South Carolina can continue to require some teens convicted of serious sex crimes to appear on the state’s public sex-offender registry and wear an electronic monitor for the rest of their lives, the state Supreme Court ruled Wednesday. A boy from Spartanburg County who was 15 when he sexually assaulted a 5-year-old boy and ended up on the registry challenged the law. Full Article
Read MoreCategory: National
Shakespeare And Sexting: Reconsidering Penalties For Teen Sexual Activity
Worried that the law sometimes imposes too big a penalty on teens who engage in consensual sexual activity, some legislators are pushing to reduce the consequences. More than 20 years ago, when ____ ____ was 19 and his girlfriend Amber was 15, Montana’s laws tore them apart, sending Russell to prison for four years for having sex with a minor. Source
Read MoreAZ: Prescott starts new program to monitor sex offenders
Getting aggressive with sex offenders – Sex offenders living in the City of Prescott are now under an additional layer of supervision. Full Article
Read MoreMA: Governor Proposes Bill Protecting Teen Sexters From Felony Charges
The Massachusetts state legislature will consider a bill that protects teen sexters from excessive prosecution while imposing harsher punishments on people who share nude photos with others without the subject’s consent. Filed by Gov. Charlie Baker on Tuesday, the bill would prevent prosecutors from charging teen sexters as child pornographers, recommending that they be sent to an educational program instead of prison or juvenile detention. Full Article
Read MoreNY: Loophole could allow sex offenders to work for Uber, Lyft
Some are concerned about what is being called a dangerous loophole in the agreement that allows ride-hailing companies Uber and Lyft to operate in New York state. Laura Ahearn, executive director of Parents for Megan’s Law, says she found the loophole while studying the bill’s fine print. “It’s allowing Level 1 offenders that have been, as we’ve seen, convicted of very violent offenses against minors and adults and they will after seven years be permitted to pick up females in the dark,” Ahearn says. Full Article
Read MorePA: Bill cutting off public assistance for non-compliant Megan’s Law registrants passes the Pa. House
Legislation that would make convicted sex offenders who are out of compliance with Megan’s Law ineligible for public assistance passed the state House of Representatives on Monday by a 190-2 vote. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Jim Cox, R-Berks County, now goes to the Senate for consideration. It would allow sex offenders’ benefits to be reinstated immediately once they came back into compliance but would not be eligible for any missed benefits. However, it allows benefits to continue for their minor children even if a parent or guardian is a non-compliant Megan’s Law…
Read MoreVA: Michael McAlister, exonerated of a 1986 sexual assault in South Richmond, dies in Florida
Michael Kenneth McAlister has died in Florida, less than two years after his exoneration and release from prison for a 1986 sexual assault he did not commit. Full Article
Read MoreFL: No Voting for Sex Offenders or Murderers Says Florida
Florida’s state Supreme Court on Thursday approved language for a proposed amendment to the state Constitution that would restore voting rights to felons after they complete their sentences. If the measure makes it on the ballot and receives a 60% favorable vote, the voting rights of Felons in Florida could be restored upon completion of their sentence. Unfortunately, the rights would not be returned to murders or the very broad category of “sex offenders”. It’s not right! Source https://www.floridiansforafairdemocracy.com/amendment-text
Read MoreOR: Hidden Sex Offenders: Oregon falling far behind on registry overhaul
Oregon has the most sex offenders per capita in the country, but only lists about 2 percent of them on the state’s public website. The state is working to overhaul the system, but critics say that plan falls short and KATU has learned it’s in danger of missing another crucial deadline. Full Article
Read MoreAL: SB301 is going to change the definition of “residence,” and the results will be catastrophic
I have a huge problem with SB 301. The definition of “reside” is being changed by this bill, and not for the better. Most residence definitions deal with where a person sleeps, but this law impacts even where a person spends his time during the day. Full Article
Read MoreWI: Sex offenders win federal lawsuit against Village of Pleasant Prairie: “It’s going to open a lot of doors”
Sex offenders in Kenosha County have won a federal lawsuit against the Village of Pleasant Prairie, in a case that could have nationwide implications. The men who sued said the village’s sex offender residency restrictions violated their constitutional rights. Full Article
Read MoreNC: Should sex offenders pay to be on registry?
Sex offenders would have to pay an annual fine to be listed on the state’s sex offender registry under a bill proposed by N.C. Rep. Ted Davis, R-New Hanover. “There is a cost to continuing to have them on that registry,” Davis said. “The point of this is to get revenue to keep these people on the sex offender registry.” Full Article
Read MoreCO: Kids playing doctor aren’t felony sex offenders – Guest Column
Juvenile cellphone “sexting” is the technological equivalent of playing doctor, something that has been part of human behavior for as long as anyone can remember. Sexual curiosity is a natural part of physical and emotional development in children, and only the most zealous of prudes would argue that innocent exploration ought to constitute a crime. Full Article
Read MoreWV: Sex offender arrested for driving truck to mailbox
The West Virginia State Police have made an arrest for a man failing to update his sex offender registry. Full Article
Read MoreNY: Local sex offender law ruled unconstitutional
A Cheektowaga law created more than a decade ago to serve as a tougher version of New York’s sex offender law. Now, it’s being called unconstitutional. Full Article
Read MoreFL: Judge imposes 100 years in prison for child porn possession for first offender claiming innocence
A 36-year-old St. Johns County man is looking at spending the rest of his life behind bars after Circuit Court Judge Howard Maltz sentenced him to 100 years in prison Wednesday morning. The sentencing came nearly two months after a jury found ____ ____ guilty on 20 counts of possession of child pornography at the end of a two-day February trial. Full Article
Read MoreAR: Bill to Ban Sex Offenders from Museums
Rather than go see a movie, or hang out at home, today Kelly Gifford decided to take her son to a museum. “It’s a great opportunity for my son to have a good time while he’s learning,” Gifford says. She says she learned pretty quickly though that unlike a movie theater or her living room, museums and parks come with their fair share of distractions. “They’re kids. They’re going to run around,” she says. And perhaps nothing is scarier for a parent than the moment a child leaves their sight.…
Read MoreIN: Judge orders 3 off sex offender registry
Three men who moved to Indiana and were required to put their names on the state’s sex offender registry are likely to win their lawsuit that claims they wouldn’t face that requirement had they lived in Indiana all their lives, a judge ruled, ordering their names removed. Full Article
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