We cannot control what happens in the world, in our country, in our state or in our neighborhood. What we can control is our attitude toward what happens in those locales.
I choose hope and I strongly encourage you to choose hope as well.
Regardless of whether your candidate was elected to office. Regardless of recent indictments of two former registrants for a large number of sex offenses, including possession of more than 1,000 files of child pornography. Regardless of the fact that three people who were removed from the California registry have already been returned to that registry.
These are obstacles to be sure on the path toward protecting registrants and their families from harmful laws and regulations as well as toward ultimately eliminating the registry. But every path, even Dorothy’s path to the Wizard of Oz, can be full of obstacles.
The main ingredients to overcome any obstacle are hope and tenacity. And both are an inside job. That is, both hope and tenacity start inside an individual and spread to others through thoughts, words and deeds.
It is through a lens of hope that I see a plan. A plan to reach our ultimate goals.
We will educate the U.S. Supreme Court in early March 2025 regarding the terrible mistake they made more than 20 years ago in the case Smith v. Doe. That education will include the devastating consequences of the Court’s decision which wrongly concluded that registration is not punishment but instead is similar to applying for membership in Price Club. We will also lobby state legislatures later in the year to improve laws such as the Tiered Registry Law in California and help to stop laws in all states that could further harm registrants and their families.
In addition, we will continue to gather information about existing laws and regulations that do not allow most registrants to live in Section 8 housing. We will continue to gather information about existing laws and regulations that do not allow registrants who are sick and/or elderly to obtain care in nursing homes. We will continue to gather information about employers who refuse to hire registrants despite their qualifications for a job.
And once that information is gathered, we will challenge those laws and regulations in state and federal courts. Law by law and regulation by regulation if necessary. Stay tuned for action in 2025 and beyond. And keep the Lamp of Hope lit in your heart by spreading that hope to others through your thoughts, words, and deeds.
Knowing someone like you and an organization like ACSOL is out there fighting for us gives me hope. God bless you and thank you for all you have done and continue to do, Janice.
Thank you, Janice, well written. I choose hope as well and tenacity is my middle name.
What good is the Law and or Constitution when the courts say it does not apply to you?
Janice, Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all you do as we are all truly blessed to have you assisting each and everyone of us both far (Florida Here) and near!
Well said, Janice! We are so blessed to have you and everyone working with you to help us. Most people cannot see beyond their own fear and prejudice. Not until they become a family member of a registrant can they even fathom what it is like to try to live within the devastating restrictions of this one and only category of crime that is considered to be unforgiveable.
I hope for the birth of compassion and forgiveness in the world some day
Despite the obstacles -from both those you’re working to aid, and the law that indeed requires further data so as to better establish a fair and just system- I’m hopeful that the future better helps protect and defend those in need while also formulating a path for redemption for those like myself. It helps me continue to fight along side my wife for our marriage, and despite not being able to be home, the ACSOL gives me hope that my fight as a father is not in vain.
Sincerely, Thank you.
Happy Holidays Janice,
I say this half heartedly because often the Holidays are depressing and to read that some Registrants were added back or committed new crimes is VERY disappointing to say the least but I think it falls in line with the statistics. Unfortunately, it only takes one to get People saying, “I told you so”! However your message about Hope hit home on Sunday morning after reading your Journal. Shortly afterwards we went to Church, “New River Church”, Hudson Oaks,, Tx. Pastor Joey Willis’ sermon spoke about Hope! And how sometimes that all we have, is Hope, and not to be discouraged.
We continue to fight! Thank you Janice!
[…] My HOPE in 2025 is that ACSOL fights for reduced parole lengths, eliminating crazy parole restrictions, etc. Help people that are hurting and struggling trying to rebuild.
I’ve never been more down or less hopefully heading into a new year.
Dear Janice, as a young person reading history, I wondered how oppressed, targeted people in the past manage to press on.
Some fell from the weight put upon them. but others found it in their souls to take on the great errors of society with a
grace more potent than ignorance. and with an energy that outlasted hysteria.
every person on the registry can move forward with the knowledge that he has been given the mission to be among those who stand for civil rationality. The circumstances that have weighed on his personal life dictates this stance.
Without such a viewpoint a person can be crushed.
I am a mother of a registrant … and I was almost crushed. But then I realized that the burdens life gives us must be addressed straight on as a challenge to our spirit.
The registry is such a challenge.. and setbacks from within are also a challenge.
We are so fortunate to have you Janice as our advocate. You know this so well. You inspire hope and reason.
Thank you so much.
Bless you Janice. You make a huge difference in my life.
This is well written and provides sound advice. It is important to be active and contribute as much as possible. I find helping others and providing support to organizations like ACSOL to be a positive, uplifting force in my life. It has been rewarding to assist and connect with registrants (even those incarcerated and about to be paroled). I encourage others to be active in the ACSOL Lobby Day, conferences, as well as the numerous other organizations that put up the good fight. Networking through support meetings, webinars, conferences, and other avenues helps educate one on how to maneuver through this challenging maze. A BIG thank you to Janice, and those on the ACSOL Board for your dedication!!!
Thank-you so much for your contined work for people stuck past their sentences and others being re-added. Perhaps when this goes back to court in March 2025, there could be something said about sentences having a period at the end of them ?! ALL sentences should be worked out in court and its Un Constitutional to have extentions to sentences…its like the Judges sentence means nothing !? A sentence in court should be adhered to and not arbitrarily extended.
Thank-You again xoxo
It is difficult to be hopeful when every state legislative session in the state where I live there are numerous bills to put more restrictions on us, and every session, at least one bill gets signed into law that puts more restrictions on us. The state where I live is going in the opposite direction of CA in regards to sex offense issues. I can not relocate to CA because it appears to me my registration period will be extended. I would rather get through the additional restrictions and get off the registry sooner.
Grateful for these words and grateful for the ACSOL.
I really enjoyed this journal it lifted my hopes for more equality even though we may never be fully equal again. I know change is possable we can excel in life and be good citizens. We only have to have the desire to do so and be sincere. I personally now do In Home Supportive Services/IHSS as an provider to two recipients and it brings joy to my heart helping them. I also work for a Sober living environment buisness managing one of their homes and I help others, ie: fellons to aquire housing in these homes. It is very fulfilling but keeps me busy 6 sometimes 7 days a week. I mention this as idel minds and hands can lead to mischief. So I stay busy on the proper path with faith and I have persevered where others say it is impossable. Believe, have faith and help Janice when you can. Do not let fear or idleness stop your progress in life, and speak up when Janice needs you too as it can only help to close the mouths of the naysayers. Respecfully Charles