A Long Island sex offender who faced home visits from a private nonprofit contracted by his county did not endure an unconstitutional search, the Second Circuit affirmed Wednesday. Writing for a three-judge panel, U.S. Circuit Judge Christopher Droney noted in the ruling that in this case, public-safety interests outweigh the offenders’ rights. “In sum, the program advances the government’s substantial interest in reducing sex offender recidivism by improving the accuracy of the registry,” the 29-page opinion states. “Thus, the program serves a special need ‘beyond the normal need for law…
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FL: People on Sex Offender Registry Should Shelter from Dorian in Jail
For some people convicted of sex crimes in Florida, the only shelter open to them during Hurricane Dorian was the county jail. In some counties, people on the registry were barred from shelters set up for those evacuating, and told to go to separate locations, away from children and other community members. If they attempted to stay with friends or relatives, they faced daunting residency and registration requirements, according to the Florida Action Committee, which advocates for reform of sex offender registry laws. Failure to comply can mean a felony conviction and…
Read MoreCA: Appeals court grants new trial to sexually violent predator because of prosecutorial misconduct
A convicted violent sexual predator will get a new chance for controlled release from a state hospital because of prosecutorial misconduct, a state appellate court ruled this week. Full Article Decision
Read MoreGeneral Comments September 2019
Comments that are not specific to a certain post should go here, for the month of September 2019. Contributions should relate to the cause and goals of this organization and please, keep it courteous and civil. This section is not intended for posting links to news articles without additional relevant comment.
Read MoreCA: Committee Converts, But Does Not Approve SB 145
The CA Assembly’s Appropriations Committee today converted Senate Bill 145 into a two-year bill, but did not approve the bill as currently written. Therefore, the bill could be amended as late as September 2020. “Unfortunately, it is not a surprise that the Appropriations Committee today failed to approve Senate Bill 145,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. “We will watch carefully to ensure that if the bill is amended, new language does not harm registrants or their families.” SB 145 was amended earlier this year in a way that could…
Read MoreMI: ACLU Michigan Attorney Advocates End of Registry; Provides Update on 6th Circuit Decision
In a recent NPR interview, ACLU Michigan attorney Miriam Aukerman stated she believes that sex offender registries should be abolished. In support of that belief, Aukerman stated that registries are ineffective and make society less safe. Aukerman criticized both legislators and law enforcement for the current challenges now facing registrants. Legislators have passed and keep passing new laws because they believe doing so will help them to get re-elected. Law enforcement spends time and money monitoring people convicted of a sex offense when they should be monitoring those who actually…
Read MoreJanice’s Journal: Child Pornography Laws Should Protect, Not Prosecute Children
The highest state court in Maryland ruled yesterday that a teenage girl could be prosecuted for distributing “child pornography” because she shared a one-minute video in which she was engaged in a consensual sexual act. Has the world gone crazy? “Child pornography” laws have been passed in every state in the nation. And in each of those states the purpose of the laws is to protect children from abuse and exploitation. Protecting children from abuse and exploitation is a noble cause. However, it is not noble to prosecute children who…
Read MoreCA: Senate Bill Amendment Excludes Registrants from Juries
Senate Bill 310, which would expand the number of individuals eligible to serve on a jury, was amended this week in a way that prohibits anyone convicted of a felony sex offense from that service. The bill was amended on August 26 as it was being considered by the Assembly’s Appropriations Committee. “Once again, state legislators have thrown people convicted of a sex offense under the bus,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. “Registrants are citizens and therefore should be allowed to serve on a jury.” Significantly the bill would…
Read MoreNJ: Legal Opportunity for New Jersey Registrants
Individuals convicted of a sex offense in New Jersey who are currently on community supervision for life may have an opportunity to join a lawsuit. Opportunities are limited to those placed in the Bo Robinson Assessment Center. Anyone interested in exploring this opportunity should contact Raymon Hof at [email protected].
Read MoreVA: Who lives, works near you, and what it takes to keep track of Virginia’s 13K sex offenders
The process of moving when buying or renting a home can be a lengthy process, from researching neighborhoods, area schools and the cost of living. For some, another part of finding a new home can involve checking crime rates — or the sex offender registry. Full Article
Read MoreUT: ‘Conviction’ aside, Utah Supreme Court says sex offender must register
The Utah Supreme Court has ruled a man must register as a sex offender, despite his conviction ultimately being set aside in another state. Full Article
Read MoreJanice’s Journal: Watch this movie! And recommend it to others!
The newly released movie, “Brian Banks”, deserves attention. A lot of attention. Attention from every person required to register as a sex offender as well as his/her family and friends. Based upon a true story, the movie is about a 16-year-old high school athlete who is falsely accused of raping a 15-year-old girl who attended the same school. The movie accurately portrays the challenges he faces before conviction as well as both inside and outside of prison. For example, a plea deal goes wrong after Brian enters a plea of…
Read MoreFL: More sex offenders arrive so NSB wants to make rules more strict
There are more sex offenders moving to New Smyrna Beach and that has prompted city leaders to consider shrinking the locations where both sexual offenders and sexual predators can legally live. Full Article
Read MoreAfter Epstein death, glaring loopholes in national sex offender registry raise concerns
Amid the fallout from the death of Jeffrey Epstein – compounded by sharp questions as to why he was able to live such a lavish and unencumbered life despite being a registered sex offender – scrutiny has turned to the National Sex Offender Registry, its discrepancies and its lack of uniformity – all of which the disgraced financier may have exploited. Full Article
Read MoreIRE: How Ireland deals with sex offenders after they’re released from prison
AT ANY ONE time there are between 400 and 450 people convicted of sexual violence in custody in Irish prisons. … During his time in prison, ____ declined to participate in the Building Better Lives programme, a rehabilitation service for sex offenders, despite meeting many of the conditions. These criteria include a prison sentence of longer than 18 months, full admission of the offence, robustness of personality to withstand the challenge of the group and some literacy capacity. Full Article
Read MoreLiving with 290: Cleaning Up Your Online Reputation After Ending Registration
Hello ACSOL community. This is Free Again (a.k.a. Anonymous OP a.k.a. Newly Liberated…I figured that the second screen name will eventually no longer apply once enough time has passed, so I changed it once again). As I had mentioned under the previous CoR post, I am contributing this new follow-up post that will focus solely on cleaning up your online reputation once you have been relieved of your duty to register. Please note, however, that there are some websites from which you can opt out whether or not you’re currently…
Read MoreGeneral Comments August 2019
Comments that are not specific to a certain post should go here, for the month of August 2019. Contributions should relate to the cause and goals of this organization and please, keep it courteous and civil. This section is not intended for posting links to news articles without additional relevant comment.
Read MoreVA: Sex Offenders’ Social Media Notice Law Upheld
Virginia’s law requiring sex offenders to provide law enforcement officials with information about their social media identity is constitutional, a Virginia appeals court ruled. Full Article
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