The Defense Department doesn’t know how many registered sex offenders have access to military bases and lacks a departmentwide sex offender registry, a new report says. The military also has no way to verify if applicants for military housing are sex offenders required to register with local police, the audit conducted by the Inspector General for the Pentagon found. According to the audit, the department is working to fix the problems but still has work to do. Full Article
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Could Gold Medal Gymnast McKayla Maroney Face Child Pornography Charges?
A new “We the People” petition is asking that the Obama administration charge gold-medal gymnast McKayla Maroney with production or possession of child pornography because the recently leaked nude images of her were taken when she was underage. And it’s not as outlandish a request as you may think. Full Article
Read MoreMN: Few options for female sex offender
Twenty states and the District of Columbia have laws that allow for sexually dangerous people to be committed civilly. An Associated Press survey of those programs found that ____ is one of only nine committed female sex offenders, and the only one living in an all-male unit, which experts called shocking. Full Article
Read MoreAR: Advocates Question Effectiveness, Fairness of Sex Offender Registry
Carla Swanson doesn’t object to Arkansas’ sex offender registry, but she thinks it should contain a lot fewer than the 14,000 names currently listed. “So many on the registry are not a threat to society,” Swanson said. “I’m against it being flooded with so many sex offenders” the predators can’t be adequately tracked. Experts and some studies agree with Swanson, director of Arkansas Time After Time, an organization formed in 2010 to advocate for reforming the sex offender laws. Full Article
Read MoreFL: Inside the tiny town built for sex offenders
Some wear GPS devices that are constantly monitored by police. Others have fled their homes; repudiated by the local community for being a registered sex offender. And all of them – from those charged with possessing child pornography to ones caught having sex with a minor and molestation – are there to ‘repent their sins’. Welcome to Miracle Village, a tiny church town spanning about 20 acres on the edge of Everglades in south Florida, which was established in 2009 as a spiritual safe haven for sex offenders and their families. With…
Read MoreNC: Brothers cleared of murder, rape charges after 30 years in prison
LUMBERTON, NC (WMBF) – Two half-brothers who were convicted for raping and killing an 11-year-old girl in North Carolina 30 years ago have been cleared of all charges and will be released from jail Tuesday night. Henry McCollum and Leon Brown, now middle-aged, were locked up when they were in their teens. The details of the death of Sabrina Buie that led to their conviction are graphic. Full Article
Read MoreWA: Sex offender scandal prompts fair to require background checks
PUYALLUP, Wash. — In the wake of news that several sex offenders had been employed at the Washington State Fair in Puyallup, fair officials decided to make some changes this year. They’re going to conduct background checks for all employees of the company that handles the carnival rides and games. That’s great news to local parents at the fair. “That’s outstanding,” said fairgoer Lisa Pryne. “That’s something you worry about. I have a GPS/Amber Alert tracking app on my phone and it alerts me and on the car ride here…
Read MoreNonprofit Floats Unusual Alternative To Private Prison
A group of activists in Washington, D.C., have proposed a novel solution to a problem that has affected the United States for decades: the practice of locking people up in private prisons that critics say are more concerned with making money for their shareholders than with helping lawbreakers turn their lives around. Full Article
Read MoreThe Debt Penalty
Financial debt associated with legal system involvement is a pressing issue that affects the criminal justice system, offenders, and taxpayers. Mere contact with the criminal justice system often results in fees and fines that increase with progression through the system. Criminal justice fines and fees punish offenders and are designed to generate revenue for legal systems that are operating on limited budgets. However, fines and fees often fail to accomplish this second goal because many offenders are too poor to pay them. To compound their financial struggles, offenders may be subject to other financial obligations, such as…
Read MoreAdelanto to amend sex offender code
ADELANTO — The City Council has voted unanimously to approve the first reading of an ordinance that would amend the city’s code to comply with recent court rulings regarding the presence of registered sex offenders at public parks. “Recent decisions have been issued by the Court of Appeals which call into question the validity of city ordinances that prohibit sex offenders from entering city parks,” a city staff report reads. Full Article
Read MoreCA RSOL Meeting November 8 in Sacramento
The monthly California RSOL meetings for November will take place on November 8 in Sacramento 2993 Fulton Avenue, Suite A Sacramento, CA 95821 Meetings start at 10 am and are open to registrants, family & friends, professionals and supporters. Members of the media or law enforcement are not invited. We invite you to attend and find out how you can make a difference. Past Meetings September 20 – San Diego (more details) October 11 – Los Angeles (usual location – ACLU building at 1313 W. 8th Street in Los Angeles) [updated…
Read MoreCarson vows to ‘go to war’ to keep sex offender restrictions
Carson’s political leaders are prepared to throw the city’s weight — and its bank account — behind a legal and legislative battle to maintain control over where sex offenders are allowed to visit and live in the city. Full Article
Read MoreGeneral Comments September 2014
Comments that are not specific to a certain post should go here, for the month of September 2014. Contributions should relate to the cause and goals of this organization and please, keep it courteous and civil.
Read MoreShift scrutiny to Pierce County’s worst sex offenders
‘Sex offender” is a scary label. But it shouldn’t scare us into stupidity. Roughly 2,400 convicted sex offenders officially live in Pierce County. By law, they must report their addresses to law enforcement, which maintains a public database of their whereabouts, and officers must theoretically pay a visit to each one of them at least once a year. Full Article
Read MoreCanada: RCMP considers outsourcing creation of Harper government’s planned public sex offender registry
The Mounties are considering outsourcing the replacement and modernization of the national sex offender registry — and the creation of a proposed new public website — to the private sector. This is in advance of new legislation, expected this fall, which will toughen penalties for sexual predators. A spokesman for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said the force is taking a “proactive approach” by exploring “possible solutions offered by the private industry” for the creation of a new public website on high-risk child sex offenders, which would replace the current one.…
Read MoreID: How to guard against violent offenders (Opinion)
The tragic, horrific death of Nampa resident Selena Thomas has once again brought the uncomfortable topic of domestic violence to the forefront. It has also inspired the city’s former police chief and city councilman to call for the Idaho Legislature to create a new criminal registry for violent offenders, similar to the state’s sex offender registry. Full Article
Read MoreWasco sex offender ordinance adopted in 2007 thrown out
WASCO, Calif. – A sex offender ordinance in Wasco challenged by a law firm has been thrown out. The ordinance adopted by the city in 2007 restricted offenders from getting 300 feet near of public or private places. This involved public libraries, schools, parks, bus stops and child care centers. A Central Coast law office challenged that ordinance on grounds that it was too broad and violated offenders’ constitutional rights. As part of the settlement, the city of Wasco must now pay legal fees. Article Related
Read MoreAL: Alabama pastor sues over closure of sex offender camp
BIRMINGHAM – An Alabama pastor who let convicted sex offenders live in a camp behind his rural church filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday claiming a state law that forced him to shut down the operation violated his religious rights. The American Civil Liberties Union filed the complaint on behalf of Ricky Martin, pastor of Triumph Church in rural Chilton County south of Clanton. Full Article
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