis coming up and the odds are lookijg slim for me. My public defnder wants me to enroll in a program but I dont have money. If anyone could please help me I w9uld be so happy.
.D
Dj, I completely understand what you are going through. In 2003, when I was 24, I was arrested for possession of CP. I felt very depressed for a very long time, even tried to kill myself.
About 3 years ago, my PO forced me to attend group therapy, and it has been the best thing she could have done for/to me. Don’t get me wrong, there are awful group therapies out there, but I got into one that didn’t always focus on our offenses. We talked about everyday things that affected us. I don’t know why more people don’t get therapy. That being said, if you are offered therapy, then take it. It can be emotionally draining, but it will help. You can even request to take a sexual assessment exam. I volunteered for one, and it proved that I had no deviant tendencies or sexual perversions, and that my sexual preference was adults. About a year after that I was granted a termination of probation, but I stayed in therapy for some time after voluntarily.
In the end you need to have some sort of support structure to get through this. Whether it’s just one person or a group of people going through the same thing.
It’s not easy and it can certainly be stressful, esp. at your stage in the process,but things get better. I recently received a college degree, I got married, and just got a job.
Being an SO on the registry can be a heavy burden and even now I feel on the fence about which side of the suicide attempt I came out on, but things are looking up for me and if you can get help, its likely that they will for you too.
@DJ …while I don’t have experience in a charge facing you……….
I do have experience in not giving up…DJ ..don’t give up…you have
a friend here to talk too…to have a supportitive friend …me…you
got that ..?..me….don’t give up our friendship………..contact the
contact us page and tell them a phone number I can reach you
or a text number….we could talk more…….A FRIEND ……your friend.
Thank you guys for your response to my post. My attorney wants me in a non voilent sex offenders program that way when we go back into court we have something to back us up. But I continue to tell her ive looked and looked and I cannot find any place that I can afford or a place that is state funded. She continues to get angry with me because all of her other clients all worked it out. I dont understand how they did it cos I have tried everything to my own will. I dont have family that can help or friends so im stuck by my self.
Its extremily hard for me to already deal with the charges I face and having to live life scared everyday and now I have my own attorney attacking me. Me simply going to a therepist does not back me up in court. I have kaiser and they dont have any programs.
If the state believes that im at risk enough to be put on an open sex offenders list and be banded from all parks and recreation then there is no reasom for me to be alive. My life is so small and so short and I domt have the means to protect my self let alone barely make enough money to take care of my self.
In the end people like me wh0 arent a threat are not recognized or cared about. And I will not let some ignorant system of laws destroy any life that I have left. Its my decision to take my own. And when this is all over I hope that people can take from what happened to me and actually change the laws. Im an innocent person.