Category: General News

MARYLAND – It gives a sense of security for many parents – having access to the state’s sex offender registry. “It’s a way for us to be safe as parents for our children. I use an app to find out if there’s any in the neighborhood. That’s what my sister and I did before, and we actually found some. So we would know to keep an eye out, especially for my daughter that I’m worried about,” Christie Sarminto said. Full Article

Since 2012, NACDL’s Task Force on Restoration of Rights and Status After Conviction has embarked on a study of relief mechanisms available to those with a conviction on their record on the local, state and federal level. At an event on May 29 at the Open Society Foundations in Washington, DC, NACDL released a major new report – Collateral Damage: America’s Failure to Forgive or Forget in the War on Crime – A Roadmap to Restore Rights and Status After Arrest or Conviction. The report is a comprehensive exploration of the…

It’s July and in two days millions of Americans will be celebrating their freedom; but not us, because they have taken away our freedom. These people will be rejoicing over their right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness; but not us, and this includes our families and millions of little children that have had their innocence stolen and their lives turned into a living hell because a family member is forced to wear the scarlet label. In two days millions of Americans will be celebrating with friends and…

The Senate has passed HR-803 “Supporting Knowledge and Investing in Lifelong Skills Act” or the “SKILLS Act” with further amendments. The essence of this bill, which amends many different laws, is to retrain displaced workers for newer type jobs of today. While this is a GREAT bill it also excludes folks convicted of several crime types, one of which is sex offenses, folks we advocate for. Full Article

A federal judge in Oregon says the process surrounding the federal government’s “no-fly list” is unconstitutional. Specifically, U.S. District Judge Anna Brown said the process doesn’t give Americans on the list an effective way to challenge their inclusion. Full Article

I am the daughter of a sex offender, an innocent child who grew up in the system. This is my story and the story of others like me. Tumblr Blog

Judges often refer to a plea deal as subject to the rules of contract law. However, when judges make that statement, they usually backtrack and realize how poorly contract law operates in the criminal domain. The role of the judge as a third party to the deal as well as a lack of normal consideration are particularly difficult to square with typical contract rules. The ongoing struggle in plea deals involving sex offenders is particularly illustrative of how plea bargaining sometimes operates in an environment of anarchy. Full Commentary Related Article

YOUR ARTICLE “Case shows difficulty of tracking sex offenders” (Metro, June 7) illustrates the folly of our current approach to this highly charged subject. High-risk sex offenders have a compulsive illness that can’t be cured, but it can be managed. As your story indicates, at least one sex offender, desperate not to give in to his compulsion, would call the police for help when he feared he might reoffend. We’d be much safer if we provided supervised residences, practical support, and treatment geared to management of this disorder. Full Letter…

Three more cities took action this week toward the repeal of their sex offender ordinances. Mission Viejo led the group during its City Council meeting on June 2 while Santa Ana and Galt followed that lead on June 3. “California RSOL commends these three cities for beginning the repeal of ordinances which prohibited registered citizens from visiting public and private places such as parks, libraries and restaurants,” stated California RSOL president Janice Bellucci. “They join a growing number of cities that have eliminated similar laws that violate the state and…