The Alliance for Constitutional Sex Offense Laws (ACSOL) is dedicated to protecting the Constitution by restoring the civil rights of registrants and their families. In order to achieve that objective, ACSOL will educate and litigate as well as support or oppose legislation. The ACSOL website and recordings are provided as a service to registrants, registrants’ families, and others for general information only. The information on the website and in the recordings are not designed to provide legal or other advice or to create an attorney-client relationship. You should not take, or refrain from taking, action based on their content. Prior results and case studies do not guarantee a similar outcome in future representations. ACSOL accepts no responsibility for any loss or damages that may result from accessing or reliance on content on the ACSOL website and recordings and disclaim, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all liability with respect to acts or omissions made by registrants, registrants’ families and others on the basis of content on the ACSOL website.
Important News / Announcements
General News Feed
FL: Unmanned Drones and Sex Offenders
TALLAHASSEE, FLA. -- A state lawmaker from Central Florida has filed a bill that would make it a crime for registered sex offenders to use a remote control drone to spy on kids or take their pictures. Senator Dorothy Hukill of Port Orange says predators are required to stay away from schools, playgrounds and other places where children gather... but there's nothing in the law about...
CA RSOL Challenges Halloween Sign Requirement in Federal Court [updated with complaint]
California Reform Sex Offender Laws (CA RSOL) and a registrant on parole filed a lawsuit in federal court today challenging a requirement that registrants on parole post a sign on the front door of their home on Halloween. The requirement is levied by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) as a blanket restriction on all registrant parolees in San Diego. “CDCR’s requirement...
UK: Internet child sex abusers urged to get help in new campaign
A national video campaign has been launched to encourage people who view images of child sexual abuse online to seek help. The initiative is modelled on anti-drink drive and anti-knife crime campaigns. Full Article
We are all sex offenders now — Happy Halloween.
2008 - One can almost bet that a politician is, right this moment, concocting some new stupid piece of legislation. And he will crow if he manages to pass the new absurdity into law -- and the more absurd it is, the more likely it is that it will pass. Consider that we are now about to enter Halloween. It is not a holiday...
OK: One State Just Announced Plans To Castrate Sex Offenders
According to recent reports, Oklahoma State Senator mark Allen has just proposed a bill that seeks to chemically castrate violent sex offenders. The proposal follows the lead of Florida and California. Under the new measure, first time sex offenders could undergo the procedure for early release. Second time offenders would have no choice in the matter. Full Article
OH: Convicted sex offender seeks chance to take Ohio bar exam
The Ohio Supreme Court is debating whether a convicted sex offender who wants to be a lawyer should be allowed to take the state bar exam. The court scheduled a Tuesday hearing for the request by ____ ____, a former Army officer convicted in military court of sex-related offenses after his arrest in 1998 in an FBI sting operation in which he thought he...
Withdrawn Plea, Vacated Convictions Included in Ever Expanding Reach of Sex Offender Registration
SORNA, the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, became law in 2006. We recently posted a piece about how the Fifth and Eleventh Circuit Courts of Appeals have expanded the definition of what constitutes a sex offense under the law. These two circuits were following the trend in SORNA cases. In 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court in United States v. Kebodeaux said “SORNA’s general...
Justice Can Be Served Without Putting Kids Behind Bars
Last month, the Seattle City Council resolved to end the practice of putting young lawbreakers behind bars. Resolution 31614, which passed unanimously, is a commitment to "eliminate the need to detain or incarcerate youth" by cutting off the "school-to-prison pipeline" and finding alternatives to incarceration. Full Article
Canada: American Sentenced For Possession Of Child Pornography . . . Of Cartoon Characters
There is an interesting criminal case in Canada where American ____ ____ 25, of Murrells Inlet, S.C., is under arrest for possession of child pornography. However, the images were not of human beings but cartoon characters. Canada treats sexual cartoon images as pornography – a view widely rejected in the United States as inimical to free speech protections. Full Article
Is sexting the new first base?
A study by the American Academy of Pediatrics found that sexual texts are considered the new normal for young people. Local law enforcement say a growing number are pre-teens. Full Article
WI: Legislator proposes child abuse registry
SAGINAW, MI (WNEM) -Tonight, children, many of them at-risk and abused, are putting the final touches on routines. They’re getting a special moment at their big dance in Saginaw. They’re Elijah’s Warriors, named in memory of 6-year-old Elijah Dillard. "Never, we never want to hear that story again, we never want to hear any child go near that story," said Omarr Dillard. In 2014,...
New California Law Cracks Down On Cheating Prosecutors
California prosecutors who deliberately withhold evidence from defense attorneys may face harsher punishment under a new law passed after a wave of misconduct scandals. Full Article
MT: Whitefish man says detective ‘coached’ false child molestation allegations
The battle of one Whitefish man to clear his name as a child molester has landed in the Montana Supreme Court. In a recent court brief, ____ ____ and his lawyers alleged Flathead County District Court abused its discretion multiple times, and requested the high court enter a judgment in favor of ____. Convicted of sexual assault and deviate sexual conduct in 1995, ____...
NY: Facebook and NY Attorney General Battle Sex Trafficking
Facebook and the New York Attorney General have formed a prolific crime-fighting partnership. The two have teamed up to find missing children and curb illegal gun sales. Now the Batman and Robin of Gotham justice are working on a new plan to battle online sex trafficking. The latest partnership hopes to use Facebook's mountains of user and ad data to identify human traffickers and...
Bermuda: Dismont advises against naming offenders
Early education and awareness is key to protecting children from sexual abuse, according to Family Centre’s executive director. Martha Dismont said treatment of convicted offenders was the next most important step to reduce reoffending. However, the charity would not advise naming sexual offenders because this “has not been shown to be the best method of keeping the public safe”. Full Article
RI: ACLU to sue over Level III sex offender housing ban
The Rhode Island Affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union said Thursday that it will file a lawsuit challenging a new state law that makes it a crime for high-risk sex offenders to live within 1,000 feet of a school. Full Article Related RI: Outcasts – Level III sex offenders in R.I. can’t live within 1,000 ft. of schools
We are NEVER safe–but we CAN control our destiny. A cautionary tale from Rhode Island
We at RSOL heard the news on Monday with a sinking despair that could only be topped by the desperation clearly felt by Rhode Island’s Level III registered citizens. In June of 2015, Rhode Island legislators passed a law that would restrict all Level III’s from living within 1000 feet of any school. That’s a 700-foot increase over the previous restriction. The article reported...
The Pariahs of America: Reforming Sex Offender Laws
This summer, 19-year-old Zachary Anderson was featured on the front page of the New York Times. Unfortunately, Anderson became a national figure after he was placed onto the sex offender registry -- for making a simple mistake. Zachary had consensual sex with a 14-year-old girl, but she had led him to believe she was actually 17. When everyone realized this situation, Anderson turned himself...
OH: Sex offender registries draw criticism from some unlikely sources
You might think that all advocates for rape victims would support the practice of forcing sex offenders to publicly register their addresses after their release from prison. But you would be mistaken. Growing numbers of victim advocates and criminal justice researchers are among those who have concluded that sex offender registries are too costly and provide little or no protection to the public. Full...
Murrieta Residency Restrictions Challenged in Federal Court
A registrant wishing to relocate to the City of Murrieta is challenging the residency restrictions adopted by the City of Murrieta, located in Riverside County. The restrictions prohibit most registrants from living within 2,000 feet of a child day care center, park, or school. CA Reform Sex Offender Laws President and attorney Janice Bellucci filed the lawsuit on October 6 on behalf of plaintiff...