[kusi.com – 3/2/21] SAN DIEGO (KUSI) – The San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 today against supporting legislation aimed at keeping court hearings for Sexually Violent Predators open to the public. Supervisors Joel Anderson sponsored the proposal backing Senate Bill 248 and voted in favor of it, along with colleague Jim Desmond. The bill would require that court proceedings remain public for the civil commitments of Sexually Violent Predators — or SVPs — offenders convicted of sexually violent offenses and diagnosed with a mental disorder that makes them…
Read MoreCategory: California
CA: Lawsuit Challenges Halloween Restrictions in Rialto
[ACSOL] A lawsuit has been filed in San Bernardino County Superior Court challenging the Halloween restrictions of the City of Rialto. Specifically, there is an ordinance adopted and enforced by the City of Rialto that prohibits all registrants on Halloween from decorating their front yards and exteriors with “typical Halloween decorations”, from opening the doors of their residence to trick-or-treaters and from leaving on any exterior residential, decorative and ornamental lights. If this ordinance is violated, registrants may be fined up to $1,000 and sentenced to up to six months…
Read MoreCA: Los Angeles district attorney faces recall effort less than 3 months into term
[yahoo.com – 2/27/21] LOS ANGELES — A campaign to oust Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón kicked off Saturday evening as pressure mounts over his criminal justice reforms that critics claim have gone too far. Recall advocates, including victims’ families and law enforcement officials, claim Gascón, who ran on a progressive campaign to implement sweeping change in the district attorney’s office, has prioritized criminals over victims since taking office less than three months ago. In an emailed statement, Gascón said that “the pain and trauma of losing a loved one…
Read MoreCA: Lawsuit Challenges Tiered Registry Law Provision
[ACSOL] A lawsuit has been filed challenging a provision of the California Tiered Registry Law that assigns individuals convicted of similar offenses to two different tiers. Specifically, the law assigns individuals convicted of Penal Code 288(a) to Tier 2, which requires a minimum of 20 years registration, and yet assigns individuals convicted of Penal Code 288(c) to Tier 3, which requires lifetime registration. “The only difference between these two offenses is the age of the victim,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. “And the current language of the law punishes…
Read MoreCA: Senator Brian Jones introduces bill to prohibit violent sex offenders from getting out of prison early
[kusi.com – 2/19/21] SANTEE (KUSI) – Senator Brian W. Jones (R-Santee) has introduced Senate Bill 445, a measure to stop violent sex offenders from being eligible for early release from prison. Senator Jones joined Good Evening San Diego to discuss his bill. “Violent sex offense victims, and the families of victims, should not have to wonder if their attacker will suddenly get out of prison long before they finish their sentence,” stated Senator Jones. “Right now the law is rigged and forces the Board of Parole Hearings to justify why…
Read MoreCASOMB Feb 2021 Reports Changes in Registrant Community
The California Sex Offender Management Board (CASOMB), during its monthly meeting today, reported changes in the registrant community. Among those changes is a slight decrease in the total number of registrants to 108,106. Of that total, there are 82,526 registrants who are not in custody including 18,565 in violation for failure to register and 6,994 who are homeless. “Although no reason was given regarding the small reduction in the total number of registrants, it is logical to believe that the reduction is based upon a large number of people reported…
Read MoreCA: ‘Nobody cares about sex offenders.’ COVID deaths spike at state hospital in Fresno County
[fresnobee.com – 2/15/21] A spike in coronavirus-related deaths at a state-run psychiatric hospital in Fresno County has angered and alarmed patients, who blame hospital staff for a massive outbreak that infected hundreds and killed more than a dozen patients over the past six months. One patient who spoke with The Bee said he struggled to bring attention to the outbreak at Coalinga State Hospital in Fresno County. He said he’s been “ignored” and “neglected” for one simple reason — most of the patients in Coalinga are rapists, child molesters, and…
Read MoreCA DOJ Reverses Position on Important Tiered Registry Issue
The California Department of Justice (CA DOJ) has reversed its position on an important tiered registry issue. Specifically, the state agency has agreed to delete a sentence included in previously issued tier assignment letters that state individuals whose tiers are “to be determined” must wait until their tier has been assigned before petitioning for removal from the registry. The sentence will also not be included in future tier assignment letters. “Due to this change in position, individuals who receive a tier assignment letter stating that their tier has not yet…
Read MoreWest Covina Repeals Residency Restrictions
[ACSOL] The City of West Covina, located in Los Angeles County, has repealed its residency restrictions which prohibited registrants from living within most of the city. The repeal took place on February 2 during a regularly scheduled meeting of the West Covina City Council. “We commend the City of West Covina for repealing its residency restrictions,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. “Registrants and their families can now lawfully reside anywhere in that city.” The city’s repeal followed the filing of a lawsuit in March 2020 in Los Angeles Superior…
Read MoreJanice’s Journal: Tiered Registry Law and Its Early Implementation Significantly Flawed
The Tiered Registry Law, passed in 2017, became effective this month more than three years after it became law. During that long period of time, more than 100,000 people convicted of a sex offense closely watched as the California state government slowly released information regarding the law’s implementation. One positive step in the implementation process was the public release of draft forms that registrants will be required to use when petitioning for removal from the registry. This step included both the opportunity for the public to comment on the draft…
Read MoreCity of Long Beach to Provide Tier Assignment Letters
After refusing to provide registrants with their tier assignment letters, the City of Long Beach has now agreed to provide those letters to registrants three days a week – Tuesdays, Wednesday, and Thursdays — between 6:15 a.m. and 3 p.m. The City requests registrants to call 562-570-5692 before coming to the registration office so that their tier assignment letter will be ready for pick up. “We commend the City of Long Beach for its decision to provide registrants with their tier assignment letters,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. According…
Read MoreCalifornia Tiered Registry Experiences (EXPERIENCES ONLY)
As of January 1, 2021 the California Tiered Registry Law became effective. In order to share information about the new law and help others with the petitions, please document your experiences with the process in the comments below. Comments should pertain to actual experiences with the Tiered Registry only. In order to maximize the value to others, feel free to include as many details (city / county, conviction history, etc) as you feel comfortable. All comments not directly relating to experiences with the de-registration process / new law can be…
Read MoreCalifornia Tiered Registry Law Now Effective [UPDATED 1/5/21]
[ACSOL] The Tiered Registry Law (formerly Senate Bill 384), passed by the California state legislature four years ago, is now effective. Some of its provisions, however, will not begin until July 1, 2021. The most important of those provisions is the petitioning process for removal from the registry. “The first step to take in the petitioning process is to go to the law enforcement office where you register and ask for your Tier Assignment letter,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. “According to the CA Department of Justice, tier assignment…
Read MoreLA Times Editorial: End irrational sentencing
[latimes.com – 12/30/20] The explosion in California’s prison population can be traced to first-term Gov. Jerry Brown’s signature on the Uniform Determinate Sentencing Act of 1976, a bill that was supposed to remove racism and irrationality from prison terms but in the end did the opposite. Fourth-term Gov. Brown, who left office last year, understood the problem well. He presided over a prison system that has been under federal court order since 2011 to reduce unconscionable crowding — the result of gratuitous “enhancements” piled on by lawmakers and voters over…
Read MoreCA: Orange County sheriff refuses to release 1,800 inmates after judge’s order: ‘Serious threat’ to community
[yahoo.com Fox News – 12/15/20] Sheriff Don Barnes, Orange County, Calif., reacts to judge’s order reducing prison population amid coronavirus pandemic. Fox Newscaster (at 3:40): “We don’t want anyone to get COVID, but we don’t want anyone murdered or molested”. Sheriff: “I have no intention of releasing them.” Watch the video
Read MoreCA: High-risk inmates aren’t prioritized in state’s early releases
[calmatters.org – 12/11/20] In summary: More than 7,500 prisoners sent home in the program — which aims to slow the spread of COVID-19 — would have been released within months anyway. Thousands with health conditions remain in prison, and the virus keeps spreading. In July, amid an epidemic of coronavirus cases, California’s corrections agency rolled out early-release programs touted as a solution to protect inmates at overcrowded prisons. But nearly all of the prisoners selected were scheduled to be released within months anyway, while many inmates with longer sentences remain…
Read MoreCA: Former legislative aide accuses OC Assemblyman Bill Brough of rape
[abc7.com – 12/5/20] Orange, Calif. (KABC) — A former legislative aide is accusing Assemblyman Bill Brough of raping her in 2015. Patricia Todd, whose last name at the time was Lenkiewicz, is speaking publicly for the first time, after sending a complaint this week to law enforcement. Sacramento police confirm they are investigating the allegations. “I’ve survived this for five years and five years is too long to not have the help and support,” said Todd, as she sat in her attorney’s office in Orange. Todd was a legislative aide…
Read MoreCA: California Prison Guards Keep Jobs After Aiding Attacks on Sex Offenders
[prisonlegalnews.org – 11/1/20] A series of assaults by a group of prisoners on convicted sex offenders was carried out with the consent and assistance of 10 officers at an unnamed California correctional facility. After an investigation, the prison’s warden determined that the actions of six of the guards involved were egregious enough for them to be fired, yet only four were let go before attorneys for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) halted the proceedings. The attorneys argued that the allegations against the officers were substantiated only by…
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