TN: Sex offenders move to Tennessee for lax laws

Tennessee’s sex offender laws are so lax, the Giles County sheriff says offenders are crossing the Alabama border to move to Tennessee. Full Article

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So the article both uses an outlier as evidence for how bad all RCs are while at the same inadvertently showing how useless and costly the registration system is.

I’m very confident the vast majority of RC’s that jumped the state line did so exactly for the reasons the article mentions: less restrictions, particularly pertaining being able to live with your own family, and not so they can get away with more crime.

Its probably because its Alabama they are in the top 3 imo of worst states you can live in as a registrant. I will say from the people I have spoken to that live in Tennessee that its bad there and probably not much better than Alabama. One of the biggest issues with the registry that I see very few comments about is that counties and states are constantly trying to 1 up each other to “get rid” or “deter” registrants from moving to their locale.

I really feel that at some point if all the other strategies fail in at least rolling back the registry to the “membership only” days that there may need to be a push for this type of angle in court. I dont know how to best use or present this in a court of law, but there are countless examples of sheriffs, lawmakers, city council members, and government officals specifically stating on record mainly through news articles that they purposely make it tough on registrants so they will leave their jurisdiction. It could be tons of compliance checks, using vechicles with “sex offender unit” labeled in big letters to constantly visit a registrants home, or ordinances and laws (like the one in alabama where you have to list pretty much everywhere you go as a residence) No wonder people leave, but its certainly not because laws are lax anywhere. Being on the registry in the US is tough anywhere, but it is damn near impossible in a few states.

🤔Oh the humanity!!!!😱😅😂😅😂

So, Josh Hendon moved a few miles to Tennessee and committed a sex offense. – since he previously lived a few miles away, I doubt the move had anything to do with the crime. Josh Hendon wanted to live with his family so he moved to Tennessee. Perhaps the same crime would have been committed if he still lived in Alabama, given how close Josh Hendon was to Tennessee.
It is regrettable Josh Hendon is accused of another crime, but he should be able to live with his family. Perhaps Tennessee should advocate for Alabama to allow sex offenders to live with their family, if that is the decision of the family.

I’d rather take California’s laws even if it is a lifetime state. Can’t live with your own children? Is that even after your so called end of sentence?

I would not call Tennessee’s laws all that lax. Even if you would normally be off the Tennessee registry after the 10 year period had you been convicted in state, if you move to Tennessee from another state, you still have to register for at least 5 years with the 1000 ft residency restrictions no matter how old your offense is and even if you were never subject to residency restrictions in your state of conviction. Tennessee is only “lax” compared to the downright medieval laws of Alabama. Of course, this sheriff is just blowing smoke as Tennessee is in the 6th Circuit and, as New Person mentioned, the legislature is not likely to get all cattywumpus in the near future while the Snyder case is still in the system.

Ok we have a court order by a judge that sentenced my hub over 9 years ago , they allowed my hub to stay in our residence , reside and be with his son , who is his bio child and not a victim , I signed affidavits , and we also went physically in court together , to ask judge and the da if my hub could stay living in sane home , they all said yes court ordered , Now this law comes ten years later and states can’t resude or have over night visit , my hub called pro up and told him they don’t know if law be retroactive or not and we to talk to lawyer to see if the court order will still stand even though the law had passed , and since hub still on probation if it not affect us or will , how can this even be constitutional just up one day say your father etc has to move out and can’t stay anymore , without any kind of hearing to show hub not a threat , and also after ten years on pro and then all sudden slam it on you , I mean what about child rights to a parent and parent rights to a child and human rights as person , I thought being a family was a civil human right , oh they pass laws just like that no thinking the effect it will have on the child , we had to talk to our son and he was Devastated crying so hard and asked us if he did anything wrong ?? How do they think it makes the children feel alienating like that , pro said hub could still help with homework , eat dinner etc but just not stay night , if this affects us , I just hope it don’t affect us and something gets done about what the legislatures are doing punishment after punishment , the worst thing can do is take a father or mother away of their family like that , this makes my hub want to give up on living ;( and yes he’s a strong person but this is devastating , we need a ray of light to shine in this dark ness this night mare , we praying good news coming for us all ,