Janice’s Journal: May You Live in Interesting Times

May you live in interesting times is a saying attributed to ancient China. Some have interpreted that saying as a curse, others as a blessing. Regardless of its negative or positive connotation, the saying applies today to the lives of almost a million Americans who are required to register as sex offenders as well as to their family members and supporters. What else can explain why a powerful politician admits that he inappropriately touched several young men and is sentenced to only 15 months in prison and not required to…

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Sex-offender list offers more harm than protection (Opinion)

I was recently on one of the city Facebook pages and noticed a posting that someone had discovered they have a registered sex offender in their neighborhood. What I found disturbing is that the poster made a generalized statement with no details on the registrant other than that they are “Tier 3 most dangerous and most likely to offend.” Nothing was stated as to what the crime was, how long ago, or the registrant’s age at the time the crime was committed. I doubt they ever looked at or considered…

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India: Sex Offenders’ Registry Not an Ideal Solution

In what seems to be a knee-jerk reaction to the problem of sexual violence, the government has informed Parliament of its plans to introduce a sex offender registry on the lines of those in western countries in order to “instil fear among sex offenders” and benefit the public. This proposal is reportedly still in the primary stages. Though it’s laudable that the government is concerned over the rising crimes against women, its latest move shows it’s looking for ‘quick-fix’ solutions rather than addressing the larger problem.  The government’s statement implies…

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Long Beach police stings improperly targeted gays, judge rules

LONG BEACH — A judge who said police improperly targeted gay men in sting operations has dismissed charges of lewd conduct and indecent exposure against a man who was arrested in a public restroom. Superior Court Judge Halim Dhanidina ruled Friday that ____ ____’s arrest in 2014 was based on discriminatory enforcement and prosecution, theLong Beach Press-Telegram reported. If convicted, ____ would have been required to register as a sex offender for life. Full Article

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