A California appellate court has again struck down a requirement that ____ ____ ____, a well-known Redding man who often ran for elected office and who was sentenced to prison in 2013 for stalking a woman, register as a sex offender for life. In its June 30 ruling, the Third District Court of Appeal, which once again upheld his stalking conviction, reversed ____ ____ ____’s sex offender registrant requirement. Full Article Opinion 2015 Opinion
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Janice’s Journal: Freedom from Tyranny of the Registry
Today we sit on top of a mountain. We take a short rest after an arduous journey up a steep path. We gather strength. We gather numbers. We prepare for what we believe will be the final legs of a journey for many who will reach freedom…..freedom from the tyranny of the sex offender registry. Our journey began six years ago when a brave elected official, Tom Ammiano, introduced the first tiered registry bill. He saw the truth, that the requirement to register is not a mere administrative requirement, but instead is punishment. Despite the…
Read MoreBrock Turner judge Aaron Persky responds to calls for his removal
Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Aaron Persky, who came under fire for sentencing former Stanford swimmer Brock Turner to six months in county jail for sexual assault, sought Friday to dismiss demands for his removal, saying the court of law should be separated from the court of public opinion. Full Article
Read MoreSuccessful ACSOL Conference Brought Dignity, Hope and Information to Many
In 2017 The Alliance for Constitutional Sex Offense Laws held its inaugural national conference, “We Are All In This Together” on June 16th and 17th in Los Angeles at the Southwestern Law School’s historic Bullocks-Wilshire building. More than 165 registered citizens, family members and supporters from across the country were in attendance. Featured speakers at the conference included nationally recognized leaders in Criminal Justice Reform including sociologist Emily Horowitz PhD, law professors and ACSOL Board Members Catherine Carpenter and Ira Ellman, WAR Founder Vicki Henry, Professor Larry Dubin and practicing…
Read MoreFinally, some clearer thinking on sex offenders
After years of panicked and excessively punitive lawmaking against sex offenders, cooler heads are beginning to prevail. The U.S. Supreme Court, for example, on Monday struck down a North Carolina law that effectively banned registered sex offenders from using any social media that is also accessible by children. Full Editorial
Read MoreConsideration of AB 558 Postponed Indefinitely
Bill author Sharon Quirk Silva has pulled Assembly Bill 558 (AB 558) from consideration during next week’s Public Safety Committee hearing. The bill was scheduled for consideration on June 27, but it is now expected that AB 558 won’t be heard until 2018 if at all. “The threat of AB 558 has disappeared from the horizon,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. “There is language in the original and revised versions of AB 558 that contradicts language in the current version of the Tiered Registry Bill (SB 421). Perhaps the author…
Read MoreA look at the potential changes in California’s sex offender registry
As reported by the Los Angeles Times, L.A. County Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey and other criminal justice leaders have won state Senate approval to remove names of low-level, nonviolent offenders after 10 or 20 years. This would also include people who are considered not to reoffend. Under current California law, people convicted of certain sex offenses must register for life. Proponents of the bill argue that low level offenders are unfairly categorized with a blanket public perception of sex offenders, affecting offenders’ ability to obtain work, a home and even…
Read MoreCriminal justice leaders seek to end lifetime registry for low-risk sex offenders in California
It’s been nearly four decades since a 25-year-old Frank Lindsay landed on California’s sex offender registry after he pleaded no contest to improperly touching a girl under 14. He has not committed another crime since then, but state law requires Lindsay’s name to remain on the registry, which the public can see on government websites, for the rest of his life. Full Article
Read MoreHearing Dates Set for AB 558 and SB 421
Hearing dates have been set for Assembly Bill 558 (AB 558) and Senate Bill 421 (SB 421) by the Public Safety Committees. Specifically, the Senate Public Safety Committee is scheduled to hear AB 558 on June 27 and the Assembly Public Safety Committee is scheduled to hear SB 421 on July 11. “The best opportunity to stop AB 558 from becoming law is to speak against it during the Public Safety Committee hearing on June 27,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. “In addition, it is important to send letters and make…
Read MoreRoman Polanski’s Rape Victim Takes His Side In Court
A woman who was the teenage victim in Oscar-winning director Roman Polanski’s 1977 sex case is expected to appear in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom Friday for a hearing in the fugitive filmmaker’s case. Full Article
Read MoreTwo Barstow Men Arrested for Threatening Rumored Child Molester
Two Barstow men were arrested for threatening a man who they believed was a sexual predator from Las Vegas, Nevada who was attempting to lure children into his car. Full Article
Read MoreAt $75,560, housing a prisoner in California now costs more than a year at Harvard
The price for each inmate has doubled since 2005, even as court orders related to overcrowding have reduced the population by about one-quarter. Salaries and benefits for prison guards and medical providers drove much of the increase. The result is a per-inmate cost that is the nation’s highest — and $2,000 above tuition, fees, room and board, and other expenses to attend Harvard. Full Article
Read MoreOverhaul of sexual offender registry is on right track
Once in a while, politicians in Sacramento get things right. The overhaul of the state’s sex offender registry proposed by Sen. Scott Weiner, D-San Francisco, and Sen. Joel Anderson, R-San Diego, is one of those rare occurrences of a bipartisan solutions that works. Full Article
Read MoreSenate Passes Tiered Registry Bill (SB 421)
The Senate today, in a vote of 24 to 10, passed the Tiered Registry Bill (SB 421). Prior to the vote, the bill’s author — Sen. Scott Wiener — explained why a tiered registry is necessary. His views were supported by Sen. Nancy Skinner, Chair of the Public Safety Committee, as well as co-author Sen. Joel Anderson. During his presentation, Sen. Wiener describe the current registry as broken and outdated. He added that the registry, which includes more than 100,000 people, is so large that it is useless. Sen. Anderson subsequently stated…
Read MoreHe had sex with his 16-year-old girlfriend and was almost deported. Now he can stay
______ ______ ______ was a legal permanent resident of the U.S. after immigrating from Mexico. Then he had sex with his 16-year-old girlfriend when he was 20, went to jail and faced deportation back to Mexico. http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/article153329569.html
Read MoreAB 558 Released from Suspense File
Today the Assembly Appropriations Committee released AB 558 from its Suspense File. As a result, the bill will be voted upon by all members of the Assembly on or before June 2. “The committee’s decision is a significant blow to the rights of registrants who were convicted of misdemeanors and other low level offenses,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. “In the past, the state legislature wisely decided not to post this information on a public website and that wisdom should be continued.” As currently written, AB 558 would eliminate exemptions…
Read MoreTiered Registry Bill Released from Senate Appropriations Committee
Today the Senate Appropriations Committee released the Tiered Registry Bill (SB 421) from its Suspense File. As a result, the bill’s author — Senator Scott Wiener — will take the bill to the floor of the Senate no later than Friday, June 2. While on the Senate floor, every senator will have an opportunity to vote for or against the Tiered Registry Bill. “It’s time to Show Up, Stand Up and Speak Up,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. “This is the time for registrants, family members and supporters to call…
Read MoreJudge Rules Fontana’s “No Registrant” Policy is Preempted by State Law
A Superior Court Judge issued a tentative ruling on May 23 that a Fontana Unified School District Policy which prohibits all registrants from visiting schools in that district is preempted by state law and therefore must be stopped. The judge’s final ruling in this case is expected within 30 days. “This is a tremendous victory for registrant parents whose children attend schools in the Fontana school district,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. “It also sends a clear message to other school districts that have or are considering similar policies.”…
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