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CA: State finds ‘systemic’ failures in how a California school district handles sex abuse allegations

Source: calmatters.org 3/20/26 A Southern California school district agreed to sweeping reforms Friday in settling a state attorney general investigation into how it handled allegations staff sexually abused students.    The wide-ranging stipulated judgment with the El Monte Union High School District draws to a close an 18-month investigation, which found “systemic shortfalls in the district’s response to allegations and complaints of sexual harassment, assault, and abuse of students.” The investigation was spurred by a 2023 article in Business Insider, The Predators’ Playground, which documented decades of sexual misconduct by teachers, coaches and other…

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FL: Florida’s new sex offender registrant restrictions will not improve public safety

Source: reason.org 4/30/26 Making it impossible for people to find a place to live after serving their sentences is harsh and counterproductive to preventing further crimes.   Florida lawmakers are preparing to add new restrictions on where certain registered sex offenders are allowed to live, blocking them from housing near public pools, which include splash pads and a variety of water recreation attractions. While presented as a way of protecting children from predators, in truth, these new rules would push registrants farther into the shadows, into homelessness, and in some…

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Consider volunteering to participate in research on “Understanding the Treatment Needs of Women Required to Attend Sex Offense Treatment”

Source: barry.edu Women registrants, you are invited to participate in a voluntary research study titled “Understanding the Treatment Needs of Women Required to Attend Sex Offense Treatment.” This study is being conducted by Dr. Jill Levenson and co-researchers at Barry University. The study has been approved by the University’s Institutional Review Board (IRB). The purpose of the study is to better understand women’s experiences in mandated treatment in order to improve services and clinical practice. You are eligible to participate if you are over the age of 18, identify as female…

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Canada: Convicted child pornography designated a long-term offender

Source: globalnews.ca 3/17/26 Convicted child pornography designated a long-term offender.  Repeat child pornography offender Shane _______ has been designated a long-term offender. On Thursday morning, judge Richard Danyliuk accepted a joint submission from the Crown and defence for a seven-year prison sentence and a 10-year supervision order Watch the video

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OR: Oregon Supreme Court reverses child sex abuse conviction on privacy grounds

Source: philomathnews.com 3/29/26 The Oregon Supreme Court on Thursday overturned a Lane County man’s conviction for encouraging child sex abuse, ruling that local authorities subjected him to a warrantless search when monitoring his use of a restaurant’s free wireless internet network.  In 2018 and 2019, Oakridge resident Randall De Witt Simons had accessed an A&W restaurant’s wireless internet network which extended into the range of his own home in Lane County. The network required a terms of service agreement, which noted that the restaurant chain may cooperate with legal authorities…

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CA: Sacramento sheriff launches ballot plan to block early release of sex predators

Source: msn.com 3/25/26 Sacramento County Sheriff Jim Cooper announced a new ballot initiative that would revise Proposition 57 to prohibit sexually violent predators from being eligible for early parole. Saying the state’s independent parole board has “too much unfettered power,” Cooper said the “only way to reform Prop. 57 is to take it back to the voters. That’s why we’re choosing a ballot initiative.” Cooper, who was elected to the post in 2022 after 8 years in the Assembly, said he aims to qualify the measure, “Protect Our Kids: Reform…

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MI: Scammers posing as Michigan State Police to contact employers of people on sex offender registry

Source: fox2detroit.com 3/25/26 Scammers pretending to be with Michigan State Police are preying on people on the state’s sex offender registry. According to MSP, the scammers are calling employers of people who are on the registry, which are listed on offenders’ registry profiles. These scammers are trying to get personal information and payment for outstanding warrants and … Click here to read the full article Click here to read on FAC’s website how this is happening in Florida also ACSOL reminds you that different kinds of scams like this can occur in ANY…

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UT: Utah Court of Appeals Upholds Dismissal of Child Sexual Abuse Accusations

Source: reason.com 3/25/26 An excerpt from the detailed discussion in State v. Murphy, decided Thursday by the Utah Court of Appeals (Judge David Mortensen, joined by Judges Gregory Orme and Ryan Harris): … Murphy was charged with aggravated sexual abuse and sodomy on a child for incidents that had occurred many years prior involving the son (Jonathan) of one of Murphy’s former close friends (Mother). The magistrate, citing lack of evidence at a preliminary hearing to establish probable cause that Murphy committed the alleged abuse, declined to bind Murphy over for…

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CA: Animal Abusers Will Go On Public Offender List Under Proposed CA Law

Source: patch.com 3/25/26 The proposed bill aims to protect vulnerable animals by establishing a public registry for individuals convicted of felony animal abuse.   A new bill would establish a public registry for people convicted of felony animal abuse in California. The bill was introduced by Assemblymember Matt Haney (D–San Francisco) on Tuesday, and similar to the Megan’s Law website for registered sex offenders, AB 2344 would create a California Animal Abuse Registry for adults convicted of felony animal abuse. It would be run by the state’s Department of Justice.…

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ACSOL Conducts Successful Lobby Day in Sacramento

More than 50 registrants, family members and supporters participated in this year’s Lobby Day on March 24.  Members of that group lobbied during 39 scheduled meetings as well as an additional 30 unscheduled meetings with legislators and legislative staff who work on public safety issues. “Thanks to every person who participated in Lobby Day this year,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci.  “We truly appreciate the sacrifices you made to arrive in Sacramento and then join ACSOL in delivering important messages to the legislature.” The primary focus of this year’s…

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Supreme Court rules for absconding defendant in dispute over supervised release term

Source: sentencinglawandpolicy.wordpress.com 3/25/26 The US Supreme Court handed down one criminal law opinion this morning, Rico v. United States, No. 24–1056 (S. Ct. March 25, 2026), and it is a notable statutory win for a federal criminal defendant who absconded with on supervised release.  The facts and issue are a bit complicated, but Justice Gorsuch’s opinion for the Court sets up the circuit conflict that was before the Justices and how it was resolved: Some circuits, like the Ninth, hold that a defendant’s failure to report doesn’t just amount to a…

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Don’t Legislate Morality: Most Americans Can’t Agree on What’s Immoral

Source: reason.com 3/25/26 Most matters enjoy too little moral agreement to make fertile ground for government intervention   The moral argument for not making laws about many—especially victimless—activities is that people have a right to live their own lives so long as they don’t hurt anybody else. That’s a convincing case for those of us who naturally gravitate to a live-and-let-live take on life. But it’s unpersuasive to the growing ranks of those inclined to control freakery in these illiberal times, and who believe the state should step in to…

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PA: Two boys made deepfake porn of 60 girls. It left a school, small town reeling

Source: usatoday.com 3/23/26 LANCASTER, PA – It’s hard to describe the city of Lancaster as anything other than quaint. Its vibrant but small downtown is peppered with coffee shops, bookstores and friendly locals. It has charm in abundance. The same can be said for the upscale Lancaster Country Day School, a K-12 private school in the area that hosts just over 600 kids. They frolic around in matching uniforms and play on crisp green grass once school lets out. Perhaps that’s why the AI-generated sexual abuse scandal that recently rocked this town…

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CA: Starbucks Fired Clovis Sex Offender. Now He’s Suing.

Source: gvwire.com 3/16/26 For eight years, Samuel Garza III worked at Starbucks in Clovis without any disciplinary actions. His colleagues respected him, the store named him “Employee of the Month,” and he was even tasked with training new employees, he says in court documents. When his manager discovered he was a registered sex offender, the company fired him in June 2025. The allegations come in a lawsuit filed by Garza, claiming the company knew of his past and that he was protected by state law. Garza filed the civil lawsuit Feb.…

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ACSOL Online Meeting April 18, 2026

You are invited to join ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci and President attorney Elie Miller to our next meeting.  The meeting will be held on Saturday, April 18 online on Zoom beginning at 10 a.m. Pacific time, 1:00 PM Eastern, and will last at least two hours.  You can use the Zoom app or you can call in using a Zoom phone number. There is no registration needed for this meeting. No government officials are allowed to attend the meetings. This meeting will be recorded and posted within a couple…

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The stakes of the elderly parole debate

Source: themarshallproject.org  On Wednesday, the California Board of Parole Hearings voted to reevaluate its earlier decision to grant “elderly parole” to Gregory Vogelsang. The 57-year-old has served 27 years of what is essentially a life sentence for sexually assaulting young children. The move comes amid a broader political backlash over a state law that allows some incarcerated people to become eligible for parole based on age and time served. The controversy first ignited last month around David Allen Funston, a 64-year-old convicted of sexual abuse of children. He was scheduled for release on elderly parole…

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CA: Fresno looks into banning sex offenders from city council meetings

Source: yourcentralvalley.com 3/17/26 FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – The City of Fresno is looking into banning sex offenders from attending city council meetings and installing facial recognition technology to enforce it.   This comes after a registered sex offender attempted to run for the District 7 seat. Rene Campos filed earlier this month but didn’t get enough required signatures to appear on the ballot. But voters can still write in his name. “I mean, I never thought the voters would actually support someone like that,” said Fresno City Councilmember Mike Karbassi.  At the next city council meeting…

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A generation of boys grew up on porn. Now, some young men want out.

Source: usatoday.com 3/18/26 He discovered porn at 11 and got addicted. He found help in a surprising place.   Ryan didn’t open his phone with the intention of finding porn. But when the 11-year-old came across it on his social media feed, he was intrigued. As he watched, he experienced a rush of curiosity and excitement. Soon, his brain was hooked on that dopamine rush. It became a daily routine.  He told himself he could stop if he wanted to, but the habit grew from something he did in the…

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