When this year began, I wrote a column called “20/20: The Year of Perfect Vision.” In that column, I expressed a long list of hopes for the year 2020 including the hope that the civil rights of registrants would be restored. As the end of the year 2020 approaches, it is time to reflect upon what progress has been made toward that important goal.
The most significant step may have been a decision this week by the California Supreme Court that recognized the rights of registrants in custody to be provided an opportunity for early parole consideration. It is a right that the state’s jailers, the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, refused to honor for more than three years despite an amendment to the state’s constitution that provided that right.
The most significant step could also have been ACSOL’s efforts responding to proposed federal regulations that, if finalized, would create great uncertainty in the lives of most registrants and their families. The uncertainty would concern, but not be limited to, domestic and international travel, as well as new federal registration requirements not supported by state and local governments.
Or the most significant step may have been ACSOL’s challenge to in-person registration requirements during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. These challenges originated during a time when trial courts in various counties throughout the state were closed, which required the filing of a lawsuit with the state’s highest court. Ultimately, registrants were provided with opportunities to register remotely, without risking exposure to COVID-19.
It’s also possible that the most significant step may have been the filing of the 44th lawsuit in California state and federal courts challenging residency restrictions, that is, where a registrant may live. Such restrictions often tear families apart, including minor children who cannot live with their parents and parents who cannot live with their children because their family home is too close to a park or a school. Thanks to ACSOL’s efforts, residency restrictions are virtually eliminated in California.
There are other significant steps made toward the goal of restoring registrants’ civil rights in 2020. For example, ACSOL successfully challenged the Los Angeles County Registrar of Voters’ policy that prohibited all registrants from serving as poll workers. ACSOL also successfully challenged a parole condition that prevented a female registrant from living in her home, and instead forced her to reside in her car despite the physical and emotional damage caused by this involuntary homelessness. The list also includes obtaining a professional license for a former registrant and conducting the organization’s annual conference online for the first time.
There are two smaller steps taken this year that have not yet been recognized for their long-term impact upon achieving the important goal of restoring registrants’ civil rights. Both of those steps come in the form of publications. First, there is the law review article written by ACSOL Board Member and Southwestern Law School professor Catherine Carpenter entitled “All Except for: Animus that Drives Exclusions in Criminal Justice Reform, 50 SW L.Rev. 1 (2020). Professor Carpenter’s article identifies and analyzes many laws that reduce criminal penalties or collateral consequences of conviction, but that categorically exclude registrants from those benefits. For example, most individuals convicted of taking merchandise valued at $950 or less will be convicted of shoplifting, a misdemeanor; however, registrants convicted of the same act will convicted of a felony.
Second, there is a book written by me as the Executive Director of ACSOL, that captures the efforts of this organization as well as the entire registrant community. The name of that book, Show Up – Stand Up – Speak Up, in fact has become a mantra of this organization. There are many purposes of the book, including education of the registrant community and the public, as well as providing a fundraising opportunity for ACSOL so that it can continue its important work. Copies of the book are available on Amazon.
Upon reflection, much progress has been made in the year 2020 toward restoring the civil rights of registrants. However, significant efforts are still necessary to reach that worthy goal. I look forward to working with you toward that goal in 2021.
— by Janice Bellucci
Read all Janice’s Journals
Well stated, Janice! ACSOL has made a profound difference in the lives of registrants. Sometimes we forget what life would have been like in California if not for Janice, Chance, and all the rest of those who battle bad laws.
ACSOL could not do this without all those who support ACSOL financially and who and take part in our action alerts. Thank you!
And I am confident that ACSOL will have an impact nationwide as ACSOL challenges federal regulations like SORNA.
Let’s all continue the battle in 2021!
Show up, stand up, and speak up with us!
By the way, Janice’s book by that exact name is excellent. I highly recommend buying a copy, sitting in your favorite chair with a cup of coffee, and enjoying her writing.
Thank you for everything you’ve done and continue to do. I’ll continue supporting ACSOL financially and other ways. Happy New Year to all!
I don’t live in California yet I’ll stand shoulder to shoulder with those who do. With the ever increasing numbers of registrants, family members, friends, legal groups, and citizens who see the wrong that has been involved in these laws, the government can’t ignore us forever. Change doesn’t happen overnight; but it’s possible with pure determination and unitary. Happy New Year!!! May 2021 be a killer when it comes to breaking down this damn.
Thank you does not seem to be enough to express the gratitude for all you and this organization have done, That’s how much you have given….there are just not enough Thank you’s.
Keep hammering them Janice, Chance and crew. I think we’re nearing a threshold of monumental change. Public approval of the useless boondoggle is also waning.
I will be buying this book this weekend thanks Janice we all love you.😍
Thank you Janice. You are so greatly appreciated.
This is the first I have heard of your book, and I follow pretty closely. I see it is available on Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=show+up+%2C+stand+up+%2C+speak+up&i=stripbooks&ref=nb_sb_noss_2
Thank you Janice for your Herculean efforts. I am one of many who had been uplifted by so many I have come to known through your leadership.
Thanks so much Janice. As much as I dislike the high taxes/fees in California, I’d never leave because of your great work. In what other state can registrants have a good feeling that there is an organized effort to restore their civil rights? It’s bad on the registry, but would be so much worse without ACSOL. Buying the book today.
Ah yes visions and goals are very important to any orginazition or platform. Many times since this is a talk and/or text form of website should it also be a type of understanding also of viewpoints. The main point is to help in the eradication of much of this registry or the principals in many of these precepts of this issue to better understand these matters. And yes many advocates are doing that very thing in their ways and means of trying to unjumble this ordeal that entangles others. Yes goals are good.
ACSOL and its site are not incriminating anyone in these contriversal matters. Yes one can make a “decision” to Show up, Stand up and yes Speak up and yes all of those words denote action. I’m sure this book of her’s would be very interesting to many and I’m sure the general public at large to understand as well. While many on the registry may be somewhat distraught by one’s involvement in all this registy should one get so paranoid to lose some human value or hope of one’s self that things will not turn out for the better.
Sure we can have vision to understand which is good and many issues can bring good opportunities to many to seeks and looks beyond the curtain or veil so I’m sure Janice and the team press on and yes we should all press on as well no matter what state we live in.
Thank you very much, Janice and ACSOL!
I’m very happy that ACSOL is established to fight for our rights. You’re preventing bad laws from being enforced whereas long before registrants had no voice so changes came fast and furious without any fight. I’m grateful for what you do and for this website.
Continue the fight and continue to prove that the registry is unbridled punishment masked behind the “statutory” name. A national registry website is now a public square, something the 2003 Smith v Doe stated the registry was not.
Janice thank you for your continued effort you’ve been a wonderful guide these past years!😎
Has anybody noticed that they possibly revised back in November ,that now we have to wait after our birthdays to file a petition for removal!
I thought I it was if your birthday was between January and June you had to wait until the following year? Now it seems like they’re saying all of us have to wait until Our birthdays on or after July 1, 2021? Did they change something and not tell us? I’m sure we’re on the same boat! if anybody else can check it outPlease do and post your comments as soon as possible thanks
You know each day brings a new beginning and while many may seem so wrapped up in this sex registry jargon we all need to press on in this New Year. While some may of been effected by all this registry in emotional ways, harsh ways, a bit confused or challenged we all need to take a stand for what is right. That would be a good resolution for a New Year Day start in anyone’s vision.
Sure the many hardships one faces can be somewhat different in ways at times but their is always a silver lining at the end of the rainbow if one seeks enlightenment to this madness. So this year we should all look at this registry in a better light and a new prospective, and yes it could of been worse for many. Life is not easy but the pitfalls and challanges can be good or bad but still we press on for the goal which is to rid much of this registry for all. May this New Year bring some happy rewards to all.
Janice:
Thank you for mentioning Catherine Carpenter. She has been quietly working in the background and has produced some of the most insightful legal articles on the registry. Everyone is more than familiar with the frontline warriors like yourself and Miriam Aukerman. Few people are aware of Catherine Carpenter’s work or the work of Professor Reingold, Professor Prescott and many other scholars toiling away in the background that are producing brilliant and creative legal arguments that have contributed to victories in Michigan and other states.
Dedicated to protecting and restoring civil rights. Seems like we have all heard that before. Isn’t that what ACSOL is all about. Yes everything starts with a vision. While Janice and her team are on the ball as a lot of woman wanting to help their child out in all this confusion it all starts with a vision or view of the subject matter. And yes Janice has a good view. So guys you all have to understand a woman’s view’s. That’s why I don’t even argue with my sister anymore as your never going to win against a woman. I’m sure even Will Allen know’s that. lol
Since starting this forum of this sex registry ordeal I am sure Janice and her ACSOL team have a vision in much of this registry ordeal. With these methods and thru all these years Janice and her team as well as the many other teams have wanted to get much of this registry eradicatedand help bring back some civil rights and true understanding back into America.
While each person can look at this sex registry differently is the sex registry doing more harm than helping prevent in much of this perversive way. Even many of these sex offender classes have their downfalls or are we all carnal by nature. Many times technologically can be a downfall to even human understanding.
If one had to define the sex registry would it be a sedatious type of malice intent induced by authorities by crafty fictitous means via internet which wavers on an assumed asumption in meeting with a teenager. While I used the word exhort or to encourage someone strongly in one of my posts, isn’t that what these Authorities are doing to encourage one to come down in this clash of human malice with the use of sex as the catalyst. Using pictures preludes as devices to string one along in this object goal of authorative unjust computer mayhem.
Its suprising that one talks about everything else on these views’ but getting to the basic make up of this internet encounter is a means to the end. Isnt’ that the way a good lawyer builds a case. Seems everyone wants to go in different directions with this registry game such as the fairness of this game, how one was taken in by all this mind alternating goal, or the reprocussions of jail, imprisonment or other, or how others preceive this and many other harmful factors. Mind you factors and proof are two differnet elements So where does understanding and wisdom come into play.
Is much of this the true justice way or should one go back to shoot em up and hang em high wild west justice sudo justice.
While this registry is a stain on true value and American Justice it does have its in American Government. The views of the American people of those on the registry can be summed up by the many words of many of the people fighting for resolve. Sure the stress, joblessness, homelessness, or the stigma is a conscious type ordeal that can be construed as a double edged sword of injustice of a fascism type and is a brazen to lead one away in this manor.
Whether internet induced by this encounter or by the physical daily encounter were is the relief? Is all this summed up in a court order? or say relief if one gets probation, an undue jail sentence or is paroled for the remainder of their sentence. Who benefits from much of this injustice.
Yes all these sex registry ordeals merit understanding. truth, & wisdom and yes true justice for all. It seems that anything biblical is left out of the equation or is /was that liberty and justice for all. One can review the OT & the NT and find out the gap.
Speaking up and pressing forward can overcome a lot of these type sex offender laws and ordeals that has many pitfalls and gaps in its state government, or are governments just as bad in this two wrongs don”t make a right.
Yes we all have a vision and lets get many out of this injustice and as much of this registry is not very productive for anyone involved in it. Hindering justice is just as bad many times as defending justice the wrong way.