Source: thedailyrecord.com 4/7/25 ANNAPOLIS — Maryland lawmakers passed a measure Saturday to try to limit future liabilities from claims of sexual abuse at state and private institutions after thousands of people unexpectedly came forward with allegations of abuse, many of them in youth detention centers, putting potentially billions of dollars at stake for the state. The wave of cases targeting the state’s juvenile justice system resulted after Maryland eliminated the statute of limitations for child sexual abuse claims two years ago with the Catholic Church abuse scandal in mind. The measure, which now goes…
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CA: Rohnert Park: 30 sex offenders checked for compliance; 2 arrested
Source: mercurynews.com 4/6/25 [ACSOL is posting this as a warning] About 30 sex offenders living in Rohnert Park were checked for compliance with the terms of their supervision and registration requirements Friday, resulting in two arrests, police said. The Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety said it arrested 20-year-old Enzo Rafelly ____for attempted sexual exploitation of a child by attempting to exchange child pornography. A 45-year-old man, Paul Michael ____for , was arrested by Sonoma County Probation for a violation of his probation, police said without disclosing details. A third…
Read MoreCA: 6,800 child abuse victims to share record LA County payout
Source: dailyjournal.com 4/4/25 Los Angeles County reached a tentative $4 billion settlement with more than 6,800 childhood sexual abuse survivors in what will be the costliest settlement in the county’s history if approved, a news release on Friday announced. “On behalf of the county, I apologize wholeheartedly to everyone who was harmed by these reprehensible acts,” County Chief Executive Officer Fesia Davenport said in the release. “The historic scope of this settlement makes clear that we are committed to helping the survivors recover and rebuild their lives – and to…
Read MorePA: Pennsylvania woman who wrongfully accused stranger of rape and kidnapping is sentenced to jail
Source: nypost.com 4/3/25 A Pennsylvania woman who admitted to fabricating kidnapping and rape allegations against a stranger whom she “specifically targeted” because she thought he was “creepy” last year is paying for her lies. Anjela Borisova Urumova, 20, was sentenced to from 45 days to 23 months in Bucks County Correctional Facility on Tuesday by Judge Stephen A. Corr, according to the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office. She was also sentenced to one year of probation, ordered to have no contact with the victim, pay him $3,600 in restitution, and is required to undergo…
Read MoreGA: Georgia man jailed in McKean Co. for alleged scam against registered sex offender
Source: oleantimesherald.com 4/3/25 BRADFORD, Pa. — A Georgia man is in McKean County Jail, charged for allegedly impersonating a cop to scam a registered sex offender out of $1,000. Rashawn Scott, 33, of Claxton, Ga., is charged with identity theft, a third-degree felony; theft by deception, theft by unlawful taking, theft by extortion and receiving stolen property, all first-degree misdemeanors; impersonating a public servant, a second-degree misdemeanor; and furnishing false information, a third-degree misdemeanor. According to the criminal complaint, on Aug. 23, 2022, a Bradford man registered on the state…
Read MoreEurope: CSAM platform Kidflix shut down by international operation
Source: therecord.media 4/2/25 A multi-year operation against the child sexual abuse material (CSAM) platform Kidflix has led to dozens of arrests and the seizure of tens of thousands of illegal videos, Europol said Wednesday. Some of the 79 people arrested “not only uploaded and watched videos but also abused children,” Europol said, reporting that 39 children had been protected because of the operation. “The investigation is ongoing,” the agency said, with 35 countries participating overall in what it labeled as the “largest child sexual exploitation operation in Europol’s history.” Users accessed…
Read MoreMy Release Came with Another Set of Shackles
Source: prisonerswithchildren.org 3/25/25 Being released from incarceration was supposed to be a step toward freedom, but the reality of wearing an ankle monitor made it feel like another form of imprisonment. The heavy, restrictive device clamped around my ankle was more than just an inconvenience—it was painful, physically damaging, and emotionally degrading. One of the first issues I encountered was the physical harm caused by the monitor. The device was bulky, and with every step, it rubbed against my skin. Within days, painful blisters formed, making walking difficult. The irritation…
Read MoreCyprus: Bill proposes chemical castration as alternative to life sentences
Source: cyprus-mail.com 3/28/25 Convicted child sex offenders could have the option to trade their life sentences for chemical castration if a bill proposed by Dipa MP Michalis Yiacoumi is passed. Under the proposed regulations, a convicted offender can apply to the council for the release of prisoners, which would have the authority to grant early release if the convict agrees to undergo chemical castration. The bill builds on the 2014 law that mandated life sentences for child sex crimes, making it stricter by allowing harsher sentences for child abuse and extending…
Read MoreThe never-ending sentence: How parole and probation fuel mass incarceration
Source: theconversation.com 4/2/25 The U.S. operates one of the largest and most punitive criminal justice systems in the world. On any given day, 1.9 million people are incarcerated in more than 6,000 federal, state and local facilities. Another 3.7 million remain under what scholars call “correctional control” through probation or parole supervision. That means one out of every 60 Americans is entangled in the system — one of the highest rates globally. Yet despite its vast reach, the criminal justice system often fails at its most basic goal: preventing people from being rearrested, reconvicted or reincarcerated. Criminal justice…
Read MoreAction Alert for CA! Call, then Show Up to Committee April 8 Hearing on Senate Bill 286 That Prohibits Early Release
Source: ACSOL The CA Senate Public Safety Committee is scheduled to conduct a hearing April 8 regarding two bad bills the same day: Senate Bill 680 (see our action alert on 3/28 that we hope you have already called/written about) Senate bill 286 – Call ASAP starting April 1! If passed, Senate Bill 286 would prohibit individuals convicted of several offenses from release from early release from custody due to their age. In order to be considered for release, an individual must have served at least 20 years in custody…
Read MoreCA: Lawmakers using Senate Bill 286 for pushing to disqualify aging violent sex offenders from early parole
Source: dailybreeze.com 3/30/25 ‘Mary Bella’s Law ensures that rapists and child molesters serve their full sentences, no matter their age,’ said state Sen. Brian Jones A California lawmaker has proposed legislation, named after two Riverside County child rape victims, that would disqualify convicted killers and violent sex offenders from a program that allows for the early release of aging prisoners who have served lengthy sentences. Mary Bella’s Law, introduced as Senate Bill 286 by Sen. Brian Jones, R-San Diego, goes before the Senate Public Safety Committee for consideration on April 8.…
Read MoreKS: Kansas lawmakers push for HB 2164 law restricting sex offenders from schools
Source: kshb.com 3/25/25 LIBERTY, Mo. — Schools in Kansas and Missouri differ in more ways than just the state line dividing them. Kansas has never had a state law restricting certain sex offenders from being on school property. In addition, Kansas doesn’t have residency restrictions. Lawmakers in Kansas want that to change. Senate Sub for HB 2164 passed the Kansas Senate by a vote of 37-3 on Thursday. The bill was proposed by Kansas Sen. Kellie Warren after parents in the Blue Valley School District made complaints about a registered sex…
Read MoreFL: The village of sex offenders
Source: bbc.com 3/12/25 Set among endless sugar-cane fields in a remote part of southern Florida, Restoration Destination is a community made up of registered sex offenders. Created by a Christian ministry as a response to state laws which ban them from living close to where children gather, it is now home to more than 100 men who have been placed on Florida’s sex offenders register for life. Through therapy, counselling and support, Restoration Destination aims to reduce their likelihood of reoffending and help them reintegrate into society. Journalist Conor Garrett…
Read MoreTX: ‘Audrii’s Law’ aims to close loophole in sex offender registry
Source: msn.com 3/25/25 In Austin on Tuesday, the family of Audrii Cunningham strongly urged Texas lawmakers to support a bill that would strengthen sex offender registration laws. … Through tears, Munsch pleaded with lawmakers to support Audrii’s Law. The law would add child grooming to the list of crimes that require registration as a sex offender, closing a so-called “loophole” that allows some offenders to avoid the registry altogether. Read the full article
Read MoreND: Senate passes bill studying length of time on sex offender registry
Source: kfyrtv.com 3/28/25 BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) – People who are considered “low-risk” sex offenders are required to be registered for at least 15 years. A House bill looks to see if that’s too long. Originally, House Bill 1231 called for the minimum to be at seven years before you could petition for removal. Senators amended the bill to make it a study to figure out if any lowering is appropriate. Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee say there was too much debate to be confident in enacting immediate change. “We…
Read MoreNJ: New Jersey sees 74% increase in child pornography arrests since 2020
Source: whyy.org 3/17/25 The state’s top law enforcement agent to those possessing and distributing child porn: If you harm our kids, we’re going to catch and prosecute you. The number of people charged with possession of child pornography is rising in New Jersey. During a news conference Thursday afternoon, Attorney General Matt Platkin, the chief law enforcement agent in the Garden State, said over the past several years there has been an uptick in reports of the number of tips about suspected predatory activity online, which has led to…
Read MoreID: Idaho governor signs into law child sex abuse death penalty bill, despite U.S. Supreme Court ruling
Source: idahocapitalsun.com 3/27/25 Widely supported in the Idaho Legislature, the bill is likely to face a constitutional challenge, lawmakers acknowledge. But they are hopeful law will prevail. Idaho Gov. Brad Little signed into law a bill to make people who sexually abuse young children in Idaho eligible for the death penalty. House Bill 380 will allow the death penalty in a new criminal charge the bill creates: aggravated lewd conduct with children age 12 and younger. The bill also would add mandatory minimum prison sentences for cases of aggravated lewd…
Read MoreMO: Missouri Files Final Brief in Halloween Sign Challenge
Source: ACSOL The State of Missouri filed its final brief today in the pending federal case that challenges the state’s Halloween sign law. The next step in the litigation process is oral argument before the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals. No date has yet been set for oral argument, however, the parties must be provided at least 30 days prior notice. “In its brief, the State of Missouri continues to repeat its claim that the law that requires all registrants to post a sign at their residence on Halloween is…
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