In 2007, the Oklahoma State Legislature approved a new law that required all sex offenders be classified under a three-tier system that placed offenders in a specific category depending on the nature of the sex crime.
However, the Oklahoma Department of Corrections (DOC) went a step further and made the new registration law retroactive to 1998. However, in June 2013, the Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled the retroactive application of the rule was unconstitutional. Full Article
Another state added to the list of those acknowledging the registry needs to be changed.
Three cheers for Ok. When will California join the rest of the more intelligent states that are already leading the way for better reformed rules for SO that don’t pose a serious threat to the society and once again become lawabiding, tax paying citizens
My favorite line:
most state lawmakers who have never seen a sex offender law they didn’t like.
A great article, and I agree with this guy…except for the part where he says high-risk offenders need to check in daily. That’s absurd. Other than that, it’s a good read. I’m getting the general opinion that the pendulum is starting to swing toward the right direction. I hope I’m right!
I was wondering about a person who has been convicted in another state (Michigan in 1989) and relocates to Oklahoma in 2014. Any ideas to where he would fall in terms of ex post facto?
Incidentally, the conviction was in July 1989, and Michigan Sex Offender Registration Law began in 1992. They were able to “side step” the ex post facto by the phraseology, “Convicted after OR currently incarcerated for…” How a judge is supposed to consider a proper sentence, considering a law which had not even been proposed at the time of conviction/sentence is beyond me. Meaning, Michigan was able to effectively “re-sentence” without allowing the [e]ffected individuals their day in court.
Californians tend to look down their noses at the backwards and uneducated “Okies”, but they appear to be light years ahead of California in terms of reasonableness, fairness and constitutionality regarding RSO’s. So who’s the stupid state now?
“When most people think of a sex offender, they think of a baby raper or serial rapist. But the truth is most sex offenders are convicted of nothing even similar. We need to stop painting every sex offender with the same broad brush and look at individuals for what they did and act accordingly.”
So true!