I became a grandmother for the first time a week ago. It’s a moment I have been looking forward to, and planning for, many years. Who knew it would take place during a global pandemic and less than a week after the death of George Floyd?
Although I am the founder, past President and current Executive Director of the Alliance for Constitutional Sex Offense Laws (ACSOL), I was uncertain how I would feel about the issue of civil rights for registrants and their families after I became a grandmother. Now that I am a grandmother, I am no longer uncertain.
In fact, I am very certain that I don’t want my grandchild to grow up in a society that continues to punish for a lifetime those convicted of a sex offense. I don’t want my grandchild or any grandchild to worry that they or someone they love will appear on a registry.
We all know because empirical data show that registries are ineffective. They do not protect children or adults from sexual abuse because at least 95 percent of those who commit sexual abuse are not on a registry.
Also, registries punish the individuals who are listed on them. Registries lead to unemployment or underemployment. They lead to substandard housing or homelessness. They break up families.
Registries can and sometimes do lead to vigilante violence. And as a result of that vigilantism, registrants are stabbed and shot or their homes are burned to the ground.
Registrants also face violence from government officials, including police officers and parole officers. This violence takes many forms including a registrant who was thrown to the ground and placed in a choke hold during annual registration because he dared to ask a question.
This must stop! Registries are the equivalent of a chokehold that always injures and can result in death.
What can be done? We can start with adopting the slogan, Take Your Knee Off of My Neck. We can continue by taking that message to the media, to state capitols and to the U.S. Capitol.
This must be done in order to end the tyranny of the Registry, a punishment that does not fit the crime. Any crime. That is because after an individual pays his debt to society through incarceration, probation, parole and/or other methods, his civil rights must be restored. All of them. And he should neve be required to appear on a registry that makes him a target of violence by either vigilantes or government officials.
Instead, of putting a knee on a registrant’s neck, society should take a knee and sincerely apologize for all of the harm that more than a million individuals and their families have endured because of registries.
Take your knee off my neck!
I like it
While I am glad you are a grandparent. We all go thru ordeals at times to learn about oneself. Yes taking thy knee off of my neck is a pressure hold of sorts. With this ordeal we all face it is time we learn about forgiving others for many miss callous endeavors. Sure actions speak louder than words and with the many things going on in America and this sex registry we all need to say and speak out for truth and justice and not some type of pressue point restriction.
Goverrnments seem to abuse more than help in many ordeals and Its up to each one of us to say let go of strongholds that hold others back.
So perfectly put. Janice, Congratulations!!!!
Thank you, Janice, and congratulations on being a grandma!
I’ve been wondering whether or how our situation is similar to that faced by other groups and minorities outside the dominant culture. I agree with your assessment and hope more and more people do.
Recent events have highlighted flaws in systems around the world. We can debate whether someone or a group on principle should spend X number of days, weeks, months, years, decades, or life in whichever reform/containment/punishment setting people can imagine. The hard truth is none of these actually address the underlying causes of whatever society is trying to correct. An after the fact measure merely admits something else was/might remain of concern/problematic before hand. New instances of that are not being addressed. So yes Janice you are correct regardless of what someone has done a registry isn’t ever going to attempt to resolve the fact that people are still doing whatever led to others before them getting on a registry in the first place.
Congratulations on becoming a grandmother! And thank you for everything you’ve done and continue to do!
Just curious Minneapolis council member tryng to dismantle The police Department what are people’s opinion of it will be good or bad for registrants in that city? And also curious if it will affect registrants at all? I doubt it happens but I’m sure some kind of reform will.
Janice ~ Congratulations on becoming a grandma. I am sure, you will be one of the best and suited perfectly for that role. You show so much compassion for our cause that any child or grandchild can call themselves lucky to have you as the mother and grandmother. We appreciate you every day. Stay safe and healthy!!
The government can take their knee off my neck, my spine, my balls and stop raping me as well as others from living a lawful life!!
Ps government stop touching me
Well stated Janice. Enjoy being a Grandmother. In all honesty it is the best.
Congratulations, Janice!!!
Awesome journal entry. Amen!
An inspired column, Janice! It helps us focus on this key issue of the need to end the registry, no matter how long it takes!
What a wonderful gift of a grandchild you have been given.
Congratulations Janice!
Take Your Knee Off of My Neck. Our Lives Matter.
Watching the protests play out here in LA, and the anger displayed over the blatant disregard for life displayed by some police officers caused me to reflect in the same way. Many groups, not only the Blacks have a knee on their neck. We on the registry are certainly one of those groups that face physical and mental abuse by some law enforcement. I understand and sympathize with the protestor’s fear of law enforcement, and even though I have the same fear, my skin color, or other external features don’t give me away. The registry can and does identify me to my neighbors and vigilantes who may seek to cause me harm, but unlike the protestors, I still can walk or drive down the street and know that a police officer is not going to stop me because I am in the “wrong neighborhood”. The registry is a theoretical “knee on the neck”. It causes fear. It promotes hate. It impacts law abiding citizen’s lives and damages their families. I am as ashamed of the police that violate people’s rights and take or damage innocent lives because of their differences as I am the system that created the registry.
Mark Judkins
Well, I think the opposite is more than equally true:
This much loved grandchild is very lucky to have Janice in their life. Very lucky indeed!
Best Wishes, James I
Congratulations Janice. I feel having children and grandchildren is the best part of life. Few other things matter in comparison. And congratulations on being an awesome, compassionate person.
Congratulations Janice! What a wonderful blessing and how lucky that baby is to have such a great grandma!
That is an excellent quote to take for our cause. What also is very significant is that George Floyd had a significant and rather violent criminal history, but nobody cares because they say–and rightly so–he was a human being and deserved equal protection under the law. Hey, that is all we are asking. I paid a very high price for my error, now, can I just live a normal life, please take your knee off of my neck.
@Janice
Congrats on the family addition! Well said in this article with a nice tag line to use going forth.
If “All Lives Matter,” then this website wouldn’t actually exist! The misguided hate and fear that promotes racism is the VERY SAME fuel that’s keeping Megan’s Law on the books.
Congrats on becoming a grandmother, Janice!
An excerpt from your journal:
***
That is because after an individual pays his debt to society through incarceration, probation, parole and/or other methods, his civil rights must be restored. All of them. And he should never be required to appear on a registry that makes him a target of violence by either vigilantes or government officials.
***
This is the sentiment that has beleaguered me about the registry and “no longer under custody”. We are still under custody as we are held to compelled in-person registration, rules & restrictions, compliance checks (I made a copy of the last compliance check form as evidence), and other collateral penalties. That’s still an extension of parole/probation and maybe worse because parole/probation doesn’t make you take annual pictures or annual fingerprints.
The registry is a huge “halloween boo operation” where it is using fear than statistics to continually drive the registry to become more intrusive.
New forms of the registry has continually taken away more civil rights from those on it. 1203.4 used to relieve one from the registry, but that’s negated away. Why? Kelly v Municipal brought up a lot of great points such as 290 cannot supersede 1203.4, but are run in conjunction with one another. You are no longer convicted of a crime, but according to the registry, you’re still a convicted sex offender. Both cannot be true.
Also, what was not addressed in Kelly v Municipal was 1203.4’s “the court shall thereupon dismiss the accusations or information against the defendant.” Why was it not addressed in Kelly v Municipal? Simple, because that information was not disseminated outside the police department. That dismissal of the accusation or information against the defendant is supported by the California’s Constitution of the unalienable right to pursue and obtain privacy.
Why are excluded from all the benefits of 1203.4 when 1203.4 already excludes specific sex offenses? That’s part of the argument that Kelly v Municipal and the reason why 290 cannot supersede 1203.4.
No one fought for us back then as fear was what pushed new legislation to take away our rights to no longer be under custody.
You fought back against presence and residency restrictions. To this day I’m still sketchy about being around parks.
As for employment, there have been many laws helping those who earn the 1203.4 to make it illegal for companies to do a search on you… except if you’re a registrant who earned the 1203.4. We are cast aside again, segregated from trying to strive for a normal life by trying to improve our employment opportunities.
If you look at the current Certificate of Rehabilitation (Cor) form, you can see the explicitness of said segregation within the court system. Remember, certain sex offenses are not able to apply for the 1203.4.
Then, only registrants are required to first earn a 1203.4 before applying for a CoR. There are also some sex offenses that cannot apply for the CoR as well as some sex offenses that grant the CoR, but does not absolve you from the registry.
We are systematically abused as our civil rights of being free have continually been stripped away from us. Not only that, but the government is making sure it stays that way. With this new tiered system, you simply are removed from the registry, but you don’t receive the many benefits of the CoR despite waiting for the same period of time. The CoR improves your employment opportunities instead of being regulated to underemployment. We lose out once again here.
Politicians still use fear on the public about registrants. That’s why there’s a double standard on registrants about in-person reporting during the COVID-19 lockdown order by the California governor. Everyone must stay home to protect others except if you’re a registrant. You must continue to go to the local PD and register in person.
The registry is a legal form of segregation AFTER one has supposedly regained all their civil rights (no longer under custody). Yet, under penalty of law, we are compelled to do things for the state or be punished. We are still under custody under this current form of the registry, to which is also broadcasted nationally via the International Megan’s Law.
Where are our rights of “innocent until proven guilty”? Once out of custody, then we should be free and legally innocent again as we have paid our dues to society. Jails and prisons exist should someone commit yet another crime. So what is this registry business all about then? We are still presumed guilty as the registry dictates the state has these individuals under custody as they are current criminals. (Any registrant hurt or murdered is done so under custody of the state since the registry is a state run custody program.) Yet facts state sex offenses have the second lowest form of recidivism.
On background checks, being on the registry is a red flag. If one earns the 1203.4 and one of the benefits is “the court shall thereupon dismiss the accusations or information against the defendant,” then why is not the registry being used against you in the employment process libel?
Why am I still being painted a monster as opposed to a person who made a mistake? Why am I being made a second class citizen, even among the convicted community?
I could have restarted my life after my earning my 1203.4, which was a 3-year process. Instead, I’ve been battling mentally for several years with the hopes of earning the CoR soon. Except that was taken away and now we have a tiered registry. Still a 10-year wait, but I’ll have to pay double for the Tiered Registry de-registration and the CoR.
Getting denied job opportunities because one is on the registry is humiliating and depressing. You’re good enough to get a foot in the door, but sorry, not sorry.
For Californians, I wonder if we will ever use the California Constitution as a defense as it specifically denotes we possess the inalienable right to pursue and obtain privacy. The lifetime registry period is already violating the CA Const. as it does not give an avenue to pursue and obtain privacy, which is what the registry has taken away as it disseminates your private information. For those who did earn a 1203.4 and need a CoR to get off the registry, why did not PC 290.5 violate a few other CA Const laws such as equal immunity (Art. 1, Sec 7b: ” A citizen or class of citizens may not be granted privileges or immunities not granted on the same terms to all citizens. Privileges or immunities granted by the Legislature may be altered or revoked.”) or laws impairing the obligation of contracts (Art. 1, Sec 9: “A bill of attainder, ex post facto law, or law impairing the obligation of contracts may not be passed.”) in addition to the inalienable right to pursue and obtain privacy as the goal post moved for being removed from the registry from 1203.4 to 1203.4 AND the CoR.
We know the registry is punishment, but laws keep skirting around it. If the state is in the business of “regulatory scheme”, which is a civil scheme, then why not use the specific language set forth in the Ca Constitution? Why are not these rights being afforded to us registrants?
I’m happy you are listing all these problems (punishments) against us. I’m getting tired of living day to day or next meal to next meal or next minute to next minute. I’m tired of having the prospect of hope for a job only to have the registry interfere by signifying I pose an immediate danger. I’m just tired. And I’m very grateful for this website and your organization. Despite the many bad news I read on here, I feel comforted that I’m not alone.
“Take your knee of my neck” is a very good imagery of being on the registry. I just want to be equal again like all my neighbors around me. But I’m still under custody as if probation never ended. The rules and restrictions upon me are 24/7. The in-person reporting isn’t monthly, but I still do them at the local PD and college PD. Through the college, I was able to earn an industry wide certificate for a decent entry level career, but the registry says I can’t be trusted. I’m just fatigued. So thank you, Janice and company, for carrying the mantle that I sometimes think I cannot burden. The oppression is systematic as fear continues to reign supreme over the debunking of the “frightening and high” recidivism statistics.
I do not if there are stats out there the will support my statement, however, it seems that a boy is more likely to end up on the registry than becoming victim of a sex crime.
Becoming a grandmother or grandparent is wonderful and a warm experience and yes showing compassion is an experience that is a God sent. Now believe it or not this pharase says a lot “Take your knee off my neck”. Now if one uses reasoning it all becomes quite clear in many ways. Even in the bible the Pharisees were badgering so who is badgering today in this type of sex scheme via a computer?
One even wonder if badgering the wittness today is a type of enticement. One would have to believe it is clear that their is a certain amount of badgering, if not provoking, in much of these ordeals. I have to agree with you all on that. And yes the article speaks volumes today. Even Ms. Condoleezza Rice on face the Nation is speaking out in many ways in her views about this Floyd ordeal, and yes we all have deep wounds over this sex registryordeal. So were is the limited to police behavior.
And lets not forget the sex offender is being taken advantaged of in many ways with this internet inducement in some headlock disavantage. Now who is doing the evil in this trumped up ordeal. Badgering to induce one isn’t good. Even a person of any race wouldn’t put up with that and this sex registry choke hold on many in the nation today. So two wrongs don’t make a right or who censors the director in this I am curious yellow made for TV event.
Janice, Congrats on becoming a grandparent.
We All Matter and All Registrants deserve to have the Scarlet Letter taken off from around their necks!
Sister showed me a post (meme) some put on facebook. “Sex Offender Lives Don’t Matter”. So many likes and hearts. About 5% of the posts were positive or in defense of. Guess you have to be a Jeffrey Epstein to get respect. Unfortunately we can’t all be billionaires.