The California Sex Offender Management Board, which oversees California’s sex offender registration laws announced last week that the database is too big, and that it’s not helpful in its current form. The San Francisco Chronicle reported on Sunday that the board is recommending to the state legislature that only violent offenders, such as kidnappers and sexual predators be compelled to register for life. The overhaul would be a far cry from abolishing “Santa’s Naughty List” completely. Full Article
Read MoreMonth: May 2014
NJ: Judge allows two friends to testify that teen told them she had sex with teacher
MORRISTOWN — A Superior Court judge ruled today that the prosecution may use testimony by two witnesses who said a then-16-year-old student at a Paterson high school told them she had sexual relations with a teacher from Parsippany. Full Article
Read MoreSex Offender Board Calls For Registry Overhaul
California is one of four states that require lifetime registration of all sex offenders. The current registry holds close to 100,000, a number the California Sex Offender Management Board says is too large to handle. The board is recommending an overhaul of the system that would change the criteria for lifetime registration, taking into account the severity of the crime and the likely risk posed by the offender. Radio Program
Read MoreFeds: Laws threw sex-offenders together, undercut GPS monitoring
Federal probation officers charged with supervising two Orange County sex offenders who are accused of four killings were overworked, underfunded and hampered by GPS systems that did not communicate, an internal inquiry concluded Wednesday. Full Article
Read MorePA: Myerstown man sentenced for failing to register as sex offender
More than two decades after receiving probation for an indecent assault charge in Florida, ____ ____ finds himself serving a prison sentence in Lebanon County today because he failed to register as a sex offender in Pennsylvania. ____, 52, of 411 N. College St., Myerstown, said he did not know of a change in law that occurred in December that requires him to register as a sex offender with Pennsylvania State Police. Full Article
Read MoreSECRET SEX OFFENDER’S MURDER LEADS TO 80 TO LIFE IN PRISON
FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) — An extreme punishment for an extremely brutal crime. The man convicted of stabbing a drinking buddy after discovering a dark secret is headed to prison for 80 years to life. A jury convicted David Barrera of first degree murder last month, along with Patricia Perez. The jury never heard this, but Barrera had five violent strikes before this crime. In fact, the judge said Wednesday it seemed like his whole life was leading right up to this murder. Full Article Also see: Fresno longtime criminal gets 80…
Read MoreIL: Chicago police fail to register sex offenders 601 times in just three months
On February 13 of this year, ____ ____ went to the Chicago Police Department Headquarters to register as a sex offender. He was one of 22 people who were turned away that day because the office was simply too busy. That’s according to police records. A month later, on March 21, ____ ____ was approached by Chicago police officers on the West Side of Chicago. Full Article
Read MoreStockton Sex Offender Ordinance Challenged in Federal Court
The City of Stockton’s sex offender ordinance was challenged today in federal district court. The ordinance prohibits all registered citizens from loitering in or within 300 feet of public parks, libraries, and swimming pools as well as privately owned video arcades and recreational areas. “This is the tenth ordinance to be challenged in ten weeks,” stated CA RSOL president Janice Bellucci. “It is our hope that all cities and counties that have similar ordinances will soon choose to repeal their ordinances which violate both the state and federal constitutions.” The first…
Read MoreTX: Rise in Overturned Sexual Abuse Convictions from DNA Testing
Being accused of a crime you haven’t committed can be devastating. Unfortunately, several wrongly convicted individuals are just now seeing the light at the end of the tunnel after years behind bars. Falsified claims are a serious threat and this issue is quickly becoming recognized by mainstream media. In particular, false allegations involving child sexual abuse or child abuse can wreak havoc to family relations and cause lingering stress. Recently thousands of untested DNA rape and sexual abuse kits were sent to a third party crime lab for testing after…
Read MoreCO: Man punished as sex offender, but was never charged with sex assault
____ ____ was sent to prison twice for parole violations related to being a sex offender even though he has never been convicted of a sex offense and the woman who originally accused him of rape recanted. ____ is one of about 800 convicts in Colorado who have been “administratively” classified as a sex offender and must abide by stringent rules when paroled as though they were convicted of rape or child molestation. Full Article
Read MoreCA RSOL Meeting in Los Angeles – July 26
The next CA RSOL meeting in Los Angeles will take place on July 26 at 10 am, at the usual location – the ACLU building at 1313 W. 8th Street in Los Angeles. Registrants, family and friends, supporters and professionals are welcome to attend. Media and Government officials are not invited in order to ensure everyone’s privacy. Topics of discussion will include changes in the laws as well as pending litigation and advocacy strategies. Please join us on July 26 – Show up, Stand up, Speak up!
Read MoreBoard wants to remove low-risk sex offenders from registry
Sacramento — The state board that oversees California’s sex offender registration laws wants to thin out and overhaul the registry because they say it has grown too big and does not help law enforcement or the public differentiate between offenders who pose significant risks and those not likely to reoffend. Full Article CASOMB Report
Read MoreIs Our Approach to Sex Offender Risk and Policy on the Mark?
Sex offender registration laws and policies appear to have been based on popular misconceptions regarding sex offenders. That is, law and policy were based on the premise that ALL sex offenders are a danger to society, a danger to children, strangers to their victims, and likely to reoffend (Levenson & D’Amora, 2007). However, this is not the case. Full Editorial
Read MoreLA: Sex offenders to face tougher registration penalties
WEST MONROE, La. (KNOE 8 News) – Thursday, Governor Bobby Jindal signed bill HB 638 into law. It toughens the laws for sex offenders and child predators who fail to register with the state. Governor Jindal said, “In Louisiana, we need to protect our children and citizens from offenders of the most lewd and vile crimes. This law makes it a criminal offense and will require jail time for convicted offenders who provide false information and who fail to register with the state in the time frame required by law. Hopefully, these offenders…
Read MoreNH: State’s sex-offender registry overreaches (Editorial)
The N.H. Supreme Court is pondering the fate of a man convicted, several decades ago, of sexually assaulting his teenage stepdaughter. The man has served out his prison sentence, undergone years of counseling and been deemed “rehabilitated” by the court. Now in his 60s, he is disabled. None of which would be fodder for the state’s highest court, except that since he was released from prison in 1990, the state has repeatedly enacted laws calling for those convicted of sexual assault against children to register with the police, so a…
Read MoreWA: Wanted sex offender lists false address to shock of family in that home
VANCOUVER, WA (KPTV) – Deputies are searching for a convicted child molester in Clark County, and investigators know ____ ____ isn’t at the address he gave to them. Upon his recent release from jail on drug charges, _____, 38, listed his address as a home in Vancouver. That was a huge shock to the family who actually lives there, since they have no idea who he is. Full Article
Read MoreACTION ALERT: What has the U.S. House done with the International Megan’s Law bill?
In my post of the 21st I basically explained how the U.S. House VIOLATED its own rules of procedure when passing International Megan’s Law act (HR-4573). I find it very disturbing that lawmakers expect the nation to follow rules while they violate them with impunity, but I guess that is some kind of a lawmaker’s code. Commentary
Read MoreIL: Farnham campaign touted his record ‘targeting predators’
ELGIN — Backers of former state Rep. Keith Farnham of Elgin — who is facing federal charges alleging he had child pornography on his computers — had used his record “targeting predators” as a selling point on a piece of 2010 campaign literature. Full Article
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