Source: newportdispatch.com 3/18/25 BATH — The Steuben County Sheriff’s Office has issued a warning about scammers impersonating law enforcement officials to extort money from registered sex offenders. Sheriff Jim Allard reports that scammers are contacting registered sex offenders claiming to be members of the Steuben County Sheriff’s Office. The fraudulent callers tell victims that arrest warrants have been issued due to missed DNA submissions. The scammers then demand payment through “non-traditional means” to have the supposed warrants vacated. Officials emphasize that the Steuben County Sheriff’s Office never solicits money from…
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Janice’s Journal: Shame on Idaho Legislators
It has been reported that legislators in the State of Idaho unanimously passed a bill this week that would allow the death penalty for adults who sexually abuse a child under the age of 12. ACSOL does not believe that the sexual abuse of a child is acceptable or should go unpunished. That is not the issue. Instead, the issue is whether killing a human being will help a child heal or prevent another child from being abused. The answer to that question is clearly no. It must be noted…
Read MoreID: Idaho House unanimously passes child sex abuse death penalty bill
Source: idahocapitalsun.com 3/17/25 As lawmakers anticipate court challenge, Idaho Republican House legislative leader says U.S. Supreme Court was wrong The Idaho House on Monday unanimously passed a bill to allow the death penalty for adults who sexually abuse children age 12 and younger in Idaho. Similar to his bill that stalled last year, House Bill 380, cosponsored by Rep. Bruce Skaug, R-Nampa, would allow the death penalty in a new criminal charge the bill creates: aggravated lewd conduct with children age 12 and younger. Skaug’s bill also would add mandatory minimum prison…
Read MoreBangladesh: This is the first-ever sex offender public registry in Bangladesh
Source: thedailystar.net 3/9/25 A sex offender public registry has been launched in Bangladesh for the first time through the digital platform Shocheton.org. The initiative aims to increase awareness of sexual crimes and provide access to offender records. The platform allows individuals to report incidents of sexual offenses, offering an avenue for victims and witnesses to come forward while maintaining anonymity if preferred. A sex offender public registry is a database that records information about individuals convicted of sexual crimes. Such registries are used in several countries to track offenders, inform…
Read MoreNV: Nevada bills aim to expand sex offender registration and protect trafficking victims
Source: msn.com 3/15/25 Two new bills introduced in the Nevada Legislature aim to address issues related to sex offenses and prostitution, with a focus on expanding offender registration and protecting victims of sex trafficking. Assembly Bill 151, sponsored by northern Nevada assemblyman Ken Gray, seeks to broaden the scope of sex offender registration and community notification requirements. Under current law, individuals convicted of crimes against children, defined as offenses against victims under 18, are classified as Tier II offenders. The proposed legislation would classify customers convicted of soliciting a child…
Read MoreIL: Illinois Senate democrats push bill to ease residency rules for sex offenders
Source: prairiestatewire.com 3/14/25 Illinois Democratic state senators have proposed legislation that would reduce residency restrictions for registered child sex offenders, lowering the required distance they must maintain from schools and childcare facilities. Introduced by Sen. Kimberly A. Lightford and co-sponsored by Sens. Adriane Johnson and Mary Edly-Allen, Senate Bill 2254 seeks to amend the Criminal Code of 2012 and the state’s sex offender registration laws. Under the proposed changes, the restricted zone around schools and childcare institutions would shrink from 500 feet to 250 feet. Additionally, the bill removes day care homes…
Read MorePassport Applicants May Have To Affirm That They Are ‘Not Required To Register’ As Sex Offenders
Source: reason.com 3/14/25 The proposed State Department policy would add to the irrational burdens that registrants face. Under a proposed State Department policy, U.S. passport applicants would have to affirm that they are “not required to register” as sex offenders. If they are “required to register,” they would have to submit a “supplementary explanatory statement under oath.” The State Department says that change, which it announced in a Federal Register notice seeking public comment last month, is “in accordance with” the International Megan’s Law (IML), which requires “unique passport identifiers” for “covered sex offenders.” Although that 2016 law…
Read MoreThe ineffective registry: SOLPRC’s Policy Brief on Sex Offense Registration and Notification (SORN) Laws
Source: mitchellhamline.edu 3/1/25 The Sex Offense Litigation and Policy Resource Center has published a policy brief on Sex Offense Registration and Notification (SORN) Laws. Download the policy brief From the Executive Summary: The modern sex offense registry was borne out of the belief that a public registry listing people who had been convicted of a sex offense would make communities safer. That premise was wrong. We now have thirty years of data concluding that public registries do not work as intended—in fact, there is evidence that public registries actually increase registrant…
Read MoreTN: Tennessee lawmakers push for ‘Savanna’s Law’ to create domestic violence offender registry
Source: fox17.com 3/13/25 NASHVILLE, Tenn. WZTV) — Some Tennessee lawmakers say they are taking decisive action to combat repeat domestic violence offenders with the introduction of a new bill known as “Savanna’s Law.” The legislation proposes the creation of a publicly accessible registry for individuals convicted multiple times of domestic violence offenses, similar to existing sex offender registries. The bill, which has gained momentum among legislators, seeks to increase transparency and protect potential victims by making crucial information readily available to the public. Under the proposed legislation, the Tennessee Bureau of…
Read MoreTX: Stop Bill HB 3499 or Texas registrants will no longer receive property tax exemption
Source: capitol.texas.gov 2/27/25 Bill HB 3499 text: Relating to the eligibility of an individual to receive an exemption from ad valorem taxation of the individual’s residence homestead if the homestead is occupied by a registered sex offender. … “Sec. 11.136. RESIDENCE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION PROHIBITED FOR RESIDENCE OCCUPIED BY REGISTERED SEX OFFENDER. Notwithstanding Section 11.13, 11.131, 11.132, 11.133, or 11.134, an individual may not receive an exemption from taxation of all or a portion of the appraised value of the individual’s residence homestead under this subchapter in a tax year for…
Read MoreAZ: Arizona’s sex offender registry harms communities and families
Source: azcapitoltimes.com 3/13/25 In an era where evidence-based policy is increasingly valued, Arizona continues to maintain a sexual offense registry system that fails to deliver on its promises while creating serious collateral damage. Our current approach, originally designed to protect communities, has evolved into a system that paradoxically undermines public safety while devastating lives. As Arizona lawmakers consider criminal justice reforms, it’s time to fundamentally reassess this flawed system. Arizona’s registry fails victims Contrary to popular belief, the registry system often works against the interests of survivors. Sexual harm is…
Read MoreThe Untouchables: How Prosecutorial Immunity Breeds Injustice
Source: cato.org 3/11/25 Last month, a Maryland judge declared a mistrial in the case of Charles Smith, who was charged in connection with a 2023 mass shooting in Annapolis. The judge found that Assistant District Attorney Anne Colt Leitess mischaracterized evidence and blatantly disregarded the rules of evidence during the high-profile trial. Whether this was a deliberate choice or the byproduct of deficient trial skills—exacerbated by a culture of plea-driven mass adjudication that has almost completely displaced constitutionally prescribed jury trials—the result revealed an intolerable lack of due process for the defendant. Thanks to…
Read MoreAL, KY, MS, OH, VA considering administrating Capital Punishment rape/sexual assault/sexual battery
Source: deathpenaltyinfo.org The States of Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio and Virginia are considering administrating Capital Punishment towards those convicted of rape/sexual assault/sexual battery to those who have a living victim. Read the bills [AL, KY, MS, OH, VA registrants and supporters, fight this with writing, calls, and showing up]
Read MoreTX: Texas embalmer charged with mutilating corpse of registered sex offender
Source: nbcnews.com 3/11/25 A Texas woman has been charged with abusing a corpse after she allegedly used a scalpel to castrate the body of a registered sex offender last month, officials said. Amber Paige Laudermilk, 34, was employed as an embalmer at Memorial Mortuary & Crematory in Houston when she allegedly mutilated the body of Charles Roy Rodriguez, 58, in February, according to a statement on Monday from Constable Alan Rosen of Harris County Precinct One. Rodriguez was a registered sex offender and was charged with sexual assault in 2001. He died…
Read MoreOK: Bill seeking to chemically castrate child sex offenders advances to Oklahoma Senate
Source: oklahomavoice.com 3/10/25 OKLAHOMA CITY — Registered child sex offenders in Oklahoma would have to be “chemically castrated” in order to be released on parole under a bill that easily cleared the House floor Monday. House Bill 2422, authored by Rep. Scott Fetgatter, R-Okmulgee, would require offenders who commit sex crimes against children age 13 and younger to be chemically castrated as a condition of supervised release. Reoffending, ending treatment or seeking reversal of the treatment, which “use chemicals or drugs to stop sex hormone production,” would result in returning to…
Read MoreIreland wants a public sex offenses registry because “nobody wants to see a convicted sex offender in their community”
Source: limerickvoice.com 3/10/25 Newly elected Limerick TD Conor Sheehan has welcomed the opportunity to further explore proposals to introduce a register for those convicted of serious sexual assault or domestic violence. However, the Labour TD has warned that Ireland needs a justice system that doesn’t encourage vigilantism. TD Sheehan supports discussion on the sex offender register: Reacting to proposals by Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan to establish a register of those convicted of rape, serious sexual assault, or domestic violence which would be available to the public, Deputy Sheehan said: “It’s an idea…
Read MoreSouth Africa: Public registry fight – Delayed publication of sex offenders register allows thorough legislation review
Source: ewn.co.za 3/4/25 Last week, Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development Mmamoloko Kubayi paused the publishing due to legal concerns. JOHANNESBURG – The Information Regulator believes a move to delay the publication of the sex offenders register is a positive step, citing it allows a thorough review of its alignment with Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) requirements. Last week, Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development Mmamoloko Kubayi paused the publishing due to legal concerns. The Information Regulator has backed the decision, saying publishing the list must…
Read MoreFL: Florida to consider statewide ‘animal abuser registry’ following Molly’s Law in Marion County
Source: wesh.com 3/9/25 MARION COUNTY, Fla. —An effort is underway to create a statewide registry of animal abusers, and it’s being championed by a woman in Marion County who led the push for a countywide abuser registry named after the pup she adopted. Molly, a dog who was found severely beaten and stabbed, would later be adopted by SPCA of Ocala President Lilly Baron. “It was just a feeling of this dog’s meant for me,” Baron said. After she adopted Molly, Baron took her on tour to various community events…
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