Comments that are not specific to a certain post should go here, for the month of March 2017. Contributions should relate to the cause and goals of this organization and please, keep it courteous and civil.
Related posts
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Senators call for audit of TSA’s facial recognition tech as use expands in airports | The Record from Recorded Future News
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SORNA Case Advances in Federal Court; PLF Files Motion for Summary Judgment
The Pacific Legal Foundation (PLF) filed a motion for summary judgment on November 18 in its...
Thanks for having a spot for us to voice and vent!
Hope this keeps us all on track and spot on the topic of news.
These are the kind of comments at the end of a news story that makes me nauseous
http://www.mlive.com/news/muskegon/index.ssf/2017/03/sex_offender_chases_women_at_h.html
California trying to lower voter age to 17 years old.
Link: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/mar/9/dems-push-lower-voting-age-17-boost-george-soros/
If this happens, then what does that mean for the many registrants whose threshold offense was 17 years old?
I find the thought of lowering the voter age to 17 ridiculous in California because what elects the president are the electoral votes; not popular vote. The Dems have California in the basket with no real opposition. Then again, California did agree to tax itself higher.
I have been reading these articles and your comments to them for a while. 9 months left on probation ( actually a lifetime left , but whose counting). I have been able to conclude one thing…… You are a bunch of dreamers! You get excited when some trivial B.S. ordinance gets changed. Oh boy! You can live 500 ft closer to a school! Wow, the state’s Tier system might give a few people a slim chance to get what’s left of their lives back.
For making a stupid Internet mistake and not erasing my Laptop’s trash bin, I get turned down for every well paying job I am offered, lose all material comfort I worked hard for, and have to live in a low life area full of meth heads and gang members. All because the government has marked me for public judgement.
If any of you think that this all is going to somehow change, please take a moment, breath deep, and re- read your 290 form. Your every move, every change of lifestyle, every job, every minute piece of your life has to be reported, for the rest of your life. Now, I know, ” Don’t let them win” , ” Appreciate the little things” , ” If we band together, we can beat this”. Nice sound bites, but doesn’t change the fact that I have lost my life, scared to even respond to a woman’s advances, sweat when I go to a public place, and contemplate suicide at least once a day.
I expect a lot of negative responses to this post, but so what, none of you can say a thing that could hurt me or even vaguely affect my future, and I do mean MY future, because despite this warped sense of brotherhood you all have, if you got off this bullshit train of pain, you would never look back.
I am done, Bon Voyage!
Wow, here’s some interesting reading.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrie_Buck
This statement below sounds so familiar;
In an eight to one decision the U.S. Supreme Court found that the Virginia Sterilization Act of 1924 did not violate the U.S. Constitution. Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes made clear that the challenge was not upon the medical procedure involved but on the process of the substantive law. The court was satisfied that the Virginia Sterilization Act complied with the requirements of due process since sterilization could not occur until a proper hearing had occurred at which the patient and a guardian could be present and the patient had the right to appeal the decision. They also found that since the procedure was limited to people housed in state institutions it did not deny the patient equal protection of the law. And finally, since the Virginia Sterilization Act was not a penal statute, the Court held that it did not violate the Eighth Amendment since it is not intended to be punitive. Citing the best interests of the state, Justice Holmes affirmed the value of a law like Virginia’s in order to prevent the nation from being “swamped with incompetence.” The Court accepted, without evidence, that Carrie and her mother were promiscuous and that the three generations of Bucks shared the genetic trait of feeblemindedness. Thus, it was in the state’s best interest to have Carrie Buck sterilized. The decision was seen as a major victory for eugenicists.
Question for those with kids…
What are your experiences in asking permission to visit the schools? What was the process like? What was it like when you went to the school? Did someone follow you around or did the teachers know?
Breaks my heart to have to avoid going to my kids’ conferences, back to school events etc. Won’t be able to do that forever.
If there’s any possibility that they’ll treat my kids different once they know though there’s now way I’d do it. Not fair to them.
Thanks.
“I can think of no area of the criminal law, except perhaps international terrorism, into which contemporary American society has terrified itself into more ignorance than this.”
“Disgust, Dehumanization, and the Courts’ Response to Sex Offender Legislation” by Alexandra Stupple
https://www.nlg.org/nlg-review/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/11/NLGRev-71-3-final.pdf
Unfortunately I am still on probation… hope to be done by October.
But the kids are definitely mine… even though they tried. The police reported me to child services when I was arrested. 8 months and tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees later and I finally prevailed in child court.
I am not one to do illegal things or skirt regulations but I do wonder what would happen if someone got picked up for violating the ‘can’t go to schools’ provision. Can you imagine sitting in the city jail… “what are you in for… DUI, got in a fight, stole someones purse… me? Oh I went to my kids school play.” It’s a classic malum prohibitum isn’t it?
Registration Question:
I live and register in Upland, CA.
In the next month, I will likely be opening a business — a warehouse — in either Upland or a neighboring city (let’s say Rancho Cucamonga as an example).
Do I have any sort of registration or notification requirement? It’s not a residence and that’s the only thing I can find a law on, but you guys have a lot more experience with this than I do.
Thanks.
Has anyone ever been flagged entering a secure building, like a downtown LA skyscraper?
I have to enter these buildings from time to time and get paranoid, especially when they swipe my driver license.
Bought an annual pass for a local theme park that takes a finger print scan to verify your identity for future visits. So far, so good, but it is always in the back of my mind that that one of these times I’ll get taken aside and told to leave.
CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT against the United States Government by Registrants is MUCH overdo, and much needed. Too many low-intelligence politicians with interests of their self-image who are in power making asinine laws which make absolutely no sense to humanity or public safety or a better society. It’s TIME for a change, time to stop being overly-polite and afraid of expressing your outrage with what’s happening to this country’s justice system.
C-SPAN3 live right now 12:00 noon PT, Hearing is going on now about children being on the registry. Subject: Prosecution of Crimes Against Children. They clearly stated on TV there is no evidence that the registry prevents child sexual abuse. They are talking about removing all children from the registry. I’ll add more info as the hearing goes on. There are people on both sides of the issue testifying.
So, I couldn’t find home compliance checks to post. So I will post this here.
Every year I have a compliance check. Have been registering for 17+ years. I have talked to a deputy Barrett of the S.D. County sheriffs department and learned that I need to submit a request in writing to:
License and Registration Division
9621 Ridgehaven Court
San Diego, Ca. 92123
Now, I don’t know about you, but the deputies performing these checks have lied and have repeatedly said that it was a law that they had to perform these checks. There is no authority whatsoever for them to do these. It is harassment. I implore all RCs in S.D. County that are not on probation or parole to also request this information.
My fiancé sees a therapist, she has been diagnosed with PTSD and these affect her greatly. I will give an update on the lawyer search to challenge these.
It just amazes me that if I lived in another part off California I wouldn’t be harassed every year.
@Timmr
I no longer use my e-mail, but I sent you my contact # ending in 3699. Please give me a call and leave a message as I screen my calls. Will call you back ASAP. I am in Lakeside.
I couldn’t resist posting this. This woman is nuts.
Texas bill would fine men $100 each time they masturbate.
http://www.cnn.com/2017/03/13/health/abortion-texas-lawmaker-trnd/index.html
check out the about us page on the judicial crisis network. ..
https://judicialnetwork.com/about-jcn/
I just sent them this and I think everyone should send them something similar.
To whom it may concern…
I am emailing or posting this in hopes that it will be passed around so that I might bring to light facts and concerns surrounding a serious issue. There is an epidemic of bad policy coming from the government that is causing great harm to millions of people in this country and needs to be made public and which must be addressed.
I am labeled a sex offender. I am one of those people who most people consider as monsters lurking in the bushes or stalking parks and schools searching for future victims. I was convicted for talking to an underage girl over the Internet with whom I never had any physical contact with almost 15 years ago. I am not attempting to minimize my culpability or to down play the seriousness of my offense but am simply trying to educate people about the facts surrounding this issue.
I haven’t re-offended or ever considered re-offending. I did my time, finished extensive parole without any incidents, payed off my $15000 child support, and am in my sixth semester of college. I am a father and grandfather, an uncle and brother, engaged to be married, and all these people love me from the bottom of their hearts…Does this sound like a monster that needs to be ostracized for life or shot or locked up forever like a lot of people suggest? If anyone says yes then you have absolutely no interest in facts and have absolutely no humanity left in your cold dead hearts…
The fact is none of these failed policies have achieved any positive results and have absolutely nothing to do with why I haven’t re-offended. If I wanted to re-offend I would care less about any of these laws and not one of them would prevent me from doing so…That’s a fact …These laws only affect those individuals who want to be law abiding citizens and have no effect on the monsters people claim they are all concerned about…Zero effect…
I do agree with those of you that feel that people who attack and rape children or adults should be locked up for an appropriate amount of time and subjected to intensive treatment before ever having a chance to be released,(which they are already, and the worst of the worst usually never get out), and if they re-offend lock them up and throw away the key…But do you really want our limited law enforcement resources wasted on a guy like me or would you rather have that money put into monitoring the high risk offenders and into programs that actually help prevent sexual abuse before it happens?
These laws are absolutely useless, are a waste of tax payer dollars, and are a misplaced use of valuable law enforcement and governmental agency resources.
Here are some facts from the leading authorities on this subject which indicate that there is no need or justification for these laws.
California Sex Offender Management Board (CASOMB) End of Year Report 2014. (page 13)
Under the current system many local registering agencies are challenged just keeping up with registration paperwork. It takes an hour or more to process each registrant, the majority of whom are low risk offenders. As a result law enforcement cannot monitor higher risk offenders more intensively in the community due to the sheer numbers on the registry. Some of the consequences of lengthy and unnecessary registration requirements actually destabilize the lives of registrants and those -such as families- whose lives are often substantially impacted. Such consequences are thought to raise levels of known risk factors while providing no discernible benefit in terms of community safety.
The full report is available online at. http://www.casomb.org/index.cfm?pid=231
National Institute of Justice (NIJ) US Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs United States of America.
The overall conclusion is that Megan’s law has had no demonstrated effect on sexual offenses in New Jersey, calling into question the justification for start-up and operational costs. Megan’s Law has had no effect on time to first rearrest for known sex offenders and has not reduced sexual reoffending. Neither has it had an impact on the type of sexual reoffense or first-time sexual offense. The study also found that the law had not reduced the number of victims of sexual offenses.
The full report is available online at. https://www.ncjrs.gov/app/publications/abstract.aspx? ID=247350
The University of Chicago Press for The Booth School of Business of the University of Chicago and The University of Chicago Law School Article DOI: 10.1086/658483
Conclusion. The data in these three data sets do not strongly support the effectiveness of sex offender registries. The national panel data do not show a significant decrease in the rate of rape or the arrest rate for sexual abuse after implementation of a registry via the Internet. The BJS data that tracked individual sex offenders after their release in 1994 did not show that registration had a significantly negative effect on recidivism. And the D.C. crime data do not show that knowing the location of sex offenders by census block can help protect the locations of sexual abuse. This pattern of non-effectiveness across the data sets does not support the conclusion that sex offender registries are successful in meeting their objectives of increasing public safety and lowering recidivism rates.
The full report is available online at. http://www.jstor.org/stable/full/10.1086/658483
These are not isolated conclusions but are the same outcomes in the majority of conclusions and reports on this subject from multiple government agencies and throughout the academic community.
People, including the media and other organizations should not rely on and reiterate the statements and opinions of the legislators or other people as to the need for these laws because of the high recidivism rates and the high risk offenders pose to the public which simply is not true and is pure hyperbole and fiction. They should rely on facts and data collected and submitted in reports from the leading authorities and credible experts in the fields such as the following.
California Sex Offender Management Board (CASOMB)
Sex offender recidivism rate for a new sex offense is 0.8% (page 30)
The full report is available online at http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/Adult_Research_Branch/Research_Documents/2014_Outcome_Evaluation_Report_7-6-2015.pdf
Document Title: Indiana’s Recidivism Rates Decline for Third Consecutive Year BY: Indiana Department of Correction 2009.
The recidivism rate for sex offenders returning on a new sex offense was 1.05%, one of the lowest in the nation. In a time when sex offenders continue to face additional post-release requirements that often result in their return to prison for violating technical rules such as registration and residency restrictions, the instances of sex offenders returning to prison due to the commitment of a new sex crime is extremely low. Findings: sex offenders returning on a new sex offense was 1.05%
Link to Report: http://www.in.gov/idoc/files/RecidivismRelease.pdf
CA 00.8% The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) “2014 Outcome Evaluation Report“ http://californiarsol.org/2015/08/new-cdcr-report-reduces-rate-of-re-offense-to-less-than-1-percent.
CA figure 11 01.9% California sex offender management Board 2012 in looking at this one I realize that this is another attempt to increase the visual concept of a higher reoffend rate than actually exists you will note in table 11 , that there are 8490 released sex offenders and that 5870 are returned to prison or 69.1% going onto figure 11. The pie chart does not represent the 8490 but rather represents the 5870. When you take this into account and do the math. 1.9% of 5870 comes out to 111 and 111 people involved in the new sex crime, out of 8490 comes out to an actual reoffend rate of 1.3%. This is just another way that the government is using razzle-dazzle techniques. In doing their statistical analysis.
https://onedrive.live.com/view.aspx?resid=A754C96E86E37F71!8943&cid=a754c96e86e37f71&app=WordPdf
More state studies;
CT page 9 01,7% And prisoners with no prior sex crime are six times more likely to be involved in a new sex crime Recidivism among sex offenders in Connecticut, State of Connecticut
Office of Policy and Management, Criminal Justice Policy & Planning Division, February 15, 2012
DE Table 26 03.1% REARREST 6 offenders and on table 27 3 Offenders were not found guilty of a crime that makes the percentage of people convicted of a new sex crime. 01.5%. Rearrests should never be used as a determining factor. Delaware Sex Offenders, Profiles and Criminal Justice System Outcomes, January 2008
https://onedrive.live.com/view.aspx?resid=A754C96E86E37F71!8622&cid=a754c96e86e37f71&app=WordPdf
IA page 7 #4 “With the overall recidivism for sex offenses as low as 2% “ Iowa Sex Offender Research Council Report to the Iowa General Assembly January 22, 2009
https://onedrive.live.com/view.aspx?resid=A754C96E86E37F71!8618&cid=a754c96e86e37f71&app=WordPdf
IA ARREST 02.3% page 7 Iowa Department of Corrections Report to the Board of Corrections
Third in a series of reports highlighting issues contributing to corrections population growth April 2006 Sex Offenders
https://onedrive.live.com/view.aspx?resid=A754C96E86E37F71!8616&cid=a754c96e86e37f71&app=WordPdf
IN bottom of page “1.05%of identified sex offender’s recidivated for a new sex crime within 3 years.” Indiana Department of Correction Recidivism Rates Decrease for 3rd Consecutive Year
https://onedrive.live.com/view.aspx?resid=A754C96E86E37F71!8935&cid=a754c96e86e37f71&app=WordPdf
IA table 4 0.3% new sex crime THE IOWA SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY AND
RECIDIVISM Iowa Department of Human Rights Division of Criminal and Juvenile Justice Planning and Statistical Analysis Center
https://onedrive.live.com/view.aspx?resid=A754C96E86E37F71!8617&cid=a754c96e86e37f71&app=WordPdf
MI 8/10 of 1% three-year study has come out of Michigan looking at the number of people on parole that were returned to prison for new crimes they found that of the sex offenders who were released from prison and found that they were involved in the new sexually related crime at 8/10 of 1%, or in other words, that 99.2% DID NOT Reoffend in the new sex crime. And that they had the lowest reoffend rate of all the criminal classes released.
The full report is here http://nationalrsol.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/CAPPS.pdf.
Document Title: SEX OFFENDER SENTENCING IN WASHINGTON STATE: RECIDIVISM RATES BY: Washington State Institute For Public Policy. A study of 4,091 sex offenders either released from prison or community supervision form 1994 to 1998 and examined for 5 years Findings: Sex Crime Recidivism Rate: 2.7%
Link to Report: http://www.oncefallen.com/files/Washington_SO_Recid_2005.pdf
Document Title: Indiana’s Recidivism Rates Decline for Third Consecutive Year BY: Indiana Department of Correction 2009.
The recidivism rate for sex offenders returning on a new sex offense was 1.05%, one of the lowest in the nation. In a time when sex offenders continue to face additional post-release requirements that often result in their return to prison for violating technical rules such as registration and residency restrictions, the instances of sex offenders returning to prison due to the commitment of a new sex crime is extremely low. Findings: sex offenders returning on a new sex offense was 1.05%
Link to Report: http://www.in.gov/idoc/files/RecidivismRelease.pdf
Once again, these are not isolated conclusions but are the same outcomes in the majority of reports on this subject from multiple government agencies and throughout the academic community.
Then we have those that are attempting to use under-reporting to justify the existence of the registry which is another myth and misrepresentation of the facts. This type of misinformation that is based on hearsay and not on facts or evidence is also being used in order to create harsher penalties or further punishments.
These laws only effect people who have already paid for their crime by loss of their freedom through incarceration and are now attempting to reenter society as honest citizens. Once again I want to emphasize that these laws only effect innocent family members and those individuals who most just want a second chance to become a respectable, productive and law abiding citizen and have absolutely zero effect on anyone who’s interested and intent on committing a crime.
No one can doubt that child sexual abuse is traumatic and devastating. The question is not whether the state has an interest in preventing such harm, but whether current laws are effective in doing so.
Megan’s law is a failure and is destroying families and their children’s lives and is costing tax payers millions upon millions of dollars. The following is just one study showing examples of the estimated cost just to implement SORNA, which many states refused to do. This list doesn’t include the cost to maintain the entire registration processes for the plethora of official state and federal agencies that is a product of these laws.
From Justice Policy Institute. Estimated cost to implement SORNA Here are some of the estimates made in 2009 expressed in 2014 current dollars: California, $66M; Florida, $34M; Illinois, $24M; New York, $35M; Pennsylvania, $22M; Texas, $44M. In 2014 dollars, Virginia’s estimate for implementation was $14M, and the annual operating cost after that would be $10M.
For the US, the total is $547M. That’s over half a billion dollars – every year – for something that doesn’t work.
http://www.justicepolicy.org/images/upload/08-08_FAC_SORNACosts_JJ.pdf.
None of these failed policies have not achieved any positive results in the US and are in fact destroying the lives of thousands upon thousands of innocent children and their families because one of their parents or family members are on such a registry.
There has not been a single incidence in which a person was apprehended or prevented from committing a crime anywhere or anytime in this country because of any of these laws.
Please take the time to research all the real facts and evidence on this subject and all the collateral damages to individuals and thier family members that are being caused by these laws.
You don’t have to take my word for it, just watch what the experts say….
https://youtu.be/GBoy2FB27yg
Thank you for your time.
I have a question for anyone with a contractor’s license. I read that even expunged offenses will be reported to the CSLB (California State Licensing Board) and any offense, sealed or expunged, will have to be disclosed on the application for the contractor’s license. Is that true and also how long does one have to wait after probation to apply for a contractor’s license? My guy has an opportunity to work with a friend who owns his own business but would need him to submit to a Live Scan to get the license. He just got off probation this year, so it looks like it will be a lost opportunity? Any input would be greatly appreciated.
that masturbation bill shows just how ridiculous and useless lawmakers are nowadays…they have absolutely nothing to do but make up crap like that…way to many laws now there’s nothing to justify their existence anymore…
Does anyone have any experience or know of others who have moved out of state after they have been relieved from registering as offenders? There seems to be quite a derth of information out there regarding this issue. My registration requirements will be up soon (as long as nothing changes in the law like what happened in New york etc.). I would like to move to a few different locales in this country. I know some will say stay put and i do like the state I reside in. I’m just looking for some feedback from people who have experience with this issue.
Just thought this was mildly interesting. Yesterday I had my annual Price Club registration. The officer who usually handles the registration for my town retired last fall, so I had to speak with a new officer. Meeting someone new to discuss this is always a source of anxiety.
Come to find out, this guy was young, maybe 30, and totally the most cool officer I’ve ever had to deal with. He was very sympathetic to our cause, stated plainly and matter of factly that the registry was “of course punitive and punishment” and was almost apologetic regarding taking my information.
We ended up talking for almost a half hour about my charges specifically, various aspects of the registry process, what it’s like to live under it, and what is happening with all the fights going on right now. He even asked if I’d keep in touch with him, and let him know of any updates to the cause.
He was very respectful, even when talking about my charges, and was glad that in my state, my level was not disseminated. He shook my hand at the end and said good luck.
Just thought I’d share that.
**** This is great info to have****
If your senators and reps aren’t saved in your phone yet, text your zip code to 520-200-2223. You’ll get a text back with everyone’s contact info. It gives you Federal and State. PASS IT ON (cut and paste or share for maximum views). Easy peasy, lemon squeezy!
***This works 100%, I just did it myself***
I know some say that social media i.e. facebook is a major waste. To an extant I agree… Just as hanging out in the public commons to meet and interact with others can be seen as a waste.
I see reported now that Facebook has introduced a new feature called “town hall”. It allows people to easily locate and contact their elected officials. Banning social media access now goes beyond restricting access to social function and has moved into directly restricting equal access to the political process.
While banishment from larger society is unfair and painful, denial of equal of access in this area seems to me to be something actionable as a civil rights issue, even though we are dealing with a private companies “terms of service”.
Other thoughts?
“Briefing the Supreme Court: Promoting Science or Myth?” by Melissa Hamilton
Emory Law Journal Online (Forthcoming)
21 Pages Posted: 25 Mar 2017
abstract:
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2940002
This here caught my eye…
Unpaid snack lands sex offender in jail
https://signalscv.com/2017/03/28/unpaid-snack-lands-sex-offender-jail/
“The suspect was a sex registrant from Lancaster which increased the shoplifting charge from a misdemeanor to a felony offense,”
Apparently, Prop 47 made the shoplifting of items under $950 a misdemeanor UNLESS the accused has a conviction for crimes such as rape, murder, or child molestation or is registered sex offender.
https://ballotpedia.org/California_Proposition_47,_Reduced_Penalties_for_Some_Crimes_Initiative_(2014)
What is the rationale behind this? How is this related – other than using that as a means to get the proposition passed? A person with 6 dozen priors for theft…. not affected!?!?!?
How is this possible? Far be it from me to whine that “someone gotta file a lawsuit”… but c’mon!
Very odd story. We know the only reason that this story was worthy of taking up space in bytes and pixels, is so they could remind the residents of Santa Clarita that sex offenders are everywhere doing very bad, bad things- even in the seafood section at Vons.
$20,000 bail? And he has already been released the same day? Sounds fishy.