HARBOR GATEWAY, LOS ANGELES (KABC) — A sliver of land in Harbor Gateway South is about to be transformed in to Los Angeles’ first “pocket park.” It’s just 1,000 square feet, but it’s having a big impact on the community’s sense of safety. “It takes care of the sex offenders and keeps the kids off the street gives them somewhere to play,” said resident Janet Shour. Until now there was no green space in the 13-block neighborhood, but there was an unusually high number of registered sex offenders – more…
Read MoreYear: 2013
Pending State Legislation
Below is a summary of bills pending in the California Legislature and CA RSOL’s position on each proposed bill. Get involved! CA RSOL OPPOSES AB 201 – This bill would state that a local agency is not preempted by state law from enacting and enforcing an ordinance that restricts a registered sex offender from residing or being present at certain locations within the local agency’s jurisdiction. The bill would authorize a local agency to adopt ordinances, rules, or regulations that are more restrictive than state law relating to a registered…
Read MoreTwo Victories for California RSOL
California RSOL has scored two victories in the cities of Simi Valley and Lancaster where city councils have agreed to relieve registrants from the burdens of sex offender ordinances passed in September 2012. The city of Simi Valley ordinance required registrants to post signs on the front door of their homes on Halloween while the city of Lancaster ordinance severely limited where registrants could live and visit. “These are two significant wins for CA RSOL,” stated Janice Bellucci, President of California RSOL. “In both cities, the civil rights of registrants…
Read MoreCity of Lancaster Modifies Registered Sex Offender Ordinance
On March 12, 2013 the Lancaster City Council voted, in a first reading, to modify its current ordinance imposing restrictions and regulations on places that persons required to register under PC 290 may frequent. The modified ordinance includes restrictions only related to Halloween (see below). California RSOL attended several hearings last fall and spoke against the ordinance, and advised the City Council that the ordinance, as approved at that time, was unconstitutional and was going to be challenged in court. https://all4consolaws.org/2012/09/lancaster-furthers-restrictions-on-registered-sex-offenders/https://all4consolaws.org/2012/12/rights-group-sues-over-lancasters-restrictions-on-sex-offenders/ Source: http://www.cityoflancasterca.org/index.aspx?page=570, select March 12, 2013 and jump to…
Read MoreLancaster may ease offender policies
By: Craig Currier LANCASTER -In the face of a lawsuit challenging the city’s six-month-old ban on registered sex offenders going near libraries, parks, museums and other public places, the City Council is expected to adopt a significantly scaled back version of the policy at its meeting Tuesday. The revised ordinance would eliminate all restrictions on the places where sex offenders may travel and frequent and focus on limiting their activities on Halloween night, which was the initial motivation for the policy when it was first suggested some 18 months ago.…
Read MoreLA sex offenders need rehabilitation
What is more innocent and idyllic than a public park? The idea of one, however, has taken a dark turn. Instead of existing for the sake of fun and perhaps a bit of fresh air, small “pocket” parks have opened up across the country in order to drive out sex offenders, according to the Denver Post. Jessica’s Law states that sex offenders cannot live within 2,000 feet of a school or public park, according to the Post. And thanks to the rising number of sex offenders living in the Harbor…
Read MoreNeighborhoods Seek to Banish Sex Offenders by Building Parks
New York Times: LOS ANGELES — Parents who pick up their children at the bus stop in this city’s Harbor Gateway neighborhood say they often see men wearing GPS ankle bracelets and tell their children to stay away. Just up the street, 30 paroled sex offenders live in a single apartment building, including rapists and child molesters. More than 100 registered sex offenders live within a few miles. So local residents and city officials developed a plan to force convicted sex offenders to leave their neighborhood: open a tiny park.…
Read MoreGeneral Comments March 2013
Comments that are not specific to a certain post should go here, for the month of March 2013. Contributions should relate to the cause and goals of this organization and please, keep it ‘professional’.
Read MoreCA RSOL Opposes AB 321
The California Reform Sex Offender Laws organization and the 102,000 families it represents oppose Assembly Bill (AB) 321 as currently written because it would further reduce the locations at which a “sex offender” can reside. That is, the bill would preclude “sex offenders” from living near a day care center or a foster home. Current state law precludes “sex offenders” on parole from living within 2,000 feet of a school or a park. That law significantly limits where a “sex offender” and his/her family can live. In fact, it completely…
Read MorePoll: Are Email Alerts on Sex Offenders More Valuable to Politicians or Parents?
New San Diego County service may send the wrong signal on who does the most child molesting. Full Article / Poll
Read MoreBaypoint Neighborhood Warned About High Risk Sex Offender
Comment (made by someone on this story): Media hysteria and the uneducated public, as usual. One lady says “Once a sex offender always a sex offender in my book.” Well, she needs another book. Youtube Video – KRON 4’s J.R. Stone reports
Read MoreDo-It-Yourself RSOL Groups
On February 17, the first gathering of local registrants, family and friends assembled in Nipomo, San Luis Obispo County. The CA RSOL members there intend to meet regularly to enjoy a space that welcomes all to the educational process of CA RSOL. The 10 attendees shared food and in-depth discussions regarding the registry and how to encourage other registrants into forming similar gatherings. These mobilizations will help to build the CA RSOL movement into a cohesive organization that can address any issue confronting our livelihood as citizens of this state. …
Read More[Updated] Doe v Harris
UPDATED — DECISION EXPECTED on Monday, July 1 at 10 am to be argued on Wednesday, April 3, 2013, at 9:00 a.m., in Los Angeles Ronald Reagan State Office Building300 South Spring, Street, Third Floor, North TowerLos Angeles, California, CA Supreme Court Calendar: http://www.courts.ca.gov/documents/calendars/SAPR13.PDF Case Info: http://appellatecases.courtinfo.ca.gov/search/case/dockets.cfm?dist=0&doc_id=1975459&doc_no=S191948
Read MoreCounty Offers Alerts on Convicted Sex Offender Movements
San Diego County residents can sign up to get an email when a convicted sex offender moves into their neighborhood. Under the Registered Sex Offender E-mail Notification System, residents can sign up to be notified when a convicted sex offender moves in or out of their zip code within San Diego County. The new program was unveiled at the San Diego County Sheriff’s DepartmentTuesday. Full Article San Diego County News ConferenceRegistered Sex Offender E-mail Notification System
Read MoreCalifornia RSOL on NBC4 Los Angeles
An attorney went door to door Tuesday in Harbor Gateway to warn registered sex offenders that a small park will be built near them, effectively forcing them to move. By law, registered sex offenders can’t live within 2,000 feet of a park or school — and city officials are using that law to push them out of the neighborhood. Hetty Chang reports for the NBC4 News at 6 p.m. on March 5, 2013. Source: https://www.nbclosangeles.com/on-air/attorney-warns-sex-offenders-about-new-pocket-park_los-angeles/2056995/
Read MoreNPR: Harbor Gateway’s pocket park solution to sex offenders
— CA RSOL’s Janice Bellucci on AirTalk. Audio Feed should be available tomorrow. The LA neighborhood of Harbor Gateway is building a small pocket park to try and force the area’s 33 registered sex offenders to move away. Jessica’s Law bans registered sex offenders from living within 2000 feet of a school or park where children regularly gather. Supporters of the park think it’s a novel way to force sex offenders out of the neighborhood but civil rights lawyers are concerned the move will unfairly force sex offenders out of…
Read MoreNew Harbor Gateway Pocket Park to Break up Concentration of Sex Offenders
Councilman Joe Buscaino breaks ground on new pocket park in Harbor City. The new park on Torrance Blvd. will not only add more green and open space in the community, but it serves to break up the high concentration of sex offenders living in the area. Also: https://www.facebook.com/JoeBuscaino – February 9 and 11, http://www.joebuscaino.com/ [hana-flv-player video=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqEhWCMLitE” width=”400″ description=”” player=”5″ autoload=”true” autoplay=”false” loop=”false” autorewind=”true” /] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqEhWCMLitE
Read MoreL.A. sees parks as a weapon against sex offenders
LA Times – On a tiny sliver of land in Harbor Gateway, the city is beginning construction on what officials believe will be the smallest park in Los Angeles. At one-fifth of an acre, the pocket park will barely have room for two jungle gyms, some benches and a brick wall. But the enjoyment the park will give children is a secondary concern for officials. They are building the park for a different reason: to force 33 registered sex offenders to move out of a nearby apartment building. State law…
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