State lawmakers sign off on a potential law changing the way the Show Me State handles its sex offender registry.
Senate Bill 655 would create a three tier system, similar to the one used at the federal level. Those guilty of the least serious convictions could ask courts to take them off the list after ten years. That option is also available for convicts on the second tier -with more serious charges – after 25 years on the registry. But those with the worst offenses would remain for life.
I like the way they say you “could” ask the court to be removed after your time is up. It should be automatic. Period. Who wants to pay all that money to go to court again, provide character letters yet again, pay an attorney, just to be denied if the judge doesn’t like your face or had a bad day. At some point, we would like to move forward and not bother our friends and family who are either elderly now, or you made new friends who don’t and shouldn’t have to know about your status. 10 or 25 years are up, you will be removed. That is the way these Tiered Registries need to be written.
“Supporters claim narrowing down the list would help it focus on the most serious offenders.”
Wow.. lawmakers really do have high hopes and think big, don’t they?
“Agreed, but we both know that the registry isn’t about protecting anyone”. My question is, what is Mo’s law now? Is it all on the registry for life?
I believe that any kind of change is a good start. I personally would like to see the Holloween law changed. No one is going to wait a whole year to abuse a child. The state needs to do background checks on out of state offenders to make sure they are in the right tier.
This new system that just went into effect just screws anyone that was convicted of say Statutory rape more than 20 years ago because they just threw that non violent offense into the worst offenders tier 3 with no hope to get off the list . More new punishment on top of serving their time and then waiting all this time to possibly get off the list and then get slammed once again with this nonsense for a first and only time offense more than 20 years ago is nonsense and continually hitting someone while they are down after being off parole for more than 20 years , it just makes no sense at all . Statutory rape is not a violent crime and to throw that crime into the top tier with violent rapist and sexual predators and repeat offenders is just as wrong as other offenses being all bunched up in one group .
More inaccurate tiering that no one pays attention to anyway, splendid.
To any who think it’s a good start or positive development, I respectfully disagree. The registry never has done anything regarding its stated purpose of preventing sexual recidivism, and no amount of adjusting or tweaking it will make it any different, primarily because sexual recidivism was never as prevalent as reported.
Not unlike the polygraph and it’s supposed ability to detect lies – it never could. Computerizing them didn’t make a difference. Changing interview techniques didn’t make a difference. Retraining polygraphers won’t make a difference. Nothing ever will because NO MACHINE WILL EVER BE ABLE TO DETECT LIES!!!!!!! You could hook yourself up to a coconut with all those straps and wires and get the same results because the results are nothing more than the arbitrary opinion of the test administrator.
It amazes me. They keep changing the handle on the hammer and expect it to turn screws. It would be funny if it weren’t so frustrating.
This new addition to this law is so wrong in so many ways . My crime , a non violent crime , statutory rape , occurred 23 years ago and I have been off parole for 17 years with no problems or any issues whatsoever . I helped raise two of my own children whom lived with me and four step children as I got married 11 years ago and my family grew . My wife and the whole family know all about my case as well . So , I completed the Missouri Sex Offender Program ( MOSOP ) both inside Prison and outside prison while I was on parole . All these years I have been listed as low level to re offend and like I said never had any issues , not even a speeding ticket or anything . Now this new law with the tier system puts non violent sex offences like statutory rape into tier 3 with the violent forcible rape crimes which is completely wrong . How long is a person who did everything they were supposed to do to become a productive member of society once again have to pay for a one time mistake in life where they lapsed in judgement ? I also served honorably for 8 years in the Marines and was a SGT . Now just how is this fair that I got a life sentence tacked onto myself after serving my time in prison and serving my time on parole so many years ago ? When is enough enough for making one dumb ass decision in life ? Some murderers don’t even receive a sentence this long . How can I ever put this one time mistake in life behind me when I have to register every three months forever according to Missouri’s new tier system ? Can anybody help ? After 23 years is that not a long enough time for a one time mistake in life that happened so long ago ?
I think if its your second offense than yes make them register. But here it was my first offense i was a teen in highschool and now im put on lifetime monitoring. I cant even hold a steady job where im at because all my bosses want to discriminate and call me scum of the earth because i was convicted of a sex crime. Im 25 and have a beautiful fiance and i went to college for culinary arts. Im making up for everything and im still tagged as a monster. Now i have to register for life and wearing a gps until im 65. It’s bs. All over some crap said on social media because i was unpopular and kids didnt like me at school. Screw the courts and everyone else in legislation.