Remorse: A gnawing distress arising from a sense of guilt for past wrongs, according to Merriam-Webster. In a recent interview TV star Bill Cosby stated he was “not remorseful and did nothing wrong”, maintaining his innocence in the sexual assault crimes that were leveled against him in a well- known TV news media circus court case. So what happens to those accused of sex offenses who maintain their innocence throughout their trials, prison sentences and even after they are set free? Where is the line in the sand drawn between…
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What do these people have in common? [Florida Action Committee]
[floridaactioncommittee.org – 2/14/19] What do the following people have in common? An Air Force Colonel A prison guard A Christian school teacher They are all in positions where they are responsible for protecting people? Yes, but not what I was looking for. They all require specialized training and background clearances? True, but again, not what I had in mind. They are all people we should trust and respect? Ok, not the answer I had in mind. Guess again… They are all sex offenders? Bingo! You guessed it! I scan the…
Read MoreConference Call re. Michigan AG Dana Nessel Amicus Briefs (2/13)
Women Against Registry – Have Questions? We have received many questions since notifying our members of the amicus briefs filed in the Michigan Supreme Court by new Attorney General Dana Nessel in Michigan v Snyder (Case number 153696) and People v Betts (Case number 148981), arguing that Michigan’s sex offender registration and notification requirements are punishment because they are so burdensome and fail to distinguish between dangerous offenders and those who are not a threat to the community. In response to the appeals for answers we have invited Guy Hamilton-Smith…
Read MoreKat’s Blog: To Compete In Today’s World, Registrants Need Computer Access
Making it out of prison alive is a success in itself. Making a success of your life once you are out of prison is often a whole different story. Registrants who are prohibited from using smartphones and computers, often those on probation, may find it a struggle trying to reintegrate into today’s fast paced techno- world without the proper tools. It’s becoming increasingly difficult to succeed in society without having access to computer technology that’s the norm for most men, women and children. For registrants, every day there’s some new…
Read MoreGeneral Comments February 2019
Comments that are not specific to a certain post should go here, for the month of February 2019. Contributions should relate to the cause and goals of this organization and please, keep it courteous and civil.
Read MoreKat’s Blog: Rest in Peace My Friends
Was a homeless registrant who was found dead in the Michigan snow this week a victim of the frigid polar vortex that swept through half the country? (Autopsy report pending.) Or, was he the victim of Michigan’s state sex offender laws which deny emergency shelter to “sex offenders” even during the most brutal weather? What about the homeless registrant found frozen to death behind a Waffle House in Springfield, Missouri? The man’s snow covered body was found by other homeless people seeking shelter from the frigid weather. How many registrants…
Read MoreCA: Untouchable documentary in Oakland on February 12
There will be a showing of the documentary Untouchable February 12 6:30 pm New Parkway Theater 474 24th St, Oakland, CA 94612 Tickets are $12, $10 for students and old folks. Click here to Purchase your tickets today! It will be followed by a panel discussion that will include David Feige, the film’s director, and Keith Wattley of Uncommon Law, which among other things helps people on parole at their parole hearings. What it is about: When a Florida lobbyist discovers his daughter has been sexually abused, he harnesses his extraordinary…
Read MoreRegistrants needed for survey: Economic Impact of the Sex Offender Registry (ends March 1)
Below is a request for registrants only to provide researchers with information about economic impacts of the registry. If you wish, please contact them directly using the link below. The survey ends March 1. Thank you. Janice Hi everyone, Our names are Dr. Jennifer Klein and Dr. Danielle Bailey and we are both Assistant Professors at the University of Texas at Tyler. As you know, we have been collecting data for a project that analyzes the economic impact of the sex offender registry on those individuals required to register.…
Read MoreShould we show compassion?
The story of a couple who were found dead inside of a tent at a homeless encampment has led to questions in the community: What rights does a twice-convicted sex offender have and how much sympathy does he deserve? Full Article
Read MoreFormerly Incarcerated Sex Offenders Say Civil Commitment Programs Deny Proper Rehabilitation
Responding to several highly-publicized sex crimes and public fears, legislatures across the country have adopted statutes that allow the continued imprisonment of sex offenders after they have completed their sentences. Veteran investigative reporter Barbara Koeppel has spent the past 12 months reporting on this third rail of the criminal justice system. Full Article
Read MoreRenowned Law Professor Eric Janus to Speak at ACSOL Conference
Renowned law professor Eric Janus will speak at ACSOL’s third annual conference in Los Angeles on June 14. Professor Janus is a national expert on sexual violence law and policy. He was recently recognized for his lifelong commitment to justice and civil liberties work by the ACLU. “Professor Janus will share with all conference participants his unique perspective of current laws and policies that affect the daily lives of registrants and their loved ones,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. Professor Janus served as President and Dean of William Mitchell College…
Read More‘Untouchable’ Makes the Case for More Lenient Sex Offender Laws in America
A new documentary forwards the argument that our sex-offender laws are based largely on bogus stats and deserve to be reevaluated. Full Article Also see Untouchable (Film) Available for Streaming on January 15
Read MoreUnited States v. Moorehead
The FBI accessed Playpen and verified that the website contained child pornography, then executed a search warrant at a North Carolina server hosting company that owned the IP address. The FBI seized a server that contained a copy of Playpen. Because of a server misconfiguration, the government was able to gain administrative control of the website. For two weeks, the FBI operated Playpen from a Virginia government-controlled computer server but was unable to identify the individuals who logged on. The FBI turned to counter-technology called NIT, which downloads on the…
Read MoreUntouchable (Film) Available for Streaming on January 15
FACT: More people are now listed on sex-offender registries than are currently in jail in the US. It’s an amazing statistic that illuminates one of the darkest corners of our criminal justice system: our fear-based approach to dealing with sex offenders. So why do we have these massive lists? Are they fair? Do they keep us safe? Untouchable, the award-winning documentary that takes an unflinching look at sex offenders, the laws used to punish them, and the people behind the making of those laws, will be available for personal streaming January 15th, on iTunes, Google Play, and Amazon. Look for…
Read MoreRIT study: More than half of child pornography probationers had sexual contact with kids
More than half of the men on federal probation in western New York for child pornography possession had instances of “sexual contact with children that were previously unknown to legal authorities,” according to a local study. Though completed early in 2018, the study conducted by researchers at the Rochester Institute of Technology, or RIT, is now beginning to make ripples in federal court. One federal prosecutor recently included the study in a court filing as evidence that a large percentage of individuals who are attracted to child pornography are a…
Read MoreGeneral Comments January 2019
Comments that are not specific to a certain post should go here, for the month of January 2019. Contributions should relate to the cause and goals of this organization and please, keep it courteous and civil.
Read MoreKat’s Blog: Sometimes A Song Is Just A Song
Baby It’s Cold Outside. It was just a wintery song from the late forties, nothing more. A song that’s been sung during the Christmas holidays for decades. Generations grew up singing along with the radio, no one ever had issues with it. That is until now. Now it’s the latest moral holiday debate. The victim of a # movement. Someone or some group decides they don’t like the sound of those lyrics, that the lyrics foster a pro- rape, sexist attitude in our society. And just like that, thousands of…
Read MoreNot all sex offenders are the same. It’s time we reform how we treat them – Opinion
Florida Bar Association President Michelle Suskauer recently penned a column published in FLORIDA TODAY about needs for reforming the criminal justice system. In her piece, she focused on a number of important issues about mental health, curbing recidivism, re-entry, sentencing and much more. Missing among these targets for reform, however, is the ever-present quagmire dealing with sex offenders, a topic most politicians and justice officials prefer to ignore. Suffice to say, the very term “sex offender” presents a vile image that calls for eternal condemnation of anyone within that category.…
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