[bostonreview.net – 10/31/19] Do you believe in the boogeyman? This is the pivotal question of the Halloween movie franchise. The tension around naming the movies’ antagonist foregrounds the problem of seeing him: “it” or “him,” “thing” or “human,” “The Shape” or “Michael Myers”? Even if you have never seen the original 1978 movie, you know the plot. On Halloween 1963, six-year-old Michael Myers kills his older sister after she has sex with her boyfriend. Cut to 1978, and Myers, after being locked in an asylum for fifteen years, escapes back…
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IN: Justices reject Fifth Amendment appeal of sex offender treatment
[theindianalawyer.com – 10/31/19] The Indiana Supreme Court has found no constitutional violation against a father who refused to participate in a sex offender treatment program that he argued would violate his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. Read more
Read MoreKat’s Blog: Prisoners Fighting California Fires
The California fires were raging across the CNN newscast, firefighters in yellow and orange turnout coats braving the hellish lines of fires that roared up and down hillsides, valleys and canyons. But wait, according to Bill Weir, reporter for CNN, those firefighters in the orange coats aren’t really firefighters, they’re prisoners from jails or prisons that have volunteered and been specifically trained to assist in fighting these kinds of catastrophic fires. You would think this was a good thing right, prisoners stepping up, willing to help out the state in…
Read MoreNY: Church pulls plug on sex offender’s wedding
[poststar.com – 10/22/19] …when word got out on social media in recent days that ______ was planning to get married days after his sentencing, and the invitation that was posted on Facebook talked of the “fairytale” relationship, the you-know-what hit the proverbial fan. The wedding was to be held Saturday at South Granville Congregational Church. Pastor Rick Backus said that he was aware _____ had been accused of child sexual abuse after the wedding was booked, but in light of the fact he hadn’t been convicted the wedding was going…
Read MoreKat’s Blog: The “Public List” That Remains Private
In 1963 the Supreme Court/ Brady v. Maryland, ruled that prosecutors must inform those accused of a crime about any evidence that might help their defense at trial and that includes sharing the information on something known as the “Brady List.” Counties across the country are, by law, required to keep a detailed list of police officers who have committed crimes, who have lied on the job or whose honesty is deemed “questionable”. We’re not talking about officers who have been fired either, these are officers that are still on…
Read MorePA: Over 400 Registered Sex Offenders In Erie Causes Halloween Concerns For Parents
[erienewsnow.com – 10/25/19] Trick-or-treating can be fun and exciting… But going door-to-door to different homes can be very dangerous. Parents aren’t just concerned about tainted candy this Halloween, they’re also worried that children may be trick or treating around sexual predators. Halloween is a week away but people have already begun to celebrate at Millcreek Mall’s annual Trail of Treats event. Trick-or-treating in the mall is going to be the only Halloween some children experience this year. The fear of a child being lured by sexual predators causes reluctance for…
Read MoreTX: Annual Sex Offenders Sweep begins Friday
[kristv.com – 10/24/19] CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Halloween naturally prompts youngsters to visit homes they aren’t familiar with. County law enforcement officials want them to be careful and are taking steps to make it safer for them. The Nueces County Community Supervision and Corrections Department will be conducting its 13th annual Sex Offender Sweep beginning Friday through Halloween Day. In conjunction with the approaching holiday, local law enforcement officials will be conducting home visits on registered sex offenders currently on probation within Nueces County. All District Judges have mandated that…
Read MoreGA: Sheriff defends Halloween sex-offender-warning signs
[bpnews.net – 10/24/19] orgia sheriff was in federal district court Thursday (Oct. 24) defending his decision to post signs in front of sex offenders’ homes warning trick-or-treaters not to approach. Three sex offenders have filed suit against Butts County, Ga., sheriff Gary Long because he posted signs in front of 200 registered sex offenders’ homes in 2018 warning trick-or-treaters not to approach the properties. The plaintiffs are trying to prevent Long from posting the signs again in 2019 and beyond. “Stop. Warning. No Trick-Or-Treat At This Address!!” the signs read,…
Read MoreKY: Louisville launches a registry for animal abusers
[wave3.com – 10/23/19] A new Animal Abuser Registry in Louisville is expected to prevent pets from falling into the hands of people with a history of animal abuse. Approved by Louisville Metro Council and administered by Louisville Metro Animal Services (LMAS), the registry is similar to a sex offender registry. Anyone who lives in the Louisville Metro and is guilty of animal cruelty is required to keep their name on a list for two years after a conviction. Pet stores, shelters or rescue groups are also required to check the…
Read MoreWI: Nonprofit trying to find homes for those living in ‘Tent City’
[wisn.com – 10/22/19] The homeless in Milwaukee’s Tent City have less than two weeks to clear out after the Wisconsin Department of Transportation ordered them out by Oct. 31 to make way for a construction project. A federally funded nonprofit is taking on the mission of finding everyone a home to avoid forcing people out at the end of the month. … ______ is a convicted sex offender and now no one will take him in. “It sucks. It’s cold. There’s help for people. But most of them, it’s help…
Read MoreIL: Orland Park 2019 Sex Offender Halloween Safety Map
[patch.com – 10/21/19] Before kids go out trick or treating on Halloween, fall is a good time to take an inventory of who is living in your neighborhood. … You may want to avoid trick or treating at these houses and apartments on Halloween, or merely be aware of who’s living in your neighborhood during the rest of the year. … Law enforcement officials and researchers caution that the registries can play only a limited role in preventing child sexual abuse and stress that most perpetrators are known to the…
Read MoreOH: Mt. Healthy takes proactive approach to sex offender awareness prior to trick-or-treating
[local12.com – 10/21/19] The Mt. Healthy Police Department is taking a proactive approach to keep trick-or-treaters safe on Halloween. Officers posted a list of addresses on the department’s Facebook page. They are all sex offenders who live in parts of the community. Brittany Athey looks forward to taking her kids out on Halloween, but was not aware that a registered sex offender lived on a street near her house. “I think it’s a great thing because we’ll be able to keep away from those houses then. So we know what…
Read MoreJPMorgan Chase Hired 2,100 People With Criminal Records In 2018 (And Will Hire More)
[forbes.com – 10/21/19] Topline: JPMorgan Chase announced an expansion of its efforts to hire people with criminal backgrounds Monday, continuing the trend of big companies “banning the box” and giving people second chances. JPMorgan Chase hired 2,100 people with criminal records in 2018, which equals about 10% of their total hires last year. The bank knows those people have records, because they conduct background checks on applicants after a job offer has been made. Applicants with criminal records are being considered for entry-level jobs like account servicing and transaction processing,…
Read MoreAK: DOJ Grants $273 Mln For Public Safety Of American Indian And Alaska Natives
[rttnews.com – 10/21/19] The Department of Justice has granted $273.4 million to improve public safety, serve victims of crime, combat violence against women and support youth programs in American Indian and Alaska Native communities. … A portion of the funding will support tribal youth mentoring and intervention services, help native communities implement requirements of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, and provide training and technical assistance to tribal communities. … The Department provided $6.1 million to help tribes to comply with federal law on sex offender registration and notification.…
Read MoreMO: Halloween has local police strictly enforcing sex offender compliance
[fourstateshomepage.com – 10/21/19] Halloween is right around the corner, and local law enforcement are making sure the hundreds of sex offenders in Jasper County are following the law. The Jasper County Sheriff’s Office already keeps a close eye on registered sex offenders and Halloween is no different. They have already started to reach out to offenders to make sure their in compliance with the law, which includes ensuring they are on the sex offender registry and posting the proper signage on their home on Halloween. “Nowadays, you never know what…
Read MoreWA: Tarra Simmons Looks To Become 1st Former Inmate Elected To Washington Legislature
[opb.org – 10/21/19] A Washington attorney and criminal justice reform advocate who previously served time in prison is seeking to become the first formerly incarcerated person elected to the Washington Legislature, at least in modern times. Tarra Simmons, of Bremerton, who in 2017 won a Supreme Court fight to sit for the state bar exam, despite her prior criminal conviction, plans to formally announce her candidacy for the state House on Monday. “I’d like to break this concrete ceiling,” Simmons said in an exclusive interview with the public radio Northwest News Network. “I think…
Read MoreFL: Florida Cops Went to Absurd Lengths to Entrap Man Who Showed No Interest in Underage Sex
[reason.com – 10/21/19] How do you catch a predator in Sarasota, Florida? You create one. The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) is going to “outrageous lengths” to make law-abiding lonely guys into sex offenders. That’s according to Noah Pransky, a fearless journalist who has been covering Florida’s addiction to entrapment for years. In September, SCSO arrested 23 men for allegedly soliciting underage girls for sex. Pransky’s most recent piece in Florida Politics chronicles the elaborate back and forth between one of those men and a police officer pretending to be a…
Read MoreACSOL Emotional Support Group Meetings Available: Sat, Oct 26 in L.A.; Most Thursdays in Sac; Monthly on the phone
Emotional Support Group meetings will be held for those convicted of a sex offense and their loved ones. This meeting, which is based upon the format of 12 Step meetings, provides registrants and their loved ones with an opportunity to discuss personal challenges and share their experiences, strengths and hopes, with each other. Attendance is limited to individuals required to register, family members, and friends. Media, law enforcement, parole, etc. are not allowed to attend meetings. There is no cost to attend. No reservations are required. Face-to-face and phone emotional…
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