Continuing the one-step-forward, one-step-backward pattern that has characterized the cases examining the constitutionality of state sex offender registry statutes, the Illinois Supreme Court has upheld the provisions of the Illinois sex offender statute compelling disclosure of all “Internet identifiers” just a few weeks after the district court in Florida struck down, on First Amendment grounds, a virtually identical provision in the Florida statute. Full Article
Read MoreMonth: October 2016
Three men tried to kill a registered citizen, killed an old lady instead. Tell me again why PFML wants to expand the registry?
Parents For Megan’s Law wants the info of level 1 registrants in NY state to register for longer than 20 AND they publish level 1 info in violation of state law. Here is why this is a bad idea– three vigilante thugs killed an elderly woman and left 13 people homeless by starting a fire in an attempt to kill someone on the registry. None of these killers will be on PFML’s website. Full Article
Read MoreSupreme Court: Court adds five new cases to docket
… Among the court’s other grants today, Packingham v. North Carolina is the case of Lester Packingham, a North Carolina man who became a registered sex offender after he was convicted, at the age of 21, of taking indecent liberties with a minor. Six years after Packingham’s conviction, North Carolina enacted a law that made it a felony for registered sex offenders to access a variety of websites, from Facebook to The New York Times and YouTube. Packingham was convicted of violating this law after a police officer saw a…
Read MoreJanice’s Journal: A Halloween Hero is Born in Ohio
Halloween is here again. I have just finished another media interview about the dangers of Halloween. This interview was initiated by a newspaper reporter in Tennessee and follows a long string of interviews by newspaper, radio and TV reporters. During each of those interviews, I did my best to turn the focus of the interview from the Halloween myth that registered citizens sexually assault children who are trick-or-treating to the real danger of Halloween – pedestrians being killed in car accidents. Despite those attempts, the articles and reports that were…
Read MoreCalifornia Re-Offense Rates Revealed
The overall re-offense rate for registrants in California is 4.8 percent, according to a recent report issued by Dr. Karl Hanson and colleagues. Of that total, the highest re-offense rate is for transients who lack stable housing. The report also compared re-offense rates for registrants on parole and probation. The report found that registrants on parole have a higher rate of re-offense (6.1 percent) as compared to those on probation (4.3 percent). Additional findings in the report include: Hispanics have the lowest rate of re-offense (3.06 percent) as compared to…
Read MoreCanada: Edmonton judge rules national sex offender registry is unconstitutional
An Edmonton judge has ruled that the national sex offender registry is unconstitutional as it is “over broad and grossly disproportionate” and violates people of their charter rights. In a recently released decision involving the case of an Edmonton man convicted of two sexual assaults, Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Andrea Moen found the Sex Offender Information Registration Act removed judicial discretion to refuse to place offenders who present no risk of reoffending on the registry. Full Article Related http://www.vice.com/en_ca/read/an-edmonton-judge-ruled-the-sex-offender-registry-list-is-unconstitutional
Read MoreOH: Official – Halloween child sex attacks unlikely
With Halloween only a few days away, Law Director Gregory Hicks made it clear there is not an increased likelihood of registered sex offenders accosting children during this holiday than any other time of the year. A nine-year study released in 2009 in the Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers found there is no significant increase in the risk for non-familial child sexual abuse during this holiday period, Hicks said. The vast majority of child sexual abuse cases — more than 80 percent — are done by persons related…
Read MoreMO: State Rep. wants death penalty as option for repeat sex offenders
It’s the one issue in Jefferson City that State Representative Randy Pietzman says nobody likes to talk about. “This is not a popular topic to talk about if you’re just trying to get re-elected,” he said. But that’s not going to stop him from tackling it head on because he says it concerns the safety of every Missouri child. Full Article
Read MoreParents Concerned Over Possible Registered Sex Offenders for Halloween
State officials are cracking down on registered sex offenders, just as Halloween is around the corner. It’s called “Operation Boo,” which requires that all registered sex offenders to adhere to certain curfews and restrictions between 5 p.m. and 5 a.m., starting on Halloween night. They also cannot put up Halloween decorations or give out candy to trick-or-treating children. Full Article Related https://all4consolaws.org/2016/09/cdcr-agrees-to-drop-halloween-sign-requirement/
Read MoreMI: Sex Offender Registration After Does v. Snyder
The Sixth Circuit’s recent decision in Does v. Snyder, __ F.3d __, 2016 WL 4473231 (6th Cir. 2016), has significant implications for the representation of current registrants who are charged with violating Michigan’s Sex Offender Registration Act (SORA), current registrants seeking removal from the sex offender registry or exemptions from certain SORA provisions, defendants currently charged with sex offenses, and defendants in “recapture” cases. While every case is obviously unique, this memo seeks to provide some general guidance to Michigan’s criminal defense bar in the wake of the Does decision.…
Read More“One strike for sex offenders should be enough” – change.org Petition
“The system failed me and my family and I’m going to do whatever it takes to put an end to the psychos running the streets.” – Shasta Groene For anyone living in the Pacific Northwest in May of 2005, the survival story of Shasta Groene is one you could not turn away from. It has now been almost 11 1/2 years since ____ ____ , a sex offender with a long record of assaults on children, abducted Shasta and her brother Dylan from their Idaho home where another brother, Slade,…
Read MoreState Department Replies to IML Petition
The State Department has modified the Final Rule it published on September 2, 2016, regarding implementation of the International Megan’s Law (IML). The modification corrects the erroneous statement in the Rule regarding whose passports will bear a “unique identifier”. The modification clarifies that “unique identifiers” will be added only to the passports of individuals convicted of a sex offense that involved a minor and who are currently required to register as a sex offender. The State Department’s modification occurred as the result of a petition filed by the Alliance for Constitutional Sex…
Read MoreCalifornia judge imposes prison term of 1,503 years(!?!) on father who repeatedly raped daughter
As reported in this local article, a state judge in California gave new meaning to the term “mass incarceration” by imposing a prison sentence on a rapist that will not be completed until the year 3519. … In addition to the prison sentence, Sarkisian said Lopez will have to register as a sex offender. Full Article Related Rape, Incest And Retribution http://www.co.fresno.ca.us/uploadedFiles/Departments/District_Attorney/PDF/2016.10.21_Lopez%20News%20Release.pdf
Read MoreSex offenders in nursing homes issue begs for answers
… Others responding to the investigation said it’s a complicated issue in need of more study. “The question is what do we do with these people,” said state Sen. Peggy Lehner, R-Kettering. “You obviously have people who are in need of nursing home care who happen to be sexual predators. And what is the alternative for them?” The investigation explored an idea other states have proposed but none have implemented — creating specialized nursing homes for those on the sex offender registry. Critics said that approach would isolate offenders from…
Read MoreACSOL Conference Call October 26 – Halloween (with Recording)
ACSOL’s will hold a public conference call on Wednesday, October 26, at 4 p.m. Pacific time. The topic of the call will be “Halloween” and the call will follow the same format as the previous calls. There will be a brief presentation of the topic to be followed by a Q&A session where call attendees may ask questions pertaining to the topic. Dial-in number: 1-712-770-8055 Conference Code: 983459 I look forward to having you call in. Sincerely, Janice Recording Related ***Listen to the Call Recordings (when done)*** ***ACSOL Conference Call Discussions by date /…
Read MoreCA Sex Offender Management Board Releases New Statistics, Discusses Tiered Registry Bill
The California Sex Offender Management Board (CASOMB) released new statistics regarding registrants during its regularly scheduled monthly meeting on October 20. In addition, the board discussed a tiered registry bill expected to be introduced in the state legislature in early 2017. The total number of registrants is 104,369 according to CASOMB. Of that total, there are 16,294 in violation (about 16 percent) of registration laws. The total number of registrants who register as transients is 6,444 and of that total there are 1,575 (about 24 percent) in violation of registration…
Read MoreIL: Sex offender internet law constitutional
SPRINGFIELD — The state’s highest court has upheld a law that requires sex offenders to disclose information about their internet identities and websites. In a unanimous decision authored by Justice Charles E. Freeman, the Illinois Supreme Court held that a provision of the Sex Offender Registration Act survived First Amendment scrutiny because it bolsters the government’s interest in protecting the public without restricting more speech than necessary. In an 18-page opinion issued this morning, the court critiqued a handful of federal district courts who have found similar statutes unconstitutional and…
Read MoreAsperger’s, autism, and sex offenders
… Then he talked about his son’s diagnosis: Asperger’s Syndrome, a developmental disorder on the autism spectrum. As a young child, Nick flapped his arms and jumped a lot. At three, he barely spoke. As an adult, he still cannot tie his shoes, making it all the more impressive that he has achieved so much. Then the dad added one more item to his son’s resume: Nick is a convicted felon, a sex offender on the registry. He was found guilty of possession of child porn. Full Article
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