The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office takes a tough stance on making sure sex offenders are compliant with the law. They do it in a number of ways, including sweeps. Offenders are required to report the basics, his or her name, home and work address, any vehicles they own, any scars or tattoos they may have, and internet presence they may have. Full Article
Read MoreDay: February 21, 2018
PA: Wolf signs bill to protect victims of sexual abuse crimes
[theprogressnews.com] HARRISBURG — Governor Tom Wolf on Wednesday signed House Bill 631 into law, now Act 10 of 2018, the primary intent of which is to provide for greater public safety by ensuring convicted sexual offenders remain subject to registration requirements in the wake of recent court decisions impacting Pennsylvania’s implementation of the Sexual Offender Registration and Notification Act. The legislation, introduced by Rep. Ron Marsico, would ensure that as many as 12,000 sexual offenders remain on Pennsylvania’s registry and subject to the regulations in place at the time of…
Read MoreLegal Scholars Call on Universities to Reform ‘Victim-Centered’ Sexual Misconduct Policies
[freebeacon.com] Nearly 140 legal scholars have signed a letter calling on universities to reform current policies governing sexual misconduct allegations with a renewed focus on due process, rather than by a doctrine of “always believe the victim.” The letter highlights dangers inherent in “‘victim-centered’ practices” that “undermine neutrality in campus Title IX processes,” and claims the imbalance has been plaguing institutions for nearly three decades. According to the authors, the misleading victim-centered procedure was introduced in the early 1990s and been on the rise since the 2006 publication of an…
Read MoreThe Promise and Potential of Circles of Support and Accountability: A Sex Offender Reentry Program
[aei.org] Key Points Circles of Support and Accountability (CoSA), whose goal is “no more victims,” provides sex offenders released from prison with pro-social support as they return to society and emphasizes accountability by insisting that offenders accept responsibility for their actions. Findings from a CoSA program in cshowed that the program significantly reduced sex offense recidivism, lowering the risk of rearrest for a new sex offense by 88 percent. By helping sex offenders successfully transition from prison to the community, CoSA prevents individuals from being victims of crime, including sex…
Read MoreKS: Can Registries Cover Too Many Crimes? Kansas Legislation Suggests A Rollback
Junkie logic brought an addict to the doorsteps of a Topeka woman once convicted of selling cocaine. The addict was looking to buy, and Kansas’ online database of criminal offenders has a handy geographic search tool that lets users pull up the names, crimes and addresses of people who live within a few miles of their homes. It’s meant to boost public safety, but the Kansas Sentencing Commission says other consequences come with publishing the past transgressions of nearly 20,000 Kansans. Full Article
Read More