Registered citizens continue to face banishment throughout the land. They are often torn from their families and relegated to the dark corners of society where they sleep in their cars if they are lucky and on the streets if they are not. Banishment comes in many forms. This commentary is limited to the two most insidious forms – residency restrictions and proximity restrictions. Both limit where a registered citizen may go. Both tear families apart. Neither accomplishes its stated purpose, that is, to increase public safety. There are a growing…
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Janice’s Journal: The March on Carson
We showed up. We stood up. We spoke up. Voices of African Americans, Asian Americans, Latinos and Caucasians. Voices of the young (age 7) and voices of the old (75+). We were heard. By the residents of Carson who honked their car horns in approval. By the Los Angeles Times who sent a photographer to capture images of the event. By KTLA TV who sent both a reporter and a videographer to record our voices and our actions. Our messages? We delivered three important messages in Carson on March 7,…
Read MoreJanice’s Journal: The California Supreme Court has spoken but what have they said?
The California Supreme Court has spoken but what have they said? The Court published two decisions today that were expected to determine whether residency restrictions are constitutional and if so, to whom do they apply as well as whether the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) may issue a blanket residency restriction to all registered citizens in San Diego while on parole. These issues are of vital importance to more than 100,000 registered citizens and their families. Unfortunately, the Court did not meet expectations because they failed to address…
Read MoreJanice’ Journal: Behind the Orange Curtain
Orange County continues to be the epicenter for laws that both violate the civil rights of registered citizens as well as decrease public safety. The latest attempt comes in the form of a bill introduced in Sacramento by Assemblyman William Brough of Dana Point (AB 201). If it becomes law, the bill would allow cities and counties to pass any law they wished to restrict where a registered citizen could visit. That could return us all to the former Land of Oz where a registered citizen could legally walk on…
Read MoreJanice’s Journal: Buckle your Seatbelts
There are 3 significant events expected during the next 30 days: introduction of a tiered registry bill in Sacramento, two California Supreme Court decisions regarding residency restrictions and an attempt to make peace with the City of Carson. What occurs during this 30-day period will significantly impact every person required to register as a sex offender in California. First, there currently is a draft tiered registry bill supported by the California Sex Offender Management Board for which an author is being sought. The draft bill is reported to be consistent…
Read MoreJanice’s Journal: A Reflection on Hofsheier
The California Supreme Court continues to bludgeon registered citizens with decisions that deny their civil rights. In the latest in a string of misguided decisions, the Court stripped away another fundamental right – the equal protection clause of the U.S. Constitution – by deciding that individuals convicted of oral copulation with a minor should be required to register as a sex offender for life while individuals convicted of intercourse with a minor should not be required to register at all. The Court’s reason for this decision is difficult for even…
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