CA: Lawsuit Challenges Kern County Residency Restrictions

A lawsuit has been filed in Kern County Superior Court which challenges the residency and presence restrictions in that county.  According to those restrictions, registrants — including those convicted as juveniles — are prohibited from living within 2,000 feet of schools, parks, day care centers and other locations where children regularly gather.  In addition, registrants may not visit a day care center for any reason.   According to the lawsuit, the impact of the residency restrictions is that it eliminates the possibility of a registrant living in about 97 percent of Kern County.  The…

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NV: Nevada to embark on new sex offender registry system, but critics say it’s overly harsh

Las Vegas attorney Alina Shell represents sex offenders, and she said it’s been an emotional time in recent weeks among clients calling her office. Starting Oct. 1, Nevada will be implementing its version of the federal Adam Walsh Act, a law that significantly changes the way the state classifies its more than 7,200 sex offenders. Rather than categorizing them according to their projected risk of reoffending, they’ll be categorized according to the original crime they were convicted of — a process that will reshuffle thousands of them and lead to…

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CA: When Handing Out Candy To Trick-or-Treaters Means Risking Arrest

[theappeal.org – 10/1/18] Lawyer [Janice M. Bellucci] seeks end to Halloween restrictions that target people convicted of sex offenses. Before the police apprehended Steve, he tried to kill himself by cutting his wrists, he told The Appeal. Then 20 years old, he had attempted to sexually assault a 12-year-old girl in California. “I couldn’t believe I had done that,” said Steve, whose name has been changed to protect his identity. “I felt I couldn’t live with myself.” He spent three years in prison, and after he was released, stayed in…

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MO: Proposed ordinance would keep sex offenders from serving liquor

To serve alcohol in Kansas City, you need a liquor card. The public safety committee is considering a new proposed ordinance that would change that, but some agencies are concerned. The Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault, or MOCSA, is speaking out. Victoria Pickering, Director of Advocacy for MOCSA, said, “The goal is to prevent individuals who have a history of committing sexual offenses from being able to work with alcohol which is the number one drug that’s used to facilitate sexual assault.” Full Article

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