Source: therecord.media 4/2/25 A multi-year operation against the child sexual abuse material (CSAM) platform Kidflix has led to dozens of arrests and the seizure of tens of thousands of illegal videos, Europol said Wednesday. Some of the 79 people arrested “not only uploaded and watched videos but also abused children,” Europol said, reporting that 39 children had been protected because of the operation. “The investigation is ongoing,” the agency said, with 35 countries participating overall in what it labeled as the “largest child sexual exploitation operation in Europol’s history.” Users accessed…
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MO: Guy Hamilton Smith: Nine Families from Missouri
By Guy Hamilton Smith April 1, 2025 Nine Families from Missouri Two things happened this past week that have been in process for years. Most important first: we went to trial. Nine pseudonymous plaintiffs in a civil rights lawsuit offered evidence in a federal trial in Jefferson City, Missouri about the impact that the sex offense registry has had on them. This case, like many others like it around the country, has largely centered on the question of whether or not the registry is punishment. Amongst the claims that survived…
Read MoreMy Release Came with Another Set of Shackles
Source: prisonerswithchildren.org 3/25/25 Being released from incarceration was supposed to be a step toward freedom, but the reality of wearing an ankle monitor made it feel like another form of imprisonment. The heavy, restrictive device clamped around my ankle was more than just an inconvenience—it was painful, physically damaging, and emotionally degrading. One of the first issues I encountered was the physical harm caused by the monitor. The device was bulky, and with every step, it rubbed against my skin. Within days, painful blisters formed, making walking difficult. The irritation…
Read MoreCyprus: Bill proposes chemical castration as alternative to life sentences
Source: cyprus-mail.com 3/28/25 Convicted child sex offenders could have the option to trade their life sentences for chemical castration if a bill proposed by Dipa MP Michalis Yiacoumi is passed. Under the proposed regulations, a convicted offender can apply to the council for the release of prisoners, which would have the authority to grant early release if the convict agrees to undergo chemical castration. The bill builds on the 2014 law that mandated life sentences for child sex crimes, making it stricter by allowing harsher sentences for child abuse and extending…
Read MoreThe never-ending sentence: How parole and probation fuel mass incarceration
Source: theconversation.com 4/2/25 The U.S. operates one of the largest and most punitive criminal justice systems in the world. On any given day, 1.9 million people are incarcerated in more than 6,000 federal, state and local facilities. Another 3.7 million remain under what scholars call “correctional control” through probation or parole supervision. That means one out of every 60 Americans is entangled in the system — one of the highest rates globally. Yet despite its vast reach, the criminal justice system often fails at its most basic goal: preventing people from being rearrested, reconvicted or reincarcerated. Criminal justice…
Read MoreGeneral Comments April 2025
Comments that are not specific to a certain post should go here, for the month of April 2025. 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. Other months General Comments
Read MoreAction Alert for CA! Call, then Show Up to Committee April 8 Hearing on Senate Bill 286 That Prohibits Early Release
Source: ACSOL The CA Senate Public Safety Committee is scheduled to conduct a hearing April 8 regarding two bad bills the same day: Senate Bill 680 (see our action alert on 3/28 that we hope you have already called/written about) Senate bill 286 – Call ASAP starting April 1! If passed, Senate Bill 286 would prohibit individuals convicted of several offenses from release from early release from custody due to their age. In order to be considered for release, an individual must have served at least 20 years in custody…
Read MoreCA: Lawmakers using Senate Bill 286 for pushing to disqualify aging violent sex offenders from early parole
Source: dailybreeze.com 3/30/25 ‘Mary Bella’s Law ensures that rapists and child molesters serve their full sentences, no matter their age,’ said state Sen. Brian Jones A California lawmaker has proposed legislation, named after two Riverside County child rape victims, that would disqualify convicted killers and violent sex offenders from a program that allows for the early release of aging prisoners who have served lengthy sentences. Mary Bella’s Law, introduced as Senate Bill 286 by Sen. Brian Jones, R-San Diego, goes before the Senate Public Safety Committee for consideration on April 8.…
Read MoreKS: Kansas lawmakers push for HB 2164 law restricting sex offenders from schools
Source: kshb.com 3/25/25 LIBERTY, Mo. — Schools in Kansas and Missouri differ in more ways than just the state line dividing them. Kansas has never had a state law restricting certain sex offenders from being on school property. In addition, Kansas doesn’t have residency restrictions. Lawmakers in Kansas want that to change. Senate Sub for HB 2164 passed the Kansas Senate by a vote of 37-3 on Thursday. The bill was proposed by Kansas Sen. Kellie Warren after parents in the Blue Valley School District made complaints about a registered sex…
Read MoreFL: The village of sex offenders
Source: bbc.com 3/12/25 Set among endless sugar-cane fields in a remote part of southern Florida, Restoration Destination is a community made up of registered sex offenders. Created by a Christian ministry as a response to state laws which ban them from living close to where children gather, it is now home to more than 100 men who have been placed on Florida’s sex offenders register for life. Through therapy, counselling and support, Restoration Destination aims to reduce their likelihood of reoffending and help them reintegrate into society. Journalist Conor Garrett…
Read MoreTX: ‘Audrii’s Law’ aims to close loophole in sex offender registry
Source: msn.com 3/25/25 In Austin on Tuesday, the family of Audrii Cunningham strongly urged Texas lawmakers to support a bill that would strengthen sex offender registration laws. … Through tears, Munsch pleaded with lawmakers to support Audrii’s Law. The law would add child grooming to the list of crimes that require registration as a sex offender, closing a so-called “loophole” that allows some offenders to avoid the registry altogether. Read the full article
Read MoreND: Senate passes bill studying length of time on sex offender registry
Source: kfyrtv.com 3/28/25 BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) – People who are considered “low-risk” sex offenders are required to be registered for at least 15 years. A House bill looks to see if that’s too long. Originally, House Bill 1231 called for the minimum to be at seven years before you could petition for removal. Senators amended the bill to make it a study to figure out if any lowering is appropriate. Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee say there was too much debate to be confident in enacting immediate change. “We…
Read MoreNJ: New Jersey sees 74% increase in child pornography arrests since 2020
Source: whyy.org 3/17/25 The state’s top law enforcement agent to those possessing and distributing child porn: If you harm our kids, we’re going to catch and prosecute you. The number of people charged with possession of child pornography is rising in New Jersey. During a news conference Thursday afternoon, Attorney General Matt Platkin, the chief law enforcement agent in the Garden State, said over the past several years there has been an uptick in reports of the number of tips about suspected predatory activity online, which has led to…
Read MoreAction Alert for CA! Call and Write Now, then Show Up to Committee April 8 Hearing on Senate Bill 680 That Could Add 30,000 People to Registry
The CA Senate Public Safety Committee is scheduled to conduct a hearing April 8 regarding Senate Bill 680 that could add up to 30,000 people to the registry! “We must stop this bill in order to prevent the addition of thousands of people to the California registry,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. “A similar bill (Senate Bill 1218) was introduced last year and ACSOL as well as other organizations were able to stop it due to our strong opposition.” (1) SEND A LETTER: Please send a…
Read MoreID: Idaho governor signs into law child sex abuse death penalty bill, despite U.S. Supreme Court ruling
Source: idahocapitalsun.com 3/27/25 Widely supported in the Idaho Legislature, the bill is likely to face a constitutional challenge, lawmakers acknowledge. But they are hopeful law will prevail. Idaho Gov. Brad Little signed into law a bill to make people who sexually abuse young children in Idaho eligible for the death penalty. House Bill 380 will allow the death penalty in a new criminal charge the bill creates: aggravated lewd conduct with children age 12 and younger. The bill also would add mandatory minimum prison sentences for cases of aggravated lewd…
Read MoreMO: Missouri Files Final Brief in Halloween Sign Challenge
Source: ACSOL The State of Missouri filed its final brief today in the pending federal case that challenges the state’s Halloween sign law. The next step in the litigation process is oral argument before the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals. No date has yet been set for oral argument, however, the parties must be provided at least 30 days prior notice. “In its brief, the State of Missouri continues to repeat its claim that the law that requires all registrants to post a sign at their residence on Halloween is…
Read MoreGA: Georgia Suggests Making Sex Offender Registry Removal More Confusing
Source: filtermag.org 3/27/25 Georgia is weighing legislation that would make it more difficult for people on the state’s sex offender registry (SOR) to get off it, as well as to relocate—whether attempting to move in from out of state or move from one part of the state to another. Personally I’m more interested in getting out of Georgia, but that’s beyond the scope of HB 430. The bill pertains to registrants trying to move to a new county, potentially as they’re getting off the SOR. As of March 26, it appears to be in the…
Read MoreMI: A huge win in Michigan: U.S. District Court found that the registry is punishment!
Source: Florida Action Committee 3/27/25 This is big news: U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan ruled the state can’t enforce the entirety of its 2021 version of the law against offenders who committed their crimes before July 1, 2011. And the Court found that the registry is punishment! Read the decision and more on FAC’s website
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