Category: National

Five Evidence-Based Policies Can Improve Community Supervision

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Source: pewtrusts.org Community supervision, most commonly probation and parole, is a key component of correctional systems in every state and involves more people than are serving prison or jail sentences. At the end of 2020, almost 3.9 million Americans—or 1 in 66 adults—were on probation or parole in the U.S., compared with nearly 1.8 million in jails and state and federal prisons.1 Community supervision also presents a different set of challenges for policymakers and for the people affected by it than does incarceration. Individuals on probation and parole must earn…

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ACSOL Action Alert Nationwide: Ask your US senators to declare April as Second Chance Month

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Source: prisonfellowship.org 4/15/23 President Biden has proclaimed April 2023 as Second Chance Month, but the U.S. Senate has yet to act! Now more than ever, it is crucial that we raise awareness about the challenges encountered by individuals with a criminal record, even after facing their consequences. When we extend second chances to men and women with a criminal record, our communities can become safer, stronger, and more prosperous. Using our quick and easy tool, find your lawmakers and send a letter urging them to take a stand for justice…

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FL: Florida Lawmakers Unanimously Advance Bill Seeking Death Penalty for Pedophiles

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Source: ntd.com 4/13/23 A new Florida bill allowing capital punishment for those committing sexual battery on children under 12 cleared the state’s rules committee this week and is now heading to the full Senate. Senate Bill 1342 (pdf), a bipartisan effort by Sen. Lauren Book (D-Fla.) and Sen. Jonathan Martin (R-Fla.), cleared the Florida Senate Rules Committee on Tuesday by unanimous vote, and the state House committee is scheduled on Thursday to consider its version of the measure—House Bill 1297 (pdf). The proposal stipulates that defendants 18 or older could…

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TX: After 30 years, a father is exonerated in ‘satanic panic’ sex case

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Source: tpr.org 4/11/23 With a few strokes of a pen, Judge Christine Del Prado dismissed the case against 74-year-old Melvin Quinney — giving him his good name back. “Mr. Quinney I have signed the dismissal,” said Del Prado “And I thank you sir for your attendance. You are now discharged from this court.” Applause broke out from onlookers in the same court that 32 years ago had convicted Quinney of indecency with a child and sentenced him to 20 years. This was the final courtroom step in Quinneys exoneration —…

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MI: Court: Sex offender registry not cruel and unusual

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Source: thealpenanews.com 4/11/23 ALPENA — An Alpena man’s lifetime appearance on the Michigan Sex Offender Registry does not constitute cruel and unusual punishment, the Michigan Court of Appeals said. … ____’s argued through his attorneys, Christine Pagac and Steven Helton, that his lifetime listing on the registry was unduly harsh because the trial court hadn’t proven he demonstrated an ongoing risk to the community and because the lower court hadn’t done an individualized assessment of his risk of reoffending. The appellate court ruled the registry listing was not harsh because…

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MN: Minnesota sex offender released after turning life around

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Source: benningtonbanner.com 4/10/23 BENNINGTON — In a case that touched on the meaning of rehabilitation in the criminal justice system, a Bennington judge ended the probation of a Minnesota woman — Rosa Maria ____ — guilty of luring a minor and sexually assaulting the victim. That decision came Monday, after a hearing last week in which ____ ‘s attorney argued that she had cleaned up her act and rehabilitated her life. ____ , now 27, the mother of two young toddlers, appeared via video link in a Bennington courtroom last…

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FL: Brevard settles lawsuit over sex offenders’ access to County Commission meetings

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Source: floridatoday.com 4/8/23 Brevard County has agreed to settle a federal lawsuit involving the right of convicted sex offenders to attend County Commission meetings. As part of the settlement, the county agreed to pay damages of $2,500 each to the plaintiffs ― sex offenders Charles Munsey Jr., Vincent Rinaldi and Charles Violi ― plus pay $150,000 for plaintiffs’ attorney fees. The lawsuit filed in January 2022 in U.S. District Court was triggered by a 2006 Brevard County ordinance that, with some exceptions, prohibits people on the sex offender registry from…

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MD: Report details ‘staggering’ church sex abuse in Maryland

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Source: apnews.com 4/5/23 BALTIMORE (AP) — More than 150 Catholic priests and others associated with the Archdiocese of Baltimore sexually abused over 600 children and often escaped accountability, according to a long-awaited state report released Wednesday that revealed the scope of abuse spanning 80 years and accused church leaders of decades of coverups. The report paints a damning picture of the archdiocese, which is the oldest Roman Catholic diocese in the country and spans much of Maryland. Some parishes, schools and congregations had more than one abuser at the same…

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MO: MO Supreme Court sends Boone County sex offender case back to circuit court

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Source: komu.com 4/4/23 JEFFERSON CITY — The Missouri Supreme Court ruled Tuesday to send a Boone County woman’s case back to circuit court after she said she should be removed from the sex offender registry. The 4-3 decision by the Court reversed the circuit court’s judgment and sent back the case for further proceedings.  Read the full article  

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NH: With guns drawn and loudly knocking on door, U.S. Marshals follow typical procedure to arrest registrant for not registering

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Source: conwaydailysun.com 4/3/23 CONWAY – With guns drawn, U.S. Marshals Service agents arrested a sex offender at Millbrook Vill On Monday, the Sun spoke to Deputy U.S. Marshal Andrew Grillo about the arrest of Jeffrey ____, 29, of Canaan, at the apartments. “He was wanted out of Grafton County for failing to appear on an arraignment for failing to register as a sex offender,” said Grillo, … … Federal agents and Conway police surrounded the apartments located at 175 Grove St., shortly before noon on Thursday. The marshals approached the…

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ID: The Idaho Children’s Trust Fund says prevention is more important than focusing on penalties for offenders

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Source: idahonews.com 4/3/23 BOISE, Idaho (CBS2) — Many children in Idaho will be the victims of abuse and/or neglect. The Idaho Children’s Trust Fund says one in eight Idaho children will be the victim of sex abuse. Rather than focusing on penalties for offenders, Idaho Children’s Trust Fund Executive Director Roger Sherman says the focus should be on prevention. He says, “we as a community need to get behind all of the parents to provide positive work to provide the kind of skills folks need to give people the kind…

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AZ Action Alert: GOP bill would add all low-risk sex offenders to Arizona’s online registry

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Source: azmirror.com 4/3/23 All low-risk sex offenders would be required to be listed on the sex offender registry under a Republican proposal that critics say is retroactive and would take away the discretion of law enforcement to review risk assessments.  Currently, the sex offender registry website must include any offender whose risk assessment has been determined to be a Level Two or Level Three, or any person assessed to be a Level One offender and whose victim was under 12 years old.  The proposed law, Senate Bill 1583 would punish…

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TX: Texas responds to school shootings in Texas by checking to see if visitors are on the registry

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Source: kwtx.com 3/31/23 ABBOTT, Texas (KWTX) – Following the tragic school shootings in Uvalde, Santa Fe, and most recently, Nashville, Abbott ISD is taking safety to a new level with various enhancements to the district’s security system. … “That kiosk is a system tied in with a national sex offender registry,” Pustejovsky said. “ Read the full article  

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FL: Sex offender acquitted in kidnapping and rape case sentenced to 8 years on other charges

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Source: news-journalonline.com 3/28/23 A sex offender acquitted last year of kidnapping and rape charges was found guilty Tuesday of unrelated charges of failing to properly register. He was sentenced to eight years in prison. Jason Nicholas Minton, 46, of Orange City, was found guilty of two counts of failure of a sex offender to properly register; each is a third-degree felony punishable by up five years in prison. He was found not guilty of a third count of failure of a sex offender to properly register. Read the full article…

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Action Alert for Washington Residents: Write Today to Support Youth Offenders Bill ESHB1394

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Source: Washington Voices Washington residents, this is our last chance support bill ESHB1394, which regards Sexual offenses by youth! It will be heard 3/30/23 at 12:30 PM Pacific in the Senate Hearing Rm 4 and Virtual, so we must write before then. Please click here to write your message today on the Washington State Legislature website feedback form! Every bill that becomes law has between 2 to 4 opportunities for the public to weigh in on whether they like the bill or not.  If you have taken the time to SIGN…

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PA: Hampton mom’s push to restrict where sex offenders live gets lawmakers’ support

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Source: cbsnews.com  3/27/23 HAMPTON, Pa. (KDKA) – Violent sexual predators are living just steps away from playgrounds and elementary schools right here in our area. It’s a common yet false belief that sex offenders can’t come close, or live close, to our kids. “Anyone in Pennsylvania should be thinking about this issue, especially if they have children because there are a lot of schools and daycares in Pennsylvania, and this could be happening anywhere.” There’s actually nothing to stop sex offenders from coming too close for comfort. Currently, Pennsylvania is…

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Action Alert for Illinois Residents: Call and email today to support SB 2158 to end weekly police registration

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Source: Illinois Voices for Reform, Chicago 400 Illinois residents, we have a great opportunity to support legislation that would improve the lives of registrants and their loved ones, and we urgently need everyone’s help! Our colleagues at the Chicago 400 have been hard at work on a bill that, if passed, would make the following changes to our harmful and wasteful registration and residency laws: reduce residential banishment zones to 250 feet; remove home daycares from the list of zones around which banishment zones are imposed; grandfather in existing residences…

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