REDWOOD CITY — The former head of San Mateo County’s probation department was taken away in handcuffs Friday to begin serving 10 months in jail for having child pornography on a work computer and other electronic devices. ____ _____, dressed in a dark suit, was stoic as sheriff’s deputies led him from a San Mateo County Superior courtroom. Before the sentence was handed down, ____ apologized for possessing some 470 images of naked boys but maintained his defense that he had the photos for his job. Full Article
Read MoreMonth: September 2013
O.C. city likely to drop Halloween law aimed at sex offenders
An Orange County city will probably toss out a law requiring registered sex offenders to post a sign in front of their homes on Halloween to discourage trick-or-treaters after it was hit with a federal lawsuit alleging the practice is unconstitutional. Registered sex offenders in the city of Orange are legally required to post a sign on Halloween, no smaller than 12 by 24 inches, that reads, “No candy or treats at this residence.” Violators face a $1,000 fine or up to a year in jail. The lawsuit, filed Wednesday…
Read MoreFresno State ASI: Sex offender resolution rejected
Fresno State’s Associated Students, Inc. senate rejected a resolution Wednesday that aimed to promote the disclosure of the identities of registered sex offenders on campus. “I just do not see the necessity of this resolution as it pertains to the college campus,” said Daniel Ward, senator-at-large for academic affairs. “We do not have the authority to change a law. The intention is in the right place. But the fact of the matter is, we’re not going to be able to do any legal processing of this. It is not our…
Read MorePrison Quotas Push Lawmakers To Fill Beds, Derail Reform
After three violent inmates escaped from an Arizona private prison in July 2010, prompting a two-week, multi-state manhunt, state corrections officials demanded improvements and stopped sending new inmates to what they called a “dysfunctional” 3,300-bed facility. Less than a year later, the company that runs the prison, Management & Training Corp., threatened to sue the state. A line in their contract guaranteed that the prison would remain 97 percent full. They argued they had lost nearly $10 million from the reduced inmate population. State officials renegotiated the contract, but ended up…
Read MoreNE: Sex offender restrictions go too far
Editorial, 9/19: The village board of Alexandria got some valuable advice from the ACLU about its proposed ordinance that would establish new restrictions on where sex offenders could live. The board ought to take heed. Following the ACLU’s recommendations could help the board steer clear of legal travails. The desire to protect children is understandable. But there’s a right way and a wrong way to go about it. The legal restrictions the board is considering go too far. Full Article September 2013 Alexandria Nebraska Town Board Meeting on Youtube
Read MoreMA: I’m the Level 3 Sex Offender All Of You Have Been Talking About
The tall, middle-aged man strode to the microphone in front of approximately 100 citizens in the Belmont High School auditorium Thursday night, Sept. 19. Wearing loose-fitting jeans, a T-shirt and unbutton shirt combo over a slight paunch, the man could be anyone of thousands of parents or guardians ready to speak about school fees, the latest round of test scores or if the town can afford a new High School. He was anything but. “My name is ____ ____. ‘I’m the level 3 sex offender all of you have been talking about,”…
Read MoreLawsuit Challenges Sex Offender “No Candy” Halloween Signs (NBC)
An Orange County city will consider a provision in an ordinance that requires sex offenders to post signs outside their homes that indicate they do not have candy for Halloween trick-or-treaters. The Orange City Council will meet Tuesday night to discuss the ordinance, which also bans sex offenders from displaying Halloween decorations, opening their doors to children and leaving lights on Halloween night. Part of the ordinance requiring sex offenders to post signs on their front doors that read, “No candy or treats at this residence,” is the subject of…
Read MoreCity of Orange’s Halloween law for sex offenders challenged in court
LA Times – A city law requiring registered sex offenders to post a sign in front of their homes on Halloween to discourage trick-or-treaters is unconstitutional and should be tossed out, a federal lawsuit alleges. Registered sex offenders in the city of Orange are legally required to post a 12-by-24 inch sign reading “no candy or treats at this residence.” Violators face a $1,000 fine or six months in jail. The lawsuit, filed Wednesday on behalf of the California Reform Sex Offender Laws group, alleges that the city violates 1st…
Read MoreRSOL Conference 2013 – Mary Sue Molnar: Introduction to Support Groups
Mary Sue Molnar of Texas Voices For Reason and Justice talks about her experience and the formula for successful support groups for ex-offenders. Phil Taylor also contributes his experience. – “Introduction to Support Groups” Recorded Friday August 30, 2013 in Los Angeles at the RSOL Annual National Conference. More RSOL Conference Workshop / Presentation Videos [hana-flv-player video=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFW_JftJK-o” width=”400″ height=”240″ description=”” player=”5″ autoload=”true” autoplay=”false” loop=”false” autorewind=”true” /] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFW_JftJK-o
Read MoreRSOL Conference 2013 – Clare Ann Ruth-Heffelbower: Restorative Justice and Sexual Offenders
Keynote Speaker Clare Ann Ruth-Heffelbower speaks on “Restorative Justice and Sexual Offenders” during the RSOL Conference in Los Angeles last August. More RSOL Conference Workshop / Presentation Videos [hana-flv-player video=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjUDF7isgbM” width=”400″ width=”240″ description=”” player=”5″ autoload=”true” autoplay=”false” loop=”false” autorewind=”true” /]
Read MoreCA RSOL Challenges Halloween Ordinance in U.S. District Court
A lawsuit was filed today in U.S. District Court challenging the Halloween ordinance adopted by the City of Orange which requires “sex offenders” to post a sign on the front door of their residence. Specifically, the lawsuit alleges that the city ordinance violates the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and places “sex offenders” as well as anyone living with a “sex offender” at risk for physical and emotional harm. “The City of Orange is the only city in California that requires registered citizens to post a sign on the…
Read MoreOrange County’s Vicious Dogs Could Land on Online Database Like Registered Sex Offenders
The county Board of Supervisors gave the initial nod Tuesday to essentially creating a Megan’s Law-type list for vicious dogs. Megan’s Law provided the online database for registered sex offenders. So just think of the new proposed site like that. Only with dangerous pooches. The supervisors voted 4-0 to tentatively approve changes to the county’s ordinance regulating vicious dogs to allow for the database. A final vote is scheduled for Oct. 1. Full Article Agenda Item Ordinance OC Board of Supervisors
Read MoreCanada: Stephen Harper announces tougher measures against sex offenders
VANCOUVER — The federal government acted to get even tougher on child predators at home and abroad as Prime Minister Stephen Harper unveiled plans Monday for a publicly-accessible national sex offender registry and a law forcing convicted sex offenders to alert Canadian authorities before they travel internationally. Under the Conservatives’ Tougher Penalties for Child Predators Act, to be introduced in Parliament this fall, convicted sex offenders and their parole and probation officers must notify police of any international travel plans. Police would inform Canadian border guards who would then —…
Read MoreNY: County outsources sex offender monitoring to advocacy group
… Suffolk County on Long Island allows a victims’ advocacy group, Parents of Megan’s Law, to monitor sex offenders. The measure was approved unanimously in February of this year and is being heralded by lawmakers as a cost-effective way to keep the community safe. Parents for Megan’s Law is a nonprofit organization that will receive close to $1 million a year to implement the new sex offender monitoring law. The employees who undertake the monitoring of sex offenders are civilians. Full Article
Read MoreAgainst Juvenile Sex Offender Registration
Catherine Carpenter (Southwestern Law School) was a keynote speaker at the recent RSOL Conference in Los Angeles. Her excellent presentation can be viewed here. This is the paper she is referencing in her workshop. Download it here
Read MoreOK: Supreme Court rules on sex offender lawsuit [updated with decisions]
OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma Supreme Court says people convicted of sex crimes in other states are not required to register as sex offenders in Oklahoma if the convictions occurred before the Legislature passed a sex offender law and if they completed their sentence, probation or parole before Nov. 1, 2005. The justices ruled that two men convicted of sex crimes in other states were not offered the same protection under the law as people convicted of sex crimes in Oklahoma. Full Article Case Information http://law.justia.com/cases/oklahoma/supreme-court/2013/108819.html http://law.justia.com/cases/oklahoma/supreme-court/2013/108797.html
Read MoreNC: District Attorney accused of violating sex offenders rights
WENTWORTH – Is the Rockingham County District Attorney violating the constitutional rights of sex offenders? Someone seems to think so.A lawsuit, filed in August, claims Rockingham County District Attorney Phil Berger Jr., N.C. Governor Pat McCrory, N.C. Attorney General Roy Cooper and every other district attorney in the state did. “It is a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality on registered sex offenders being banned at certain locations,” attorney for the plaintiff Glenn Gerding said. Full Article
Read MoreDraft law banning pedophiles from entering Russia submitted to Duma
MOSCOW, September 16 (RAPSI) – United Russia lawmaker Alexander Sidyakin proposed the imposition on foreign child molesters of a 50-year ban on entry into Russia, and submitted a draft law on the matter to the State Duma for review. The proposed amendments would effectively bar foreigners from entering Russia if they were prosecuted for sexually abusing children in Russian Federation or abroad. The ban would also include individuals convicted of having produced child pornography or participated in child prostitution. The bill’s sponsor claims that he enjoys the support of Russia’s…
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