[phys.org – 9/3/19] Few categories of offender invoke as strong a response as sex offenders. There is a public desire to “do something” about sex offenders, which is taken seriously by politicians of all persuasions. One way governments have responded is by increasing the length of time sex offenders spend behind bars. For example, most Australian states and territories now allow for “dangerous sex offenders”—such as Edward Latimer, who committed numerous offenses against adult victims—to be kept in custody after their sentences have ended. But it’s not feasible to keep…
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CA: Police: Men Mistook Homeless Man for Sex Offender, Beat Him to Death
[fox40.com – 9/2/19] MODESTO — Police in Modesto say two men beat a homeless man to death with their bare hands after mistaking him for a sex offender. Those who knew him say 63-year-old Jace Decker was often found sitting on a bench in Garrison Park. “He minded his own business for the most part. He just was going through his own life struggles and different adversities,” friend Donnie Bibbs said. Acquaintances say Decker was a husband with a broken heart. “Pretty decent life and everything and, now, I think…
Read MoreIL: Suit settled in teen suicide that led to Illinois law change
[abcnews.go.com – 8/31/19] The case of a suburban Chicago teenager who killed himself after being confronted at his high school about whether he made a video of himself having sex with a classmate raised uncomfortable questions about how aggressively school officials should question kids suspected of wrongdoing and whether they should wait until a parent arrives. A wrongful death lawsuit brought by the parents of 16-year-old Corey Walgren that focused on those questions has been resolved, with the city of Naperville expected to approve a settlement on Tuesday in which…
Read MoreCA: Appeals court grants new trial to sexually violent predator because of prosecutorial misconduct
A convicted violent sexual predator will get a new chance for controlled release from a state hospital because of prosecutorial misconduct, a state appellate court ruled this week. Full Article Decision
Read MoreGeneral Comments September 2019
Comments that are not specific to a certain post should go here, for the month of September 2019. Contributions should relate to the cause and goals of this organization and please, keep it courteous and civil. This section is not intended for posting links to news articles without additional relevant comment.
Read MoreCA: Committee Converts, But Does Not Approve SB 145
The CA Assembly’s Appropriations Committee today converted Senate Bill 145 into a two-year bill, but did not approve the bill as currently written. Therefore, the bill could be amended as late as September 2020. “Unfortunately, it is not a surprise that the Appropriations Committee today failed to approve Senate Bill 145,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. “We will watch carefully to ensure that if the bill is amended, new language does not harm registrants or their families.” SB 145 was amended earlier this year in a way that could…
Read MoreMI: ACLU Michigan Attorney Advocates End of Registry; Provides Update on 6th Circuit Decision
In a recent NPR interview, ACLU Michigan attorney Miriam Aukerman stated she believes that sex offender registries should be abolished. In support of that belief, Aukerman stated that registries are ineffective and make society less safe. Aukerman criticized both legislators and law enforcement for the current challenges now facing registrants. Legislators have passed and keep passing new laws because they believe doing so will help them to get re-elected. Law enforcement spends time and money monitoring people convicted of a sex offense when they should be monitoring those who actually…
Read MoreKat’s Blog: New Illinois Law Hopes to Prevent Suicides
Two years ago, Corey Walgren, a 16 yr. old high school student in Naperville, Illinois, jumped off the roof of a municipal parking garage after being questioned by police on his school campus. Corey had been interrogated by a police officer about an alleged sex tape, accused of possessing child pornography, a felony which can lead to placement on the state’s sex offender registry. Records later showed that there were in fact no illegal images on Corey’s phone. Corey had been interviewed, alone, by police at his school. His parents…
Read MoreJanice’s Journal: Child Pornography Laws Should Protect, Not Prosecute Children
The highest state court in Maryland ruled yesterday that a teenage girl could be prosecuted for distributing “child pornography” because she shared a one-minute video in which she was engaged in a consensual sexual act. Has the world gone crazy? “Child pornography” laws have been passed in every state in the nation. And in each of those states the purpose of the laws is to protect children from abuse and exploitation. Protecting children from abuse and exploitation is a noble cause. However, it is not noble to prosecute children who…
Read MoreIndonesian Doctors Refuse to Castrate Child-Sex Convict
[benarnews.org – 8/27/19] The association representing medical doctors in Indonesia said Tuesday it would refuse to take part in chemically castrating the first convict sentenced to such punishment under the country’s toughened up child-protection laws against pedophiles. In May, a court in East Java province’s Mojokerta regency found Muh Aris bin Syukur guilty of sexually abusing nine children, including girls as young as 7, between 2015 and 2018, and sentenced him to 12 years in prison. The judges, in a landmark ruling, ordered that he be chemically castrated to prevent…
Read MoreCA: Senate Bill Amendment Excludes Registrants from Juries
Senate Bill 310, which would expand the number of individuals eligible to serve on a jury, was amended this week in a way that prohibits anyone convicted of a felony sex offense from that service. The bill was amended on August 26 as it was being considered by the Assembly’s Appropriations Committee. “Once again, state legislators have thrown people convicted of a sex offense under the bus,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. “Registrants are citizens and therefore should be allowed to serve on a jury.” Significantly the bill would…
Read MoreOp-Ed: Jeffrey Epstein’s suicide was part of a much bigger crisis in U.S. jails and prisons
[latimes.com – 8/19/19] The New York City medical examiner’s ruling that sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein killed himself in jail has prompted a lot of hand-wringing about conditions in the facility where he was held. But if the nation had been paying attention, no one would have been particularly surprised by what happened. The United States is in the midst of a prison suicide epidemic. In 2014, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicides accounted for about 1.6% of overall U.S. deaths. That same year, the latest for…
Read MoreDisneyland and Fingerprints
[austinstartups.com – 8/27/19] It may surprise many people but the Walt Disney Corporation is an enthusiastic and early adopter of biometric technology. All the way back in 1996, Disney added a magnetic stripe to their park pass. Instead of the bar-coded laminate photo IDs traditionally used, the new pass had no photo and minimal printed information. The magnetic stripe stored pass information plus it added one new piece of information: a biometric “finger scan” (fingerprint). Disney didn’t provide clear information on what was happening when a guest made the “peace…
Read MoreFL: A look inside Florida Civil Commitment Center life: Pesci v. Budz
[law.justia.com – 8/21/19] James Pesci is a detainee at the Florida Civil Commitment Center (FCCC), a for-profit facility that houses sex offenders involuntarily committed under Florida’s Involuntary Civil Commitment of Sexually Violent Predators Act. Pesci is not a prisoner; like the other roughly 600 residents of FCCC, he has already served out his prison sentence. Instead, he is involuntarily committed because the State has determined that he is a “sexually violent predator” likely to engage in future “acts of sexual violence if not confined in a secure facility for long-term…
Read MoreThe Truth About True Crime with Amanda Knox
[art19.com] SundanceTV: TV & Film Society & Culture True Crime Amanda Knox Documentary Podcast Vigilantes. They’re our heroes, our dark reflection, our cultural obsession. This season, Amanda Knox explores multiple stories of vigilante justice, starting with the still-unsolved murder of a small town’s tormentor — the story at the heart of the SundanceTV docu-series No One Saw a Thing. From murderous gang hunters and vengeful fathers to real-life avengers and internet cat-fishers, join Knox as she examines justice outside of the law. The views, information or opinions expressed during this podcast…
Read MoreNJ: Legal Opportunity for New Jersey Registrants
Individuals convicted of a sex offense in New Jersey who are currently on community supervision for life may have an opportunity to join a lawsuit. Opportunities are limited to those placed in the Bo Robinson Assessment Center. Anyone interested in exploring this opportunity should contact Raymon Hof at [email protected].
Read MoreVA: Who lives, works near you, and what it takes to keep track of Virginia’s 13K sex offenders
The process of moving when buying or renting a home can be a lengthy process, from researching neighborhoods, area schools and the cost of living. For some, another part of finding a new home can involve checking crime rates — or the sex offender registry. Full Article
Read MoreUT: ‘Conviction’ aside, Utah Supreme Court says sex offender must register
The Utah Supreme Court has ruled a man must register as a sex offender, despite his conviction ultimately being set aside in another state. Full Article
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